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“So good, I am now emotionally invested and apparently even my stomach grumbling can’t tear me away.”
He laughs and leaves me to it.
By the time the others return and burst into the courtyard later that afternoon, I’m about three quarters through the book and genuinely annoyed at the interruption. That is until Bri walks in and suddenly I don’t care about interruptions anymore. My smile is instant. Automatic.
She spots the book in my hands and her entire face lights up. “Oh my god,” she says, dropping her bag near the sofa. “You’re reading it.”
“Reading it?” I sit upright. “Bri, this book is insane. I haven’t moved all day, just ask Enzo. I am hooked.”
Her cheeks flush pink.
“No seriously,” I continue before she can brush it off. "The world-building? The politics between the territories? That dragon-bonding scene? I am obsessed."
Her chin trembles slightly, as her eyes glass over with raw emotion. Which makes me want to keep complimenting it. “You all need to read it,” I tell the others. “I’m serious.”
There’s a chorus of agreement, everyone talking over each other about grabbing copies tomorrow. Apparently, Ember already has one, as does Enzo, they just haven't had time to read yet. I insist they find time. Bri looks absolutely horrified by the attention, opening her mouth to assure them they don’t need to buy her book.
“How was setup?” I cut in, before she can put herself down.
Everyone starts talking at once again, about the halls and the trader spaces and the prop areas. Ember describes horror displays with concerning enthusiasm, whilst Saint dramatically re-enacts sitting on some fantasy throne ‘like the powerful queen’ he apparently is.
“You would love it,” Lennie tells me, patting me gently on the shoulder as he leaves to follow Luna to their room.
I groan. “I never get the chance to see anything, people are already there when we arrive and it’s straight to work.”
“You should come tomorrow morning,” Bri says. “We’ve got about two hours before doors open. We can explore properly before it gets busy,” she adds hopefully.
I don’t even hesitate. “Done.”
Saint and Ember exchange a look, before scattering to shower and change for dinner, leaving us alone, again. Bri watches Saint go, her eyes narrowing slightly as her shoulders tense.
“What?” I ask.
She hesitates. “Can I ask you something weird?”
“Always.”
She tucks her legs beneath herself on the sofa opposite me, chewing lightly on her bottom lip. “It’s probably nothing, I think I’m just overthinking things, never mind.”
“Bri, I don’t care if it’s nothing, or if it’s weird, or if it’s completely utterly over-thought and just your imagination.” I smile warmly at her. “It’s obviously bothering you, so I want to hear it, please?”
She sighs softly, absently twirling her hair through her fingers. I’ve noticed she does that when she’s deep in thought. “In the car earlier Saint was being… Weirdly cagey about his personal life.”
I frown. “How?”
“He just kept dodging questions. Which doesn’t make sense because yesterday he wouldn’t shut up about Aaron.”
“That’s true. He talks about Aaron constantly.”
“And the whole living in Port Seton while Aaron travels constantly to London thing doesn’t really make sense either when I think about,” she continues. “That’s when he got all cagey on me actually. I dunno… It’s just a gut feeling. I like Saint, but things just don’t add up,” she says quietly.
“He did the same thing last night when Luna mentioned the commute,” I say, thoughtfully. “Do you think he’s lying to us?”
“I dunno, maybe?” She rubs a hand over her face. “He made me feel like I was prying or crossing some invisible line by asking. It was… Weird.”
“That is weird. He’s so open about his life with Aaron, maybe they’re having issues about the commute? "Or…" I think out loud, "maybe Aaron didn’t move with him?”
She stares at me. “That’s… A pretty big lie. Why would he lie about him not moving with him? Like they split up but he’s not admitting it?”
