“The drive should be about six hours westward,” Hektor said.
“I’ll drive,” Elian offered.
“Shotgun!” Liora called, jumping out of her seat. “You losers have to sit in the back again.”
Hektor looked confused, but simply shrugged and stood up. “If you’ll excuse me…” With a curt nod to no one in particular, he headed out the door.
“You’re welcome,” Liora said to Zara. “Now you can make goo-goo eyes at him for six hours in the backseat.”
“I do not—” Clamping her mouth shut, she got to her feet and marched off after Hektor.
I need to tell him now.
Maybe it would make their long drive tomorrow less awkward, too, and they could get back to how it was before that night in the tent.
“Hektor,” she called as soon as she stepped out into the hallway. He was halfway down, but didn’t stop. “Hektor!” she repeated as she sprinted toward him. “Hey, one sec.”
His hulking form stopped, then he pivoted to face her. “Yes?”
“Hey, uh, I just wanted to tell you something. Something important.”
“I think I know what it is.”
“You do?”
“Yes, and I completely understand.”
“Oh good.” She breathed a sigh. “I’m glad things don’t have to be awkward between us.”
His jaw hardened. “I will do my best to support you and your basilisk.”
“Good, because—what?” her voice pitched higher than she wanted. “Support me? And my basilisk?”
“Of course. I assume that since we are going to Solkaris, you will take this opportunity to meet this male you have been getting acquainted with.”
Oh. Shit.
It hadn’t even occurred to her that that was a possibility. Or that he would think she’d take that opportunity to meet with this fictional man.
Lie! Tell him you broke it off! Or that the other guy is dead! A tunnel collapsed on him or he accidentally walked out into the desert and was barbecued by the sun.
“Hektor—”
He put up a hand. “You needn’t worry or say more.”
“But—”
“All has been forgotten.” With that, he spun around and trudged off.
What. The. Fuck.
Zara slapped a hand over her forehead.
Why did I have to say my fake boyfriend was a basilisk?
She’d chosen it at random, never thinking she would actually have to produce this boyfriend in the flesh.
How could she have known their next mission would take them to basilisk country?
