“I’mnot leaving,” Isaac said.
Theskull bent down close to him, enough that he could see the cracks in its emptyorbitals, the subtle calcification of the frontal plate.“Isaac.”
“I’mnot leaving.”
Hismind was still a chaos of emotion.There was betrayal, there was fear, therewere aching wounds and seeded doubts.He knew he would never lose the feelingsentirely.They were the kind that would follow him for the rest of his life.But, now, he felt ready to face those emotions, the same way he had faced everysingle threat that had crossed his path.He glanced back at Zaria, and herresponse was a single nod.He knew, in his heart, he needed to see nothingelse.
He wasready.
“We’regoing to stop him,” Isaac said.
The jawof the skull lowered, as if it would try to speak.After a moment, it closedits skinless mouth, giving only a single nod.
“Right,”he said.“It won’t be easy.Berith is a necromancer, and he’s specialized inparasitics.I’ve counted at least two dozen thralls still under his command.Ifwe can—”
“Holdon,” Zaria said.“Need to clear something.”
Thehyena stepped toward the mound of bodies.She reached out a hand, cupped it toIsaac’s chest, and pushed him backwards.She did not start speaking until shewas standing squarely between him and his father.
“Listenhere, you sack of shite.”
Theocean of bones flinched.
“Yourson may be trusting you,” she said, “but I’m keepin’ my eye open.If I smellany hint of treachery, if you so much as part a single hair on his head, thenI’ll be sucking the marrow from your bones.Do we understand each other?”
Theskull nodded very fast.Below it, several arms held their palms to the ceiling,as if being robbed at knifepoint.
“Good.That being said....”She cleared her throat.“I, uh—I’m sorry for fuckingyour son.In front of you, I mean.”
“Zaria!”
“What?He’s been watching us since we got here.He’s seen everything we’ve done.Mightneed to clear our union with your sire, don’t you think?”
On thefloor, the bones quickly tumbled into words.
I DIDNOT WATCH SEX
“Isaac.”
“Hedidn’t watch,” he explained.
“Didn’tyou?”Zaria asked.
NO
Theskull curled up into the air, the vertebral stalk bending like a reed.Isaaccould’ve sworn the bones looked offended.
IFOLLOWED
ILISTENED
WHEN HELICKED I LEFT
“Oh,gods,” Isaac said, blushing terribly.
“Isaac?”
“I’mnot reading that!”
