Brave New Love by Anthology

Author:Anthology
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Constable Robinson
Published: 2012-01-18T22:00:00+00:00

The Spooks and Las Calaveras spend the night, which is weird but nice. Weird to have strangers in the castle, people we don’t know and trust like our own skin. Nice to hear laughter and new voices, to see a dozen people camped out downstairs as if it were a grade-school sleepover. Cat brought hot chocolate. The miniature marshmallows are fossilized, but no one complains.

The warm fuzzies last until Marisela finds me in the kitchen, rinsing out the cups. Her company should be re assuring—she’s strong and smart, with a brusque competence that reminds me of my mother. But after today’s meeting, I would rather face a zombie.

“I scared you today. I’m sorry.”

“It’s not you.” The line doesn’t sound any better than when I said it to Nick. I set the last cup in the draining board and start wiping down the silverware.

Marisela snorts. She’s had twenty extra years to hear lame excuses. “I’d like you to come back with me. Not to get knocked up,” she adds as I fumble a handful of forks. “Just to visit for a while. Tia Soledad would like to hear about your dreams.”

And I want to know about hers. If I dream of the garden because I’m tainted, does that mean Soledad is too? Or is there another cause? I don’t know how I’d ask her without giving up my secret, but I’m almost willing to try.

“I don’t know,” I say. “I’d have to ask Kayla.”

“I talked to Kayla already.” I duck my head so she can’t see my grimace—of course she did. “She says it’s your decision. I’d send someone to replace you, of course, so the Orphans wouldn’t suffer.”

The Orphans are the smallest group, barely enough of us to keep ourselves safe and fed after Michelle died, and Jamie before her. But we like it here, like being together. Marisela’s exchange-student program is a good idea, but I’m afraid it will lead to the Orphans finding new families.

“Thank you for the invitation,” I say, risking a glance at her face. If she has any ulterior motives, I can’t read them in her eyes. “Let me think about it.”

“Of course.”

• • •

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