Page 15 of Falling in Love with A Tiny Bat

Herautonomy?

What a joke.

Jerking my phone out of my pocket, I allow the magic making up my gloves to fade right at my thumbs, then I type, furiously.

Xios: I hate everything

Xios: My soulmate is the worst.

In case it must be said, fae constraints also, mercifully, allow me to share falsehoods in writing.

Willow: It’s two in the morning. Why are you awake?

Xios: I could ask you the same question. Are you lamenting as well?

Willow: I’m finishing one more chapter.

Of course she is.

Xios: And where is Zy?

She sends me a picture of her peeved expression, becauseZy—orZylus, her vampire cat soulmate—is currently a limp black noodle curled around her neck. All safe and cozy. Despite the fact his errors allowed my older sister, Andromeda, to attack her in the dead of night just over three years ago. When Andromeda came into existence, she was a boogey creature, a culmination of Zylus’s very own fears. Pollux’s tampering gave her consciousness beyond her initial code, and now that the secrets are out, she considers both Willow and Zylus to be hermothers.

What grand strange fun fae ages and relationships happen tobe…

Ever since I came into being last summer, I have learned thatlifeis about thejourneys, not the destinations.

Unfortunately, I prefer instant gratification and require dopamine like a junkie. My stamina is quite impressively low, and my patience for the time in between treats is severely lacking.

Addplans not going to planto the atrocious mix, and it’s remarkable I’m not throwing things right now.

Willow: What happened with Zahra?

I scoff. Whathappened?What happened?Whatdidn’thappen is a better question!

Because absolutelynothinghappened.

The. Outrage.

Xios: She outsmarted me.

And my skin is itchy. And the clothes I weave out of magic are heavy. And my face isburning. This frustration has nowhere to go. So it’s sticking to my ribs and weighing a million pounds.

Xios: Then she told me to sleep outside.

Xios: As you can imagine, my distress levels are incomprehensible.

Willow: You’re welcome to sleep here if you need to.

So sweet. It’s like she doesn’t understand that I’mventing. Which means I must tell her directly.

Xios: I appreciate the offer, but I have no shortage of places to stay.

Xios: I’m just upset.

Willow: Because your soulmate is smarter than you?

My brow arches. What a silly thing to say.

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