Page 98 of Priest and his Anarchist

I don’t care for the rules. I don’t like anyone here?—

“You’re a disgusting pig who can’t even hold his own dick, let alone stand up against me!”—And Jessica. I kind of liked Jessica. She and Joshua are exactly what is missing in this world. Filled with confetti and rage.

“Fuck you!” Joshua snaps back.

Nate lowers himself onto the spot beside mine, tapping my thigh with his knuckle. “I need to talk with you about something.”

“I’m not ready.” After finishing my holster, I brush my fingers through my hair and pile it to the top of my head in a high pony.

He loosens the buttons of his suit as if needing the fresh air. “Yes, you are.”

I always assumed Malum’s duty to the schools meant Riverside Elite University in Riverside and the high school in the Hamptons, but apparently not. This little pond of secrets is something I’m not even sure his own kid knows about.

Kid. Singular.

Fitting. Since they’re so great at keeping secrets.

“What is it?” I stretch out my legs.

I’d been born a brunette, like both Dads, but the second night of Del Morts, I demanded they change my hair to that of my mother. I tried before when I was locked in the dark lord’smanor. It will never be as white as hers, but now it’s an oat milk-blonde. My dark hair only reminded me of him.

“You’re ready, Luna…” I’ve never fought Nate on anything, much less to do within the school. My respect for him far surpasses my need to be liked. If I even have that compound to begin with.

I blow out a sigh that sounds more like a complaint. “You’ve always had an uncanny ability to see the best in me, Malum.” Leaning forward, my eyes squint. “You sure you’re not losing your touch after all these years?” I relax back, hiding my chuckle. “I’ve heard that stress can age you rather quickly.”

He doesn’t answer, snorting under his breath while tapping my arm with his. “Smartass, but no. I’m sure. You’re ready.”

His words absorb deeper this time, and my smile falls. “They won’t want me back in their life.”

“They don’t even know…” Nate replies casually, as if he didn’t run his finger over a wound so fragile it could split back open at any moment.

I swallow past the lump in my throat. “Maybe, but he did try to sell me to his enemies at his mom’s auction.” I try to focus on my surroundings, as I’d been taught so many times before.

Where there is a door, there is a room, and inside that room, there are walls, and within those walls, is furniture, and on top of that furniture is Ma, and beside Ma, is Dad, and on the other side of Dad, is Father, and on the other side of?—

“Patience…” I’m back inside the gym. On the floor. Stretching my legs out and staring off at Jessica, who had stopped sparring with Joshua.

“You good?” they ask.

I nod.

“Archer Thorn isn’t an enemy of ours. Why he was allowing to give you to them for the remainder four years is still up for debate, but one thing I will say is that kid is fucking terrifying.His intelligence exceeds any of us, hell, any of the previous generations that I know of.”

I’ll miss the gym here. The octagon where we learned to fight, the shooting range, the target den I sharpened my throwing stars. “That’s not very reassuring.”

Nate palms the side of his face. “Guess not. What I’m saying is that every step we take, he throws something at us that makes us pivot. We’ve been trying to prepare him best for his upcoming role, but like I told his father, he’s not so easily controlled.”

I snort. “That’s putting it lightly.” Silence. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I am ready. My thumb traces the designs carved into the metal. “Fine. If you say I’m ready, then I’m ready.”

I’ve seen photos of Nate when he was my age. His pretty features only seem to allow him to age slower than most. He’s still attractive, only now keeps a well-trimmed beard. I wonder if War still looks like him. Hope not. Tillie was so much prettier.

Nate squints at me. “What are you thinking about inside that little head of yours, Lulu Bell?”

I flash him a wide-tooth smile, the kind that pretty much lets me get away with everything when it comes to him. “Oh you know. Thinking about how beautiful your wife is.”

His suspicions slip into a relaxed smile. With his eyes glistening, and all the tension gone, suddenly this bad, tatted-up secret society mob boss isn’t so scary after all.

Just pretty.

---