“What about me?”
A chair is drawn out, and Spider slides into the seat beside me. He reaches for my biscuit, and I slap his hand away.
“You’re the third worst,” I say.
“You think?” Spider asks with a raised brow.
“I know.”
“Tough crowd,” he murmurs.
“Why areyounot with your friends?” I nod at where Clover and Orion sit; Knox just sat down with them. That must be the Black Star table.
I expect Ender to join them, but I doubt he enjoys socializing.
“Same reason you’re not with your peers,” Spider says. “I hate the lot of them.”
“Knox seems nice.”
“Yeah, he’s the most tolerable one, and Ender isn’t bad, but Clover and Orion are terrible.”
I was going to send him away, but I kind of pity him. It must suck not being friends with the people you spend the majority of your time with.
“You can stay,” I say. “But don’t you dare touch my plate or I’ll stab you with my fork.”
Spider smiles widely, dimples piercing his cheek.
“Got it.”
“So, what’s the High General like?” Spider asks. “I never met him.”
“You know how I said you were the third worst Gifted?” I ask. “The first place belongs to my father.”
“Damn,” he says. “Who is the second?”
“Ender.”
Spider nods, as if that is a perfectly reasonable answer.
“Isn’t he your brother-in-law?” Flint asks.
I flinch at the wordbrother. There is nothing familial about Ender Vale.
“No,” I say. “My sister is engaged to him, not married. As of now, we’re nothing.”
“Is Ender in love with your sister?” Spider asks, eyes sparkling with curiosity. “I would pay to see him affectionate with someone.”
“He called her ‘intolerable’ this morning, so I reckon, no.”
Flint’s eyes widen. “Did he really?”
I nod.
Spider leans forward. “Is she as beautiful as you?”
My eyes narrow.
“You’re not my type.”
