"Keeping something to yourself."
I raised a brow, torn between annoyance and amusement. "Last I checked, you were done with everything. I don't know how you handle something like that when you're on the other side, but typically, when someone ends things with you, drawing back and not telling them stuff anymore is pretty normal."
Anger flashed over his features, and I sighed. “Just forget it. Look, here comes Moira and Micah, you can talk to them, andI'll get out of your hair. Then you can go spend time with Kayden when he's not getting smothered."
"That's not…" he began, but I brushed past him. I didn't know why he was bothering to have a normal conversation with me right now. Maybe it was guilt over how he handled shit and wishing he could make some sort of peace, but it really wasn't necessary. Whatever guilt he had was his own business as far as I was concerned. It was my duty to myself to try to move past everything and get on with my life. Maybe I had taken a little detour on the way, but that was my business.
"Hey weirdo," I said as Micah walked up, leaning against my leg, allowing me to put a hand on his shoulder and pull him in closer with a squeeze. I knew better than to hold on too long, but was surprised when he stayed pressed against me. "Get anything good?"
"A burrito," he said, peering up at me. "What are you doing?"
"Talking to you, obviously," I told him, smiling when he rolled his eyes and gave a little huff that could have come from either his mother or father through his genes.
Moira's eyes drifted beyond me and snorted softly at seeing Jace. “Okay."
"What?" I asked with a blink.
"Nothing," she said in a lofty voice that made my nerves stand at attention. Whenever Moira said 'nothing' after a noticeable reaction, it definitely meant something. Of course, she knew that, and she knew that I knew, so now I had to pay attention, while she knew I was paying attention. People thought I was the game player, but that was what made Moira so dangerous, because they never saw her coming.
Except, of course, I knew my sister and knew how to fight back. “Oh...well, good. You've got more than enough on your plate anyway."
Sure enough, her nostrils flared, but disappeared as she gave me a simpering smile. “I do love you."
"I'm touched," I said, because I was, she meant it, but she also meant she was thinking about strangling me at that moment.
"Why do you guys sound like you aren't actually happy?" Micah wondered because the kid had all the perception of a seer but the tact of a warrior.
"Because they're actually fighting," Jace added as he came up to us.
"I knew it," Micah said with a sigh. "I'm glad I'm an only child."
"Mmm, it has its perks," Jace agreed. "But you've seen how your mom and uncles are with each other. Both good and bad."
"Hmm," Micah hummed thoughtfully and shrugged. "I guess. Do you think Mom and Kayden are going to have a kid so I can have a sibling?"
"Oh, nowthatis a very good question," I said with a grin, eyeing my sister, who had gone a shade paler at her son's question. "Have you two talked about that, or is it still too soon?"
Moira's eyes flashed, and she glared at me. “I don't know, did the two of you plan on adopting at any time?"
It was my turn to go pale, trying to wipe all expression off my face as I finally realized why she had been acting so strangely, and why she'd reacted to seeing Jace near me. “Ahh...well?—"
"She knows," Jace muttered.
"Thank you, Jace. I managed to squeeze a few brain cells together to figure that out on my own," I said as unease slid through me.
"Like...a couple of hours ago," Jace added. "Micah told."
"Fascinating," I said, peering down at my nephew and wondering if his powers of observation would be used for good or evil when he got older. As it was, he was too young to beeither, but still capable of causing chaos with perfect innocence. "Not surprising but so fascinating."
"Exactly," Moira said smugly. "So if there's anyone who needs to do some talking, it's me and the two of you."
"You know, I'd love to, but there's not a whole lot to talk about," I said, ignoring the stiffening of Jace's shoulders. "I don't think I have much to talk about."
Micah peered up at me, a question in his eyes, and I had a moment of horror that I should stop him. “But why did you come here?"
"I brought you and your mom, remember?" I asked, hoping that would take care of whatever was brewing in his head.
"No, I mean, Mom said you came here before, and stayed awhile. Then came and got us. I thought you were going to talk to Kayden when he woke up."
