“Boundaries are important.” Her voice rose as the Siren laced herself within it. “I don’t want to be some damsel who can’t save herself. I’ve lived that life and I never want to go back. I cannot survive going back.” Xia pressed her hands to her forehead and paced as the silence grew to a chasm between them “Do you understand that? This isn’t doing better, Brooks,” she gestured between them. “This is tightening the noose.”
Scales rose along her arms as her Siren slipped free, their combined fury begging to be unleashed. “I don’t want to be the spoiled princess living off the broken backs of others. I want to stand on my own and make an impact I can be proud of, and that starts by proving to Nyx that she didn’t risk her home by helping us.”
“Is that what she said to you?” His head jerked up, his gaze intense and accusing.
Xia stopped and stared at him, her gaze narrowing in as if to pierce his soul. Her spine trembled as the Siren clawed to lash out. “Unbelievable. You are un-fucking-believable. Out of everything, that’s what you heard.”
“I heard you, Xia. I am listening. I value everything you’re saying.”
He lies!
“You sure don’t act like it,” she whispered. Xia shook her head and walked out the door she’d stepped through not even twenty minutes before. Xia rushed to the river where she knew the solace of water waited but stopped short when a messy head of black hair showed over the bank.
Was she supposed to turn around? Maybe go to the river access where they did laundry?
No, she thought.I can’t let others stand in the way of relationships I want to forge. This is for me.
Xia approached slowly but stepped purposely on dry leaves and twigs so as not to scare her. Nyx was fast and scrappy, and Xia had no doubt the girl kept a blade or two ready.
“You don’t have to be weird about it,” Nyx said without turning. Her legs were tucked up to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees as she looked out over the horizon.
“I’m sorry,” Xia answered. “I wasn’t trying to be weird. I just didn’t want to get stabbed.” She huffed an easy laugh, but her smile fell when it wasn’t reciprocated. Nyx was going to be a challenge, but she was one Xia was willing to take on. Something about this girl told Xia that any trouble would be worth the reward of her friendship.
“Trouble in paradise?”
“No,” she lied. “Well, maybe a little.”
“Let me guess. He ripped your mind apart to see if the legs over the shoulder position or from the back was your favorite.” Nyx’s tone was so matter-of-fact that Xia wasn’t sure how to respond for a moment. Her cheeks flamed at the forwardness.
“Not exactly. Although I expect we will draw up a complete set of analytics on performance later.”
Nyx huffed a laugh and, though Xia didn’t want to ask the question, she had to. “You, um, you heard us? Last night?”
Nyx turned, eyebrows lost in her hairline as her eyes bulged. “The whole fucking underworld heard you. Are you serious?”
Xia laughed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes dipping to look anywhere other than at Nyx. “Sorry about that. It wasn’t intentional. That was very rude of us. You’ve been such a great host and I’m thankful for your hospitality. I’m sorry if we crossed a boundary.”
Nyx nodded, one corner of her lip upturned in what could have been a half smile. “You’re such a pretty liar. It makes me a little jealous.”
“What?” Xia’s head whipped to Nyx, confusion clouding her thoughts.
“I’ve not been a good host, and I’ve said a countless amount of shitty things to both of you, so we will call it even. If you suck him off again so close to my room, though, you’re both sleeping in the water shed.”
Xia choked on saliva, and she worked to regain her composure.
“Don’t worry, princess. You’ll get used to it. This world is too deplorable to stay innocent for long.”
“I’m not innocent, I just… I’m not used to someone being so forward. Especially about private matters.”
“Are you kidding?” That expressive look of incredulity painted her face again, and Xia found she was warming to it. “Princess, those walls are literally made of sticks. What you did was nomore private than me taking a shit in a hole in the ground. Everyone does it. You shouldn’t be ashamed. Just like, put an olive branch on the door next time or something.”
“An olive branch?”
“Yeah. It’s like a peace offering. It says ‘we’re trynna fuck so go somewhere else.’”
“Peace usually means both sides get something out of it. What do you get out of being kicked out of your home because there’s a branch on the door?”
“I get out of you screaming at him while I’m trying to sleep.”
