“If you tell me what you saw, I might be able to tell you what it means,” Khalid said. “Religions fascinate me and I’ve studied many of them.”
“No! Because I know where my mind went and I don’t need yours going there, too.”
“Are you keeping secrets, Pookie?” Liam asked.
“I don’t even like you,” Lucian said, taking a savage bite of his lasagna without even heating it up. “This tastes like garbage.”
He kept eating, though. He ate like a man who hadn’t eaten in days. I was pretty sure this was some kind of magical hunger, but I got in trouble when I tried to check out books from the library on Greek and Egyptian mythology, so I didn’t know the first thing about Romanian gods and culture. My year of European history at my private school was very much the America Fuck Yeah version.
I checked my app and the label on the MRE.
“Want my cake?” I said, offering it to Lucian.
He was eyeing it like he wanted to snatch it and inhale it, but he didn’t take it. Technically, after all the walking we’d done, Icouldhave eaten it, but I thought Lucian really needed it and wouldn’t take it otherwise. And if he did, Liam might hurt him if he thought I could eat it.
“I can’t take your food.”
“You can if I’m offering it because I can’t eat it right now and you’ve got some weird magical hunger going on right now.”
“You could save it for later.”
I shrugged and pushed it at him again.
“I read the label. I’d have to make some serious adjustments to be able to eat this, and it’s not worth it for this kind of cake during magical trials.”
“Just eat it. You’re an annoying prat when you aren’t hungry,” Liam said.
“Liam,” I warned. “Now that we’ve stopped to eat, let’s get to know each other. We don’t know anyone else here. I’ll start. I grew up thinking my father was the pastor of a mega church. He was awful and kicked me out when I turned eighteen because I didn’t want to marry his friend’s son and be a pastor’s wife. Headmaster Mykene said he didn’t sire me, so I don’t actually knowwhomy father is. You’re the first people I’ve told except for Khalid.”
Liam shrugged.
“I’m still willing to stab him for you.”
“Not necessary.”
“My Baba is amazing. Both my parents are. They are supportive and let me find my own path. My Baba is ENP, but he supported me studying history.”
“ENP?” I asked.
“Egyptian National Police.”
Liam jumped up like he was on fire.
“Shit, your Da’s a cop? You never met me. If you’re thinking of saying you saw me, I can make a shiv out of a tampon and icing sugar.”
“No, you can’t,” Lucian scoffed.
“I’d love to prove it, you ponce.”
“No stabbing. We’re all on the same team,” I pointed out.
“My Baba is a cop. I’m not and I don’t tell himeverything.He also has no jurisdiction here, so you don’t need to kill anyone with a tampon.”
“But it’s my favorite,” Liam sulked.
“Fess up. I told you my mom cheated with a stranger. Why are you so stabby?”
“It’s all I know. I’m more interested in knowing why Lucian is such a gobshite.”
