Page 60 of The Syphon King

“Does he know you think?” Tully asked.

“Not sure. I mentioned it to Theodore, but I don’t know if he told him or not.”

“Isthatwhy she dresses like one of them teachers from Little House on the Prairie?” Maggie asked.

“I wonder,” Beth said, watching the pretty girl. “Oh crap, she’s headed here.”

“Well, that’ll be a first,” Tegan barely said.

It would. She never associated with them no matter how hard they tried to include her. Beth figured she was just shy. But maybe it had more to do with the burns. Did she think everybody knew and thought badly of her? Stayed away to avoid seeing the judgment?

“And there she goes,” Maggie marveled as the girl took a sudden sharp detour to the right.

Beth’s phone buzzed and she pulled it from her back pocket. “Mah-Mah’s calling.”

“Finally,” Juliette said. “I’m ready to cap this month and see what our next one’s gonna look like. Ready for more Kaj time.”

“You should get it,” Beth thought. “All that’s left is the doing of everything we put together.”

“But will our husbands get the samebreak?” Felix said, doubtful.

“We might have to use our right-hand hall pass to see more of them,” Beth thought, ready for a coherent husband that didn’t become the sleeping dead the second his head hit the pillow. Their ‘lovemaking’ had become a morning routine she really loved but she missed their scorching hot nights and being able to sleep in his arms after.

“I still can’t believe this is all happening.”

Everybody looked at Cherie. “What?” Beth asked.

“Everything.” Her eyes held all their unspoken fears right in the open. “My Sammie is always troubled. I try not to ask questions, but I can feel it.”

“Well,” Tegan said. “I’ve always been a need-to-know kind of person when it comes to the affairs of the country. So, I ask. Patches keeps me posted on every detail that comes from that Marsh Matrix thing, and it’ssurelyhappening.” She looked out at the crowd and nodded. “What I’m curious about is the Kings and what they’re up to. I know they’re handling the other Vikings and what not but what’s going on with their coin stuff? Did any of them get another vision of one? Do they know any more about the ones they did get? Are they gonna get with women or what? If that’s what’s supposed tohelp them, I’m wondering what the holdup is?”

“I’m guessing you asked Patches.”

“Of course. He don’t care,” she accused, appalled.

“I feel like Bishop put them all under discretion orders,” Beth said.

“He’s not forthcoming with you either?” Tegan wondered, maybe hoped.

“He seems to be keeping all his answers straight and narrow. No lies but lots of withelds.”

“Right, right,” Tegan said. “Exactly how I see it and feel it.”

“Well, that one there seems miiiiighty interested in Jolynn,” Juliette said, nodding at the crowd.

They all looked. “Oh yes, that’s Vex,” Felix said, getting their eyes on her now. “He’s Nitro’s King and he isobsessedwith his blood. And I think maybe the King is obsessed with his bite.”

“Oh hell,” Juliette said, intrigued with the rest of them.

“He does indeed like Jolynn but thinks it’s the bat bites that caused it,” Felix said.

“Which you don’t buy,” Beth observed.

“Not at all. He’s fallen for her and can’t justaccept he could or would.”

“Another mighty Creole King falling for lowly swamp sludge,” Juliette said, gleeful as can be.

“Right?” Tegan agreed. “I wish they all wore cameras so we could watch it happen. One after another. Creole King Take Down. Like them reality shows with the bullies getting their asses kicked.That’sentertainment.”

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