Page 91 of Sick Bargain

She brushes dirt and dead leaves off the headstones, humming and nodding. “Oh, yes. It’s been a while since you were all at home. Would you like to come for dinner?”

The fuck is wrong with her?“Actually, can you take me to this doctor? Can you introduce me to Dr. Graves?”

Maybe I’m back to being suicidal. Suicidal with a purpose this time.

“Yes. After dinner.” She extends her hand to me, and it takes more mental preparedness than ever before to take it. “We’ll get your sister and brothers to come as well.” She snorts, covering her mouth. “Brother, excuse me.”

I don’t want my brother there. If Soren comes, he’ll talk me out of going to Dr. Graves. Free or not, I’m still Krypt’s fucking hero.

Soren didn’t showup for dinner. Probably because he’s still not talking to me ever since Krypt left me. But Selena is here, and she knows something about Mom. Because she’s strategically placed herself between us, and I notice because this is the first time my sister has been protective in this way.

She’s studying psychology to protect me, but she’s never been a physical barrier between me and our mom. What does she know, and how does she know it? Did Soren tell her about the chip?

Mom’s grip on her fork is white-knuckled, and the two of us are watching her warily. “I think I’ll redo your bedrooms now that none of you stay here.”

“I do,” Selena says.

“Do you?” Mom asks. “You’re never here anymore.”

I study my sister. She comes home every weekend, so where is she staying? Did she get a partner? Is she in a relationship? “Where do you stay?” I ask her.

“Here, mostly,” Selena says. “Rem, you wanna help me clean up?”

No. I need to remind Mom she’s taking me to see Dr. Graves. I shake my head, but Selena nudges me under the table and grabs my sore wrist to make me stand. When I wince, she drops it, but still pushes me into the kitchen.

“What’re you doing here?” Selena hisses at me once we’re behind the wall of the kitchen. “You can’t be here, Rem.”

I tilt my head at her like Krypt tilts his head at me. “Why not?”

“Because...” She presses her lips together before sighing. “Soren told me about the chip.”

She’s lying. “What else did he tell you?”

“Look,” she snaps at me. “It’s not like it’s a secret that you’re dating Kr-Keegan. It’s going around Moros like wildfire.”

“Who?” I grab her wrist this time. “What’d you almost call him?”

“Keegan.”

“You know.” I squeeze her wrist. “You know about him… them. How, Selena?”

“I don’t know shit,” she says, pulling her wrist free. “You need to leave.”

“And go where? I have no fucking house, Selena!”

“Because he burnt it down to keep you!” she whisper-shouts, shocking herself. “Fuck.”

I shake my head at her. Yet another person in my life feeding me lies. “You’re all the fucking same. Lie to Remi because he can’t handle it, right?” I turn my back.

“Youcanhandle it!” She grabs my shoulder and spins me to face her. “It’s just forbidden to talk about.”

“So… you’re one of them, too?”

She shakes her head. “I wasn’t joking when I said I was going to initiate this year. I did. I’m… nobody. Only an initiate. Which means I know about you and him, but I don’t know anything else. I didn’t learn it until after you did. I didn’t know who he was when he had you on Initiation Night, okay? I didn’t know it was Keegan.” She sighs. “But trust me, Remi. You have to leave Mom alone. Krypt is… out there, trying to protect you.”

“Me?” Fat fucking chance. He freed me and left me to rot.

“He told me to watch out for you while he was gone, so that’s what I’m doing. Please leave. You can stay at Keegan’s house. Or Vile House. It’s your home now, too.”

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