It turns out, experience withmyparents doesn’t translate to experience with anyone else’s parents.
I don’t think Asch’s mom liked me.
Or maybe she just hadn’t liked being out of the house. Asch had mentioned that she didn’t get out much, and while the restaurant we’d chosen had been small, she’d still seemed on edge.
“You told her Asch and River would be there too, right? And not just as bodyguards,” I say as we head to the back patio. Ascreenedpatio. If we didn’t have that, the mosquitoes would literally suck all the blood out of me.
Another point in New Bristol’s favor. We don’t get anywhere near the volume of insects as New Valence does.
Blaze’s jaw clenches. “I told her they were coming, yeah.”
I wait for him to continue, but he doesn’t.
Before I can pester him for information, we step outside, the humid air immediately assaulting me.
“Hey,” River says. “How’s Echo doing?” He’s manning the barbecue,which has an all vegetarian spread of substitute meat hot dogs, hamburger patties, and portobello mushrooms.
Asch glances up from where he’s been tapping on his phone, offering me a smile. “Staying inside her enclosure, I hope.”
I go over to Asch and bend down to kiss his cheek. “Yep. I locked everything, and as long as nobody does something stupid like shoot the enclosure glass, she’s safely tucked away.”
Last year, the thought of anyone doing that would have sent me spiraling into violent thoughts. It’s strange to recognize that, and know that maybe being impulsive all the time was not actually great for me.
Stupid therapy.
Stupid meds.
Sometimes I consider dropping it all and going back to how I was. I had fun before! I got to do everything I wanted and fuck the consequences.
Then I look at River’s missing finger, or Blaze’s glass eye, and I’m reminded ofwhyI’m putting in all this hard work that makes me cry once every other week.
And I do like that I’m no longer questioning reality around me. It’s not like I’m suddenly squeamish or afraid of blood, either, so overall the trade-off is worth it.
Violent, vengeful Pandora—with a bit of impulse control.
We’ll have to take it.
“So no firing guns in the snake room. Got it,” Asch says. He pats the seat next to him in invitation.
I sit down and lean against him, only to change my mind and scoot back. “It’s way too sticky to cuddle. Sheesh, this weather should be illegal. Blaze, that has to go next on our evil crime syndicate agenda: force New Valence to stop being humid.”
“It’s not that bad,” Asch says with a smirk. “You’ll get used to it. Isn’t that what you told me about New Bristol winters? I never did.”
“But it’s miserable here,” River complains. “I feel like I’m walking through one of those mister things every time I step outside.”
Blaze sits down across from me. “The humidity builds character. And I never have to worry about chapped lips, in summer or winter.”
“That’s not a problem in New Bristol either,” I mutter. I peer at Asch’s phone. “Who were you texting?”
“Samantha,” Asch says.
I wait for the jealousy to rear its ugly head, but it doesn’t come.
“I was just checking in on her,” he continues. “I told her she could come down here with us, but she’s doing stuff with that church you introduced her to in New Bristol.”
“At least she didn’t have to go back home to her shitty family,” River mutters, flipping one of the burgers on the grill.
I’m genuinely happy for Samantha. She’d opted to stay at Dyschord despite everything, in part because a lot of the threat is gone—exploded—and in part because Reaper promised to look out for her.
