“Did they agree?”
“Unfortunately, yes. Not that it bothers them any.”
“And what does that have to do with Maitoza prioritizing the eadi?”
“Oh, yeah. I’m not sure. It just sounded ominous. It reminded me of your…” I cut myself off, clenching my teeth as I squeezed my eyes shut. Though Altair didn’t move and I couldn’t see him, I could have sworn I felt a change. As if the air wrapped around his emotions.
“My father. That’s what you were going to say, right?”
I didn’t respond. How could I? He sounded sodefeated.Like he’d never be anything other than his father’s son. And what could I say when I wasn’t positive he could be anything else either? Sure, I was working on forgiving him. I could even say I was confident he wouldn’t kill or even harm me. But that didn’t change the way he’d been raised. Who he’d learned from his entire life. Yes, I’d give him the chance to unlearn it all—to grow—because I hoped to receive the same grace now. Yet, he’d always be an Altair. And I so loathed to remember that.
“Is that what you’re thinking, then? That Maitoza wants to do what my father is? But what? Reversed? How would she manage that?”
“I don’t know,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “My head hurts. I need to brew some more of my tonic.”
“I can do it. Why don’t you just lay down?”
“No, that’s okay. It’s pretty specific.”
“Just tell me how. I’m sure I can handle it.”
“But—”
“No, really, just let me help. How about you write down some instructions and then that way you’ll know I didn’t get anything wrong.” He stood, pressing his giant palm into my forehead and then shoving me backwards. I fell, my head hitting the cushion and causing a wave of nausea to roll through my stomach and up my throat.
“Stars, Altair, that hurt!”
“Stop being stubborn and I won’t have to resort to physical force.” He walked away, heading for the counter on the far right end of the kitchen. Opening the top drawer, he fished out parchment and graphite, turning towards me.
“You just shoved my head!” I yelled as he approached, his smile wide and his dimples deep.
“Don’t act like a brat if you don’t want me to shove your head.”
“I’ll shove your head down the toilet!”
“I’d love to see you try. Now shut up, write down everything, and then go to sleep.”
***
I did sleep. Not because I was told, of course. Only because Iwastired and I definitely needed to sleep off a bit of the aching. Even when I awoke to a cool rag hitting my forehead, the pain was still fierce.
“Feeling okay?” Altair’s voice was scratchy, rough when it was usually smooth. I tried to open my eyes, but his hair practically glowed beneath the light.
“You’re so bright,” I mumbled, digging my head into the sofa and losing the rag in the process. No, not the sofa. I felt aroundme, realizing he had somehow moved me to his bed without waking me.
“Are you calling me a star?” he asked, a smile in his voice.
I swung my fist out, meeting nothing but air and jostling my head too much. Hissing, I gripped the back of my neck, feeling the ache in my jaw and spine.
“Do you want the tonic? It’s done.”
“Yeah, I’ll take it.” I felt the lift of his body, my right side rising in the absence of his weight. Desperate for relief, I searched for the rag, my hand sliding across the bed. Instead of the damp cloth, I felt Altair’s hand. The pads of his fingers grazed my palm, a soft grip wrapping around my hand until I jerked it away. Palm tingling, I opened an eye, seeing that he wore an annoyingly casual, crooked grin.
“Sorry about that. I was just going to see if you need help up.” The stars were really getting to my head now, their manic giggles soft in my mind.
“No, that was my fault. You scared me, is all. Yes, I’d appreciate help up.”
This time, I offered my hand, feeling his rings dig into my skin as I rotated so he could heave me up. The movement caused a shockwave of pain.
