Page 36 of Partnering with the Artist

“I…like the black.”

“You cannot be serious.”

“I do. It doesn’t hurt my eyes or reflect the light in weird ways. I can control it better. Pink also goes well with black, so it’s perfect.”

“Well. I suppose it was good we came here first, then. I guess from here, we’ll head to the mattress store, then a home goods store for bedding. I’ll have to look up where those are.” He pulls his phone out of his pocket. “If you can’t make a decision without a budget, princess, consider your budget five hundred thousand dollars.”

I choke.

“And, also—” He lifts his gaze off his phone screen. “—you’re getting the crafting cabinet. I don’t care that it’s three thousand dollars. The joyful, delirious sparkle it brought to your eyes when you saw it is worth at least ten. If you try to fool me at this point in favor of getting other things that are functionally identical, yet cheaper, I will take great offense. Understood?”

“U…understood.”

He smiles, returns his gaze to his phone, and seems entirely oblivious to the odd sensation he elicits in my chest…

Chapter 13

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We don’t talk about Maelin.

Zakery

“Can we talk about Maelin?” Viktor asks while we’re in the kitchen, making dinner together, like great chums.

Knowingfullwell I spent close to thirty thousand dollars today on Maelin, I chirp, “Absolutely not,” and then I open the fridge. “Wow! Look how clean it is in here!” I grab out the cabbage I’m going to make into coleslaw and click my tongue. “Boy, bringing those pretty sisters into our lives was one of the best decisions anyone in this house has ever made.”

Sitting a safe distance away from all knives and sharp objects, my brother’s fiancée, Crisis, giggles as she continues typing on her laptop. Probably writing a book. Or making a murderboard.

I still need to email her the specs for the murderboard I want her to make for me, assuming I need one. Maybe I don’t. The plan is, after all, pretty straightforward. I think I simplywanta murderboard.

My head has been all over the place today…

Viktor grumbles, “Do not encourage him, sweet pea.”

“I like the twins,” she says, eyes glittering like daggers. “I’ve liked them since we cleared them to live here. Now that they’re closer, I want to drop them in a fantasy novel together and make them fight dragons or find love.”

“Hey,” I protest, “Maelin ismymuse.I’mthe one dropping her in a fantasy graphic novel where she canridedragons and find love.” Also, use magic that matches her eyes and breaksapart a frozen world. But I’m not giving upallmy secrets. I’ve seen how fast this chick can write.

“You can both create stories using the same inspiration. They’ll be vastly different regardless.” Viktor rolls his eyes. “Now, about Maelin—”

“I don’t want to talk about Maelin.”

“I’d really like to talk about Maelin.”

“Everything isfineconcerning Maelin. I have a great idea. Why don’t we talk about Morana? Hardworker, isn’t she?”

Viktor does not humor me with a response as he dumps his pasta into the rest of his mixture. Tonight, we’re having baked mac and cheese, coleslaw, and the fried chicken that is already in the air fryer.

I have another great idea.

Let’s talk aboutfood.

“I love your baked macaroni, Viktor,” I say, endearingly, pulling on every last shred of mysecond to youngest brothercharm. “You’re such a good cook.”

“Thanks,” he grates. “Because our parents refused to hire staff to feed us, I had to learn.”

My smile disappears. Low blow, brother. Low blow. Positioning myself as far from Crisis and my horrible brother as possible, I get a cutting board and a knife to begin shredding my cabbage.

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