Page 135 of Falling in Love with A Tiny Bat

“Speaking of children?” Kassandra asks, peering up the broad stretch of her husband.

His attention doesn’t falter. “Have you given any thought to children?”

“Pollux.” Kassandra scowls. “It’s a bit soon to ask something like that.”

Pollux loses some husband points when he ignores her in favor of muttering, “Hypothetically, if you had a child,whowould be watching them right now?”

My eyes roll. “Obviously us. We’d bring our child with us, like you and Pila.”

“Is that so?” His eyes narrow.

I narrow my eyes right back at him, because there is no way in Sodom and Gomorrah he’s judging my parenting right now. AtAlexios’sbirthday party, no less. Tiny plastic babies haven’t even had a chance to explode out of the papier-mâché mushroom. And, you know something?Ididn’t even put them there.

If he’s going to judge anyone, he should judge Willow the Stick Hog. Someone should really make her give someone else a turn.Sharing is Caringand all that. It makes so much sense that, when she was in my class’s age group, she stabbed someone with scissors. I am not even surprised.

A low sound rumbles in Pollux’s throat. “He better not be alone with who I think he is.”

“Are you reallygrowlingat me?” I snap. Planting my hands on my hips, I angle my body directly at the mountain of a man. “I implore,reconsider.”

“What’s going on?” Brittny asks, joining us with a bowl ofcashews she just brought from inside. “Who better not be alone with who?”

Ollie, clearing his throat, braces his hands at Brittny’s shoulders. “Um, sunshine, I think this might not be a conversation for us to impose upon?”

“No,” Kassandra says, looking between Pollux and I, “I’m curious, too. This isn’t like either of you.”

I scoff, then I slap a hand to my chest, reel slightly back, andscoffagain. “Not like me? I’m offended. We all know I’m an unpredictable queen who never makes any sense at all.”

Everyone in my vicinity, save possibly Kassandra, also knows I’ve broken out in a cold sweat to match the suddenly erratic beat of my heart. Every muscle in me constricts when Cael approaches, concern writ upon his princely features.

“Is everything well over here?” he asks, setting a hand on Pollux’s and Ollie’s backs, gentle as ever.

For some reason, his smile alone makes me step back into Alexios, who says, “Peachy.”

Cael laughs, and his gentility dissolves into something laced with a chill. “Per chance, Xios, is the peach rotting?”

Graceful, Alexios steps between Cael and me. Airily disinterested, he cocks his head. “What gives you that idea?”

Cael’s chin lifts, directed at me. “The sheer, unbridled chaos of her emotions.”

“She’s having a moment. Let her have a moment.”

The prince’s black-and-yellow wings spread. “Are you keeping something from me? I’m sure I can help with whatever it is.”

Alexios chuckles, darkly. “Yes, well, you do have that hero complex, don’t you? Didn’t you hear? My hero of choice isKirby.”

Cael doesn’t get a chance to respond before a heavythunkhits the mushroom pinata.

Everyone’s attention turns toward the spinning red-and-white party shroom to find a dagger embedded between the two bright sticker eyes.

My breaths stutter as I follow the direction of the thrown blade back toCastor, who is holding my baby.

Brandishing a wicked smile, Castor splays his robes in elegant presentation. “For the record, I identify as asomeonenot asomething.”

Over by the pinata, Zylus catches Willow’s stick before she lands a blow, and she pulls her blindfold off, sagging when she sees Castor and Ash. One of her perfectly trim brows jumps, but she doesn’t say a word.

No one does.

The air stills with tension.

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