Chosen - Kiersten White Page 0,117
up at me. “I know you didn’t want to be a Watcher anymore, but I could sure use one.”
“What about Leo?”
“I mean. Um. Not a lot of actual training going on there.”
She snickers a laugh, then her face falls. “How can you trust me? After everything I did?”
I slip down so I’m on the same step as her and we’re face-to-face. “You hurt me. Really bad. And understanding why you did it doesn’t change the fact that it cut deep. But it also doesn’t change the fact that I love you, I’ll always love you, and I’ll always be here for you.” I want to ask her if she feels the same, but I won’t push her.
She puts her arms around me and pulls me close for a hug. This one doesn’t feel like it’s burning me alive. It feels fragile. But that doesn’t make it weak. It makes it precious. “What if I have to leave again?” she whispers. “What if I can’t find myself here?”
“Then I’ll let you. I’ll even let you take your favorite coat. But no more books from the library. Those are off-limits.” I say it like I’m joking, but she incurred a lifetime ban from both Rhys and a fully recovered Ruth. “And as many times as you leave, you can come back.”
“Thank you.” She relaxes a little more into the hug. I luxuriate in the closeness, in knowing that we can’t ever lose each other. Not really. Until she speaks again and ruins the moment. “You really do need a Watcher, though. I can’t believe Imogen almost beat you.”
“Hey now! She’s been secretly evil for years! That’s a lot of training!”
“Exactly. Next time—”
“Oh gods, no next time. None of our other friends have been plotting our deaths for the last decade. Unless you steal another book, and then I don’t know if I can stop Rhys from destroying you.”
“Okay, okay, not next time. Next threat, you’ll be ready. We know what goes bump in the night. We’re going to be ready, together.”
“Together.” I release her as Honora bounds up the steps.
“They’re playing football,” Honora says, “and no one is there to critique their terrible form. Come down to heckle and fill out these college applications with me.” She helps Artemis up and puts an arm around her as they navigate the stairs. She also flips me off behind Artemis’s back.
“I hear America has good colleges!” I shout. “Or Australia! Maybe you could do an exchange program in Antarctica?” This time Artemis flips me off too.
I laugh, then lean back and observe the castle grounds. Ruth is helping Jessi push the Littles on the swings while the tiny purple demons chase each other in circles. Pelly is dozing in a patch of sun next to them. Cillian and Rhys are playing Doug, Tsip, and Jade in the aforementioned game of football, which seems to be more about arguing with one another than actually trying to score. Maricruz and Taylor are working on a patch to grow a garden next to the makeshift football field. Honora guides Artemis to a chair and tucks a blanket around her, cuddling in next to her as they watch the game and shout commentary. My mother opens the door behind me. She pauses, and I can tell she’s looking at Artemis too. They’re working on their relationship. It’s weird to be the one who’s closer to Mom now. But I don’t mind it. “Can we go over some logistics for this month’s schedule? We’ll have to shift things now that Chao-Ahn is going home.”
“Schedule meeting in ten minutes!” I shout. “Be there or be on bathroom cleaning duty!”
“I call babysitting on Jessi’s days off!” Maricruz shouts.
“I don’t take days off!” Jessi shouts back, violence in her tone. Maricruz laughs brightly, and I’m not dreading the schedule, or talking with my mom, or any of it. I don’t feel like I have to avoid anyone, or pretend to feel anything I’m not. I’m okay with feeling everything I am. The happy parts, the dark parts, and everything in between.
“I’ll be right there.” I stand, stretching. “Just let me help Chao-Ahn load the car.”
At the bottom of the stairs, a hand shoots out of the shadows and grabs my wrist, spinning me off the path and into Leo’s arms.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey,” I say.
He looks good. Better than good. He looks amazing. Cillian sometimes gets a little jumpy—buzzing, he calls it—and Leo drains the excess. It might not be a permanent solution,