Chapter Six
Lydia
“That’s kind of creepy,” comes Harlee’s voice, muffled by the distance between us.
“…want to read…” Roan answers, but even straining, I miss part of what he says. Considering I also missed the beginning of the conversation, I’m having trouble deciphering what they’re talking about.
Yes, I’m hiding on the stairs. Yes, I’m eavesdropping on someone else’s conversation—everything I silently accused Chloe of doing yesterday. And yes, I hate myself for being a hypocrite, but I honestly can’t bring myself to continue into the kitchen, not after the disaster of last night.
As predicted, Killan left before I woke. He’s got it easy; with scales, he doesn’t wear clothes, and he doesn’t have hair to brush, so he just gets up and walks out. It grinds my gears. I’m usually the morning person. I’m a baker after all and no stranger to rising before the sun. But since being abducted and now living underground, my internal clock has gotten all messed up, and I still haven’t adjusted.
I’m not going to adjust,I reassure myself. There isn’t any point getting used to Ril II time when I’ll be leaving sooner or later.
Hopefully, much sooner than later.
“I do not have time to read them all.” Killan’s voice carries. He’s so confident the others will agree with everything he suggests that he never tempers his tone. Everything he says sounds like an order or an interrogation. I’m scowling and I’m not even the one he’s talking to. “If you want me to pass on the letters addressed to you directly, I will. Otherwise, I will delete them.”
“I do not want to see mine,” comes Sorin’s voice, which is a surprise because I hadn’t realized he was here. He must have gotten up early to have arrived this morning. Apparently harvest is a pretty big deal for the brothers.
I abandon the idea of breakfast, at least until everyone has cleared out of Killan’s kitchen. I don’t need to see them excited about work, not after Killan made it clear that he doesn’t want me within touching distance.
I turn to leave.
Chloe is standing directly behind me, one step lower, and I jump, nearly bumping into her.
“Shit!” I hiss the expletive, a hand pressed to my chest. “How long have you been there?” I hadn’t heard her approach, and a glance at her feet tells me she isn’t wearing her usual high heels.
She raises her immaculately shaped eyebrows, as if that’s a proper answer. The look perfectly conveys aI’ll tell you if you tell me.
I glare. We are not the same. And I almost open my mouth to say that, then decide actions speak louder than words. I take the remaining stairs two at a time and slip into the kitchen.
Killan, Roan, and Harlee are all seated at the table with their backs to me. Roan has his tablet propped on the table beforethem, Briar and Sorin on video call, which better explains why I could hear Sorin’s voice. Killan is holding his own tablet, referring to some notes or other. Which probably means he’ll be taking it with him to work today, and I won’t be listening to more search results. My to-do list had exactly one item on it, and I’m left facing another day of nothing to do.
Back to sulking, I guess.
I shuffle sideways, keeping out of Killan’s direct line of sight, and head toward the counter, where the leftover breakfast things have been piled. Judging by the mess, Roan and Harlee ate here, too, probably while I was still sleeping.
“Hey, Lydia.” Briar waves at me from the tablet screen, and the others all turn to look at me.
“Good morning.” Harlee is practically glowing. Of course she is—the bride-to-be. Roan is watching her with a smug expression, like he can’t believe she’s really his.
“Grabbing some food.” I make a noncommittal gesture toward the kitchen counter.
“Have you heard?” Harlee asks. “Apparently the farm’s been getting fan mail.”
“The mail is addressed to all of us,” Briar explains. “But they’re sending it through to the farm account. I guess that’s the only way people know how to contact us.”
“We’re getting fan mail? Even though our season was never released?”
“Yep,” says Harlee. “Apparently we Humans have caused quite a stir.”
“Has anyone said they know where Earth is?”
The others all look to Killan. Considering he manages the office admin for the farm and charity, I’m guessing it’s him who’s been reading most of the letters. “No.”
Of course not.I grit my teeth to keep from reacting. I hadn’t thought he’d say yes, but the disappointment still hits me like a freight train.
“Some guy wanted to lick Harlee’s feet,” says Briar, her voice cracking in the tablet’s speaker.
