Page 117

Leni snorts at me. “You have given three different people three different instructions for the lights.”

“Let’s just call it delegating with flexibility.”

She throws her head back and laughs. This year has been more stressful—Cave isn’t here, it’s Valli’s first Christmas on the island, and she has her sister visiting. It’s a lot of stress for one man.

Khodi lingers nearby, which has been entertaining to watch, as he has appeared a few times under various pretexts. Once to check on the generator for the lights, which is Cipher’s job. Once to ask Clay something that was not important, and another time to carry boxes that Leni could have carried herself. Each time he talks to her, she blushes and laughs at things that are not funny.

Currently, Leni is sorting through a box of ornaments, with her back to the tent, while Khodi is talking to Clay, but every few seconds he looks her way.

I walk over to where they stand.

“You know I can see you,” I say to Khodi.

He diverts his gaze to me. “I’m working.”

“You are looking at my sister.”

Khodi laughs. “She isn’t your sister.”

“She is my future sister, and I’m telling you I am watching you, buddy.”

Khodi picks up a string of lights and hands one end to Clay, then ignores me as Clay shakes his head.

Storming off, I head back to Leni, who looks up from the box.

“What are you smiling about?”

“Nothing,” I lie. I like this big-brother thing.

She follows my gaze to where Khodi is now focusing on hanging the lights. “Noa.”

“What? I said nothing.”

She shakes her head. “You have the least subtle face of any person I have ever met.”

“That’s not true—I am extremely subtle.”

She gives me a look, a lot like the one Valli gives me when she is frustrated, and it only makes me smile more. “You win, I’m not subtle at all, but I am still not telling you. Now, get back to work.”

She laughs and goes back to rifling in the box, and I return to making sure everything is running according to plan. The island looks good in Christmas mode. It might not be a winter wonderland, and more of a Halloween Christmas mash-up, but it suits us.

Rue is all over the menu, and I have a taste test this afternoon. Of course, I agreed to it because his food is to die for, and not because I don’t trust him.

Valli is due back from her visit with Cave soon, though I’m still upset I haven’t been able to see him. Nixie says that Cave listens to Valli and that right now we need no incidents. It’s not that she thinks it would turn bad if we saw him; rather, we don’t want to overwhelm him. I get it, but it fucking sucks. I see Cipher breaking on the inside, and I want to help him. He will never admit anything, though, so there isn’t much I can do.

“Valli is heading back over the bridge,” Clay yells out. I asked Ares to radio him so I could meet her.

I hand a hammer and the wreath I picked up to Leni. “Put these somewhere.”

“Where?”

“Anywhere, use your judgment—you’re good at that.”

Leni mutters something, but I am already moving toward the front gate. When I reach the parking lot, Valli is getting out of Nixie’s car. She smiles and runs toward me, throwing her arms around my neck. I love seeing her so happy.

“How was it?”

“Good,” she says. “Actually, it was really good.” She reaches into her bag and pulls something out, holding it toward me.