Page 36 of Queen of Nothing

“You?”

“What?” My mind takes a moment to return. “Oh. I would… play piano—professionally.”

It’s the first thing that comes to mind.

But truthfully, I don’t want to work any job, ever.

Finally, I bite into the abused apple.

Even with the magic, the enchantments, imported soil, the apple is still too soft. Not crisp enough, not sour enough.

It’s mediocre at best.

Still, I finish it, bite after bite.

Serena falls onto her back, crossing her arms over her face.

For a long while, we stay here. Hidden away.

In the vegetable garden, time feels private. In the house, time feels suspended.

It’s a slight difference, but one that matters.

Then, Serena goes and ruins it. “Sofía needs me to go into town for her.”

And that means she needs me to come along.

For company, for safety, and for my lessons.

Each time we illusion-up and go into the large town two hours away, Serena uses the chance to teach me about the krum world.

At first, it was a disaster.

I stared at the shelves of toothpaste—stunned by the sheer selection on offer. Dozens of them, some with fluoride, and I have no idea what that is, some for sensitive teeth, then some for cavities, some for whitening, some for babies, kids, and in all sorts of flavours.

It’s too much.

And that’s just the toothpaste.

Not the toilet cleaner, the bleach, the different kinds of cooking oil and breads.

I don’t look forward to it.

But Serena decides our time in the garden is up and, hand pressing into my shoulder, she starts to get up. Takes her a moment.

My face twists under the pressure of her weight sinking into my shoulder—and I bite down on the hiss brewing in my throat.

The moment she’s standing on her own, I roll and rub my shoulder, perhaps a little sulky.

She just glances down at me, a dullness in her consideration, an ‘I’m so over you’ look I have no trouble reading.

It’s amazing we haven’t strangled each other yet.

It’s even more impressive we haven’t exchanged cross words.

We want to.

But we have crafted new masks just for each other, and those masks are patient and unbothered most of the time.