Mama smiles. “Good. I’m so glad.”
Eryx glances over at me and smiles. My mouth flickers on its own.
It feels like we were worried about nothing. But Eryx was concerned and after the attack the other night?—
Wait. Why was I attacked?
To get to Eryx,Nightmare answers.
You’ve been silent since I ate those nightmares, and now you decide to show up?
I have my ways.
My mom’s talking and I’m doing my best to answer her questions, but you wouldn’t believe how incredibly hard it is to carry on two conversations at once.
Why was I attacked?
You should ask Eryx.
I’m asking you.
The being is silent for a long moment, and I’m about to give up getting any information out of it when it pipes up with,You were attacked to provoke Eryx into striking his nemesis.
And he was wounded for me. He can’t retaliate now.
No, he can’t. Not by himself.
A tingle works its way from the top of my head to the base of my neck. Eryx must sense that something’s going on with me, because without glancing over, he takes my hand and squeezes.
My mom notices and her face melts into a smile.
She’s probably thinking,young love.
I bark a laugh. Everyone turns to stare at me, and I mumble, “Just thought of a joke, is all.”
Good cover.
You really shouldn’t be as funny as you are.
Eryx doesn’t appreciate me,it says, sniffling.
Don’t even try to act like you’re an angel.
I know, I’m not.It laughs maniacally to prove its point.
But what were you saying—Eryx couldn’t handle his nemesis on his own?
He can’t. He’s still too wounded. But you could help him. You could combine your magics. I bet you could destroy worlds if you did that.
I’m not interested in destroying worlds.
But you do want to help Eryx.
He was almost killed,I remind it.
So were you, and that’s more important to him than his chest wounds.
My body goes very still.What did you say?
