Page 39 of Heimlock
“Thank you for coming to check on me that day. I was an ungrateful piece of Pegidung.”
“It was ungrateful.”
“You don’t have to sound so happy about it.”
“Not happy. Vindicated.”
“Fine. You don’t have to sound so vindicated.”
She giggles. “Too bad.”
I smile. “Now is your moment to gloat. Go on. Gloat.”
“No need to gloat,” she says smoothly. “Just promise me you threw away all the expired food.”
“I threw out all the expired food.”
“Did you actually?”
“No.”
“Did you just lie to me?”
“You couldn’t see it, but I had my fingers crossed.”
“That’s not how that works.”
I laugh. “You’re the lie police now?”
“Yes. And you’re under-arrest.”
A grin splits my face. “Oh, noooo. Don’t put those cuffs on my hands. Please … no … don’t.”
Kyrielle giggles again, the sound lifting my spirits. I didn’t realize how much I’ve ached for it all these months until now.
“I need to go.” She sounds sad as she says it.
“Okay.”
She pauses. “Trinte?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you at all. They just weren’t worthy.”
She hangs up.
Well, fuck.
***
Tonight, I’m going to have dinner with my new family. After almost a month of keeping to myself, Orliana has finally worn me down into agreeing to sit at a table.
A smile stays on my face as I get dressed, replaying the conversation with Kyrielle. It’s crazy how a single sentence can change the way someone feels about themselves.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you at all.
There’s someone in this world who would strongly disagree, but she doesn’t need to know that.
