Page 87 of Darling Beasts

“Shit show. Yeah.” Talia flicked her hair behind her shoulders. “Listen. I want you to stay. But I also understand if you need to go. Either way, I’m sorry. I never expected Spencer to show up, but I should’ve been more forthright. There’s something about being here. You said it yourself. It’s like some kind of alternate reality.”

Talia studied Raj. He appeared calm, thoughtful even, and she felt momentarily hopeful he didn’t hate her guts.

“As for the skunks,” Talia went on. “Stink badgers. It was sweet of you to try and help catch the runaways. You almost got the one!”

“Hmm,” Raj said, and his eyes slid away. She couldn’t fathom what was going through his mind.

“Who knew that animal existed? And God, the smell. Spencer is puking his guts out as we speak.” When she checked Raj again, his expression had turned serious. “Raj...?”

“We need to talk about the stink badgers.”

Talia groaned, covering her face. “Ugghhhh. There’s an explanation. You’re not going to believe me, but I swear to God it’s true.” She dropped her hands. “It’s Gabby. She has a condition. It’s extremely rare.”

“PBS,” Raj said.

All air briefly left Talia’s lungs. “She told you?”

“First time we met.”

“Um. Okay.” Talia swallowed and puzzled through this, wondering if she could take it as anything less than a personalinsult. “Good for her. Not sure what it means when some escape, but I guess we’ll find out...”

“So you believe her,” Raj said.

Talia blinked. “About the PBS? Yes. Obviously.”

Raj smiled, and now she wondered what the hell was going on. “I think Gabby has at times questioned whether you truly accepted it as a real syndrome.”

“Of course I do,” Talia said emphatically, for Raj’s benefit and for hers. “I just wish she’d be more open about it. Yes, it took time to come to terms with the diagnosis. Because—sorry—it’s so bizarre. But, like, she has it? So admit what’s going on? I’m her sister. It’s so annoying. You have no idea.”

“Don’t be too hard on her. I’m sure it’s difficult for her to discuss.”

“Didn’t hesitate to tell you, though!” Talia tossed her hands into the air. “You probably think I’m being mean but she’s so weird and sneaky about it. She even tried to claim she had nothing to do with the stink badgers.”

“Maybe she didn’t?” Raj suggested.

“Come on. They wouldn’t just magically appear, and she admitted—”

“Stop.” Raj grabbed both her hands, which she’d previously been flailing around. “Gabby didn’t cause the problem,” he said, and Talia froze. “Not this one, at least.”

“There are more?!”

“Talia. The stink badgersarebecause of PBS. But they belong to me.”

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Talia peered outside. Inhaling, she stepped onto the landing and looked around. The Ranch seemed normal, its usual self, making Raj’s barrage of texts seem even stranger.

Stay in the apartment.

Keep the door locked.

Whatever you do, don’t go near the recreation pavilion.

Raj was very serious but these warnings might as well have been an open invitation. Talia was helpless against her own curiosity. Nosiness, some called it.

Gingerly Talia crept down the stairs. The apartment was way out in the sticks, by Mom’s art studio—incidentally, now missing its roof—but it was Raj’s place, and she’d stayed overnight. It didn’t matter that they’d merely talked, and nothing physical happened. It was a bad look, especially with Spencer still somewhere on the property. Luckily this part of the Ranch was empty and, after a quick scan of her surroundings, Talia sprinted to the dirt road.

She took a circuitous route toward the recreation pavilion, to make it appear to anyone watching as though she’d come from another direction. As she passed the family barn, Talia noticed how quiet it was. Almost too quiet. Until she reached the horse trail and heard a faint yelling.

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