“I got work today.”
“What’s your work?”
“I have to check the water tank, brush the solar panels, clean the gutters, weed the gardens, make sure no one’s come near the chickens or my safe houses, look for fuel in case we need the bike again and mess up anyone that’s come close to nesting near the apartment. I have to drop food and water off to my sister—”
“Sister.” I briefly remembered the dark-haired package-sized girl strolling into his hideout.
“—and try to kill my brother—”
“Wait, you have a brother in the Battle too?”
“We’re all in here. Oh, fuck.” He checked the clock. “I have to pop into Doctor Death and pick up my prescription.”
“Prescription?”
“Antibiotics.”
“Why do you need antibiotics?”
“I’ve been stabbed a hundred times by now from dirty blades, what do you think I need it for? Also, I have to hunt.”
“Hunt? Like, deer?”
“People. We’re in the middle of a God damn Execution Battle. Gotta thin the numbers down so maybe next year we can get dental.”
“Who are you going to kill?” I pulled up my underwear, realising this was going nowhere.
He drew out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. “Uh… some guy called Barry, my sister’s Soulmate, my asshole brother and a guy with a tattoo of a moon on his neck—”
“What did he do?”
“It’s a dumb tattoo.”
“No, your brother.”
“He’s a dick.”
“And… wait… your sister has a Soulmate?”
“Another dick.”
“That’s a lot of dicks for a single man to handle.”
“I’ll be home in a few hours.”
I had a sudden urge to cuddle him. Strange. There was nothing satisfying about holding another person. It was messy and hot and annoying. Magnus was the one who hugged me, and I hugged him in return so that I would not appear peculiar. And when I did hug another person, it was only a performance.
Yet now, as I looked at Dig Graves, I could see myself in his arms.
My heart thumped deeply.
“Do you promise you’ll stay here?” Dig asked.
“I promise.” I stopped my feet from moving toward him.
“You won’t leave?”
“I promise I won't leave.”
