“He means me,” said Talia, hands shoved deep in her pockets, hood and chin both up. “I’m ‘a matter.’ I didn’t want to come, and he couldn’t without me. You’re lucky Bo insisted. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here at all.”
Bo saw the muscle in Ever’s jaw twitch that meant he’d started clenching his teeth. Heard his whispered, “Talia.”
“Oh, right.” Talia even managed to sound like he’d been reminding her of manners instead of trying to tell her not to do what she was doing. Bo really fucking liked this kid. “I’m Talia. I’m aGate.”
“Fuck yeah, you are, kid.”
“You certainly are,” the woman agreed, smiling at Talia. She slid off her stump, graceful as Ever in his river. Smaller even than Talia and seeming to get smaller as she drew near. It wasn’t a cute, endearing sort of small. “He’s quite lucky to have a ward that cares for him as much as you do about–” a flickering, considering glance between Bo and Ever, sending a chill straight up Bo’s spine, “–your guardians. For my part, I am a hyades.”
Another smile, amused and unruffled.
“And a Councilor.”
“Yes,” said the hyades. “Councilor Yenah. A pleasure, Talia. We’ll take your word under consideration regarding Bo and his … insistence. Before you take your leave, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your guardians, dear?”
Talia pressed against Ever’s other arm, looking up with a frown. “I’ve gotta leave?”
“You’re not subject to the Council, Talia. I’m sorry.”
Talia turned that frown on Yenah, because the kid had brass. “They’re mine by oath. Both of them. There’s no rule that says I can’t pick a human, just that they have to be a bond.”
“Both of them are yours by oath,” agreed Yenah. She didn’t even sound condescending. “You chose, as is your right. If we were here to challenge that choice, you’d be asked to stay. Anyone who tries to force a guardian on youissubject to the Council. We aren’t questioning that.”
“I get to pick,” Talia said again. “And I’m not gonna chooseanyonewho won’t take me to a mall. Bo’s already gonna.”
“Black Friday’s next week,” Bo added, his hand now flat on Ever’s back. Ever, who stood stiff and frozen, his emotions twisting with shame and guilt and discomfort, desperation. It only spiked higher when Bo spoke.
Ever turned toward Talia, and Bo followed, though he kept Ever between himself and Yenah. Talia bit her lip when Everil looked down at her, small and made smaller by that hoodie and her expression. Bo’d seen Robin with the same look. Challenge and worry and trying to trust.
Or Bo was projecting. Probably that.
“Talia,” Ever said, low and as firm as Bo’d ever heard him. “You have my oath. And Bo has my protection. No one will offer him injury, not while I stand.”
Talia wavered, biting her lower lip. She glanced at Bo, then back to Ever, drawing in an unsteady breath.
“You and I are both new to this, kid,” Bo said before anything else got thrown around. Ever fell still all over again, not looking at Bo even when Talia did. “Ever’s more used to this stuff than either of us. Plus, he’s pretty badass.”
“What if they say it’s Protocol?” Yep. Definitely bristling and just a tiny bit accusing. Luckily, she looked back to Ever when she said it because Bo sure as fuck didn’t know the answer.
“It’s Protocol that I keep my promises. And I promise you, no one will do him injury if I can prevent it.” Ever lifted a hand and tapped her chin lightly. “Wait for us. Please?”
Talia nodded, reluctant. Then she turned to Bo, dislodging one of Ever’s hands to frown at him.
“Hi,” Bo said, confused. “What’d I do?”
“You promised me hoodies and malls.” Talia’s eyes shone. Not with power this time. “And a guest spot. Okay? You promised.”
“I like you too, kid.” Bo tweaked the edge of her hood, smiling crookedly. “Ever’s got me squared away, like he said. I’ll keep my mouth under control.”
Ever managed not to snort. Bo fucking saw the twitch of his eyebrows, there and gone, and Talia rolled her eyes. But she agreed. She left, still unhappy about it, but she did, and even smiled when Bo said, “See you soon, kid.”
Someone would, anyway. Ever, if no one else. Bo flashed her a final grin, and she was gone.
Yenah’s bell voice sounded not a second into the ensuing Gateless moment, her inflection unchanged from before. “How very touching.”
“Go fuck yourself,” Bo said, all camera-ready ease. Smiling, like he was sayinghello dreamers. “How’s that for touching?”
“Some advice for you, little human,” the tiny fucking fairy said while Bo tangled his fingers in the ends of Ever’s hair, away from prying eyes. “Freely given. Were I in your place, I’d act as if I were meeting one of my fawning spectators.”
