Page 55 of How to Hide Your Angel Kid

Galent’s entire body spasmed like he’d been struck by lightning.

Gray swept through Zarrie a split second later. Except this time, she grew heavy like a rock, and she didn’t turn back into flesh and blood.

13

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Pinks staggeredunder Zarrie’s new weight. She washeavy.

Galent stumbled in the opposite direction, looking pale. Then his gaze snapped to Pinks and Zarrie. “Fuck!”

Zarrie was frozen with her wolf ears, a curious expression on her face. But her eyes looked so lifeless, and Pinks could no longer hear her heartbeat. It was enough to send him into a panic. “Zee? Hey, baby. C’mon. Come back to me.”

Galent crowded close, half-reaching for Pinks but afraid to touch. He looked so guilty and horrified. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have—I...”

“It’s not your fault,” Pinks said brokenly. He trudged over to the bed and sat down carefully, cradling Zarrie in his lap. “You didn’t try to touch her at all. It’s the evil thing’s fault for cursing you.”

Galent sighed heavily. Then he punched the wall, leaving a fist-sized dent in it. “It was my damn fucking fault. I provoked it. I was drunk and being stupid. All of it could have been prevented, and I didn’t.”

Pinks remembered Ace and Raptor holding up signs, telling Galent how incredibly stupid he had been. He would’ve been mad at the giant, except Galent looked just as shattered as Pinks felt.

“What did you do?” Pinks asked quietly.

Galent sat down next to Pinks and buried his face in his hands. “It’s all because of a robot movie. It was one of the few things I was obsessed with, back when movies were first invented. I collected every version of AlphaBot that came out, from when they used cheesy tin costumes, up until the recent years, when they used CGI. Anyway, this latest movie had been delayed several times. I’d stayed up late to watch it when it released last week—I’d been waitingyearsfor it.

“It was a great movie. After it was over, I couldn’t sleep because I was still so hyped up, even though I had an important business meeting the next day.”

“Oh, no,” Pinks murmured, his heart aching.

“Yeah,” Galent said into his hands. “I slept for barely two hours. Then I went to work and signed the wrong papers at the meeting. By the time I realized what I’d done, I’d fucked up trade routes for the next five years, and everything was a mess. I fixed as much as I could. After it was all over, I went to a bar to get drunk. I was pissed at myself. Thatthinghappened to approach me, and I shoved it off. In hindsight, I should’ve just gone home. But it became a bar brawl and thethingstruck my chest with something.

“I didn’t know what it had done. Then I began turning into stone, and I didn’t even realize it until I’d poured milk all over the kitchen counter and Handsome was staring at me like I’dbecome a ghost. It’s just... It’s all so stupid. I could’ve done so many thingsnotto get to this point, and I didn’t.”

Pinks sagged. “Oh, Galent.”

Galent glanced at Zarrie, drawing a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt her.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Galent reached over, squeezing Pinks’ thigh. Then he grabbed their blanket and wrapped it around Pinks and Zarrie, sitting down beside them.

They didn’t talk for a long time. Until there came a faint heartbeat, and color returned to Zarrie’s face.

Pinks was so relieved, he cried. “Zee!”

He dropped kisses on her face until all the gray had faded from her body. Zarrie shook herself like a wet pup, blinking innocently.

As though nothing earth-shattering had just happened.

“Is she all right?” Galent asked in a strangled voice.

Pinks pressed his nose to Zarrie’s skin, breathing in deep. “She still smells clean. Healthy. Oh, Zee. Fuck. You really gave us a scare.”

“Good. That’s good to hear.” Galent stood suddenly and turned away. When Pinks looked up, the giant was already at the bedroom door, his back to Pinks. Galent swiped at his face.

“Galent?” Pinks got to his feet, but Galent was already moving away. “Hey, wait!”

He had to put in a burst of speed, skidding to a stop at the front door before Galent could reach it.

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