“Sonot what happened.”
Gran ignored me, focusing on Kai with a dangerous level of fondness. “Did she look elegant? Graceful? Like a killer gazelle?”
“Like a murderous ballerina!” Kai spoke with complete sincerity. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I made a choking noise. “Stoptalking.”
Neither of them listened, nor did they pay me any mind.
Gran stood up and padded barefoot toward me, her boa trailing dramatically behind her.
“My little champion!” She pulled me into a tight hug and I breathed in her soothing, familiar scent.
“I didn’t even fight a headliner. It was just a normal tournament,” I protested.
Kai scoffed.Actuallyscoffed. “Technicality. She won the important ones.”
“What is that even supposed to mean?” I threw my hands up in exasperation.
“The ones I saw.” He shrugged.
My face heated up so quickly, I worried steam might come out of my ears.
Gran eyed me with a slow, knowing smirk. “Oh.Oh.”
“Oh hell no,” I whispered, my eyes widening. “Don’t start.”
“Start what?” Kai had a smile on his face and looked clueless, which only made things worse.
Gran circled me like a shark scented blood. “So. Sounds like someone was pretty impressed by you…” She turned her head dramatically toward Kai.
Kai blinked, then furrowed his brows. “What? Of course I was impressed. You should’ve seen her!”
“You bragged like a man showing off his prize hog at the county fair,” Gran huffed, pointing a crooked finger at him. “Except your hog has better footwork.”
I wanted to die.
“Gran,” I hissed. “Stop.”
“What?” She shrugged. “You saw him. He came in here glowing like the Virgin Mary just descended and blessed his eyebrows.”
Kai frowned. “Are my eyebrows blessed?”
“Absolutely,” Gran declared. “By love.”
I wheezed audibly. “OH MY GOD. What is wrong with you two?”
Kai coughed and his ears turned red as he suddenly became unsure what to do with his hands. “I … uh … I was just impressed?”
Gran winked at him. “Of course you were, dear.”
Kai spluttered. “I’m—No! Hold on, I just think she’s … It was cool! She was—”
“Helpless,” Gran whispered loudly to me. “He is helpless.”
“I need to leave.” I blinked rapidly.
Gran blocked the hallway with her boa like a traffic arm. “No, no. We’re bonding.”
