“You bet I will,” Sin said.
A week’s worth of groceries was always nice.
She was already catastrophically late, so she leaned her head against Dad’s arm for another few minutes, watching the light fade.
Some people stayed, no matter what the cost. But you couldn’t expect people to stay no matter what. Sin didn’t know any way to make someone love her that much.
6
Attack
MERRIS WAS AT MEZENTIUS HOUSE SEEING TO THE POSSESSED that weekend, so Sin had to wait to tell her about Mae. She didn’t know who else she could tell.
Being the only one who knew was nerve-racking, though. Monday morning she found herself sitting in school thinking of all the things the Market people could tell Mae that she could report back to Celeste.
By lunchtime her nerves felt strained enough that she could not bear the idea of making small talk with people who had no idea the world she was worried about even existed. She took her lunch and marched herself over to Nick’s table, where he sat talking on the phone and glowering at anyone who tried to sit down.
“Got to go,” he said, when Sin slid into the bench opposite him.
“Secret girlfriend?”
“Secret traveling circus,” Nick said. “They’re all very special to me. Particularly the Bearded Lady.”
“I’m so thrilled you found love at last,” Sin said. “Are you eating that yogurt?”
“Yes,” Nick said, and glared.
“You sure about that?” asked Sin, since it was rhubarb custard. “If it helps, I can eat it in a sexy way.”
“So can I,” said Nick. Sin gave a philosophical shrug, and he continued, “Do we know each other yet?”
“It’s okay, I’ve given it some thought. The girls at school won’t think we know each other. They’ll just think I want to tap your demonic ass.”
Nick peeled the top off his yogurt and looked around the room with what Sin thought was a flicker of amusement in his cold eyes.
“It’s true women find it hard to resist all this,” he said, gesturing to his own body with a teaspoon. He slid the spoon into the yogurt and ate some, mouth curving around the metal.
“I don’t know how I’m restraining myself,” Sin said. “And yet.”
He did have a great mouth. Unfortunately Sin found herself turning an orange between her palms and thinking of Alan, his steadfast deep blue eyes and beautiful hands, which made her feel angry and impatient with herself, other boys’ mouths, and the whole world.
“Alan told me you were teaching him how to shoot a bow,” Nick said, and Sin started at the name and studied Nick suspiciously in case he could read minds. He looked as blank as ever. “Can you shoot a crossbow?” he asked.
“There’s no artistry to shooting a crossbow,” Sin said. “You just need to know how to aim it and then put a big bolt right through someone.”
“That,” Nick said with conviction, “sounds like my idea of a good time.”
“Well, I’m no expert, but I can teach you the basics.”
Nick nodded. “Alan said you two were friends or something now,” he said with what seemed to be qualified approval.
“I guess,” Sin said, desperately casual. “I mean, we’re friends too, aren’t we?” She laughed a little.
Nick blinked. “No.”
Sin stared at him. “What?”
“I’ve already got one,” Nick told her.
“You’ve already got one—friend?” Sin asked slowly.
Nick nodded. “He’s a lot of trouble. I don’t think I can deal with any more.”
He continued eating yogurt, apparently unaware that he was talking like a crazy person. The Ryves brothers were making a bit of a hobby of rejecting Sin.
“Do you mean Alan?” Sin asked.
“Alan’s my brother,” Nick told her as if she was the one being dense. “You’ve met him. He’s called Jamie.”
Mae’s little brother. The magician who had gone off to be with his own kind.
“That’s who you’re always on the phone with?” Sin asked. Nick didn’t answer. Since he was a demon who could not lie, Sin was going to take that as a yes.
“I wouldn’t have thought that a demon would be overly fond of any magician.”
Nick shrugged.
