Page 72 of Truthful Deceptions

She was a pitiful sight.

I waited for her to respond, but she didn't answer. She stared at me with a completely unreadable expression.

“I'm not sure Mieshorum has told you, but in a weird, roundabout way, I own both of us,” I said.

One of her eyebrows raised fractionally.

“It's important you know I'm ready to advocate for you,” I explained. “When you're better, you can join the crew, or we can take you home.”

Without responding to me, she looked up at Mieshorum.

“Leave.” Her voice was a painfully hoarse whisper.

He sounded a negative rattle. “I don’t think that's wise.”

She didn't respond, simply kept her eyes locked on his. He gave in and finished tucking a pillow behind her back.

“I'll be right outside,” he said. There wasn't a lot of space in the little room, so I squished myself against the foot of the bed so he could get out the door.

“You might regret this,” he whispered before leaving.

I really didn't like the sound of that.

Sloane hissed out a breath and shut her eyes as the door opened and closed, briefly flooding the room with bright light.

I walked around the bed to take the spot where Mieshorum had been. I opened my mouth, unsure what I was going to say, and words vomited out.

“The Talins think we're not very smart, but Mieshorum and the guys know we’re their equals. You just have to ignore everyone else if they talk to you like a little kid. I literally played a child's game at dinner last night with a bunch of important Talins. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but when we were walking back later, we were almost mobbed. It's weird. They really think we're special. It's kinda nice considering most of the universe don't like us much, if they know we exist at all.”

I slapped a hand over my mouth to force myself to stop talking. I wasn't normally like this. What was it about Sloane's inscrutable expression that made me want to jabber?

“I haven't forgiven you yet.”

I thought she'd ask me more about the pet thing or how the ownership worked. Maybe even a request to be taken somewhere. Where did that come from?

“Forgiven me?” I said, thoroughly confused. “For what?”

“I was close to death,” she whispered, her hoarse voice failing. Her next words were more air than sound. “I was almost there.”

“You're upset with me because you're alive,” I stated with a slight nod of my head. Honestly, I wasn’t surprised. Still, she was getting better, I thought maybe her attitude would’ve changed a little.

She didn't say anything further, only watched me with expressionless eyes.

“I guess you're stuck in the world of the living,” I said, falling back on the dark humor I was raised with. “I've heard the food is better here, so I wouldn't be that upset if I were you. I mean, what would you even eat if you were dead? Rotting food?”

I could tell my words surprised her because her eyes widened slightly. That was all the encouragement I needed.

“Other than the food, you can’t die yet because you looked horrible. You would make a nasty looking ghost. That's simply rude. You should take advantage of all the nice things the Talins are offering, get all nice and healthy. When you look good, then off yourself. Be different from everyone else and be a gorgeous ghost.”

This time she smiled. It was brief and small, but I saw it!

“You're odd,” she whispered.

“Old news,” I said. “Wait till you get me drunk. I like to teach everyone to yodel."

She blinked. “Yodel?”

I snorted and patted her leg. “After you're all better, I'm going to show you a good time.”