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‘This was not a part of the plan.’ Hot Face steps forward, or Hardy, as we’ve now established.

The plan? What plan? There was no plan disclosed to me.

Unless…

‘Look, Hardy, I’m flattered, but I’m just not a tag-team kind of gal. I think I’d get overstimulated. I appreciate you thinking of me though.’ I wink (with finger guns). Walker mutters something about wishing the Stars for strength.

‘I’m not here to fuck you two! I knew something was going on. You’ve been strange. Even by your standards, Roman.’ Why does he keep calling him that?

‘Why does he keep calling you that?’

Walker side-eyes me before he looks back at Hardy. It hasn’t escaped my attention that he’s manoeuvred himself between myself and Hardy.

‘So, I’ve been following you,’ Hardy continues as if I’d never said anything.

‘You were watching us? You pervert! You’re worse than the chickens.’ Speaking of, where are those feathered little reprobates?

‘You just—’ he stops himself. Addresses Walker again – typical. Ignore the woman and address the man instead. I might have said that out loud judging from the way Walker palms his forehead.

‘Look, just bring her back to Black Star quietly and we’ll forget⁠—’

‘No.’

Hardy looks at him like he’s reasoning with a child. ‘They’re not going to let you get away with it, Roman. She’s too good an opportunity for them to pass up.’

Too good, you say? Well… Walker looks at me like he’s just itching to tell me not to get ahead of myself.

Hardy finally looks at me. I mean – really looks. And when I look back, he seems… sad. Something shifts, and I think I can almost see pity there in his eyes. His gaze flits back to Walker, now incredulous. ‘You haven’t even told her yet, have you?’

‘Told me what?’

Walker takes a steadying breath; his shadows are a mass of roiling clouds crowding both our feet.

‘You’re not taking her,’ Walker says with as much certainty as only he is capable of. He’s moved us again, now I’m completely behind him.

‘Why don’t you tell her and let her decide.’

‘Shut your mouth,’ Walker spits with enough venom to leach some of Hardy’s courage. The shadows have begun to grow, they’ve begun to move with their own pulse. But then the tattoos on his begin to glow, and before he can explain, he disappears.

Hardy looks at me, and I don’t know why I should want to hear what he has to say, but I do. He’s come closer. Gamer, now that Walker is gone. He looks at me, and in his eyes, I see it, but I don’t know if I should believe his remorse.

‘Where did Walker go? What did you do to him?’

Hardy chuffs, ‘He’ll be fine. Believe me. Even after this little infraction, they need him too much to do any irreparable damage.’

I shake my head. It feels like it’s home to a thousand fire ants right now and I can’t see straight. I can feel the static starting over again, just like at the library. ‘What the fuck is going on? I’m so confused, why⁠—’

‘You’re dead, Miller. You’re an animated corpse, and one of the strongest poltergeists we’ve ever seen. And Walker has bartered his freedom in exchange for yours.’

What? I most certainly am not dead. Walker reappears across the field. I frown. His face is drawn, his muscles tensed. And his eyes… What’s he so scared of? Hardy here has obviously been dipping into the liquor samples at the corner store.

‘I’m not dead,’ I laugh, ‘I’m⁠—’

Thunk.

I hear it before I feel it.

‘What the fuck, Hot Face!’