Page 83 of For the Strange and Surprising

“You?” Talodus points to me.

“Yeah.” I shrug, then wobble my head as I struggle to explain any further. “It’s… easy to talk to her, to read her. It felt natural to be honest about my past, not forced. I almost shoved a patient for touching her.”

As they stare at me, I grimace, briefly thinking I shouldn’t have said anything. But they’ve been my friends for years. They know I don’t like talking about myself. I relax in my chair as the conversation moves on.

Ecaeris scoffs. “Nice. And I get all her attitude.”

“Think of it as foreplay,” Connak suggests.

“She gets your attitude, too. Why are you complaining?” Talodus retorts.

“I’m not.” Ecaeris lifts his hands up and smiles. “I like it when she’s snippy.”

“You’re worried about hurting her feelings,” I speculate.

He shakes his head. “Not at all.”

“You think she’ll get hurt,” I ask, my brows creasing as I try to figure his issues out while avoiding my own.

“She’s not fragile,” Connak admonishes.

That’s not it at all, though. I don’t know how I didn’t recognize the similarities sooner. Understanding dawns on me as Ecaeris closes his eyes.

I could so easily give in to Ada, stumble and fall into the unknown depths without care that I’m drowning.

But I can’t let myself.

Not until I know she isn’t leaving.

They didn’t take the same precautions, and now they’re sinking.

“This isn’t about being fragile,” Ecaeris whispers. “Strong things can be broken, too.”

27

Adelaide

Day Twenty-Three

Dinner with the queen and her son is like eating a sweet piece of candy only to discover the inside is full of sour goo.

Ecaeris and I spend an entire hour sniping at each other while Isolde laughs until tears roll down her cheeks.

I fantasize about stabbing him with my fork, but I’m not a violent person. Yet. If anyone can push me to the brink of physical brutality, it’s the animal sitting across from me.

I’ll be on the first episode of Snapped: Spiran Edition.

How did the Mongrel prince cause the reserved earthling to become a savage killer? Find out next week when we interview Adelaide Storm.

I chuckle at my thoughts, and he narrows his eyes at me. When I shrug, he grips his glass of water until his knuckles change colors.

Isolde delicately eats a sliced carrot and watches us like we’re her personal entertainment. Or what I think is a carrot. I’m going to keep lying to myself about the food until I can’t anymore. If I’m dining on the meat from a scorpion’s ass, I’m going to puke and riot.

I stare down at my plate, suddenly losing my appetite.

“Wondering what the food is?” Ecaeris snidely questions.

I smile, then correct him. “Wondering how big the pieces have to be for you to choke on them.”