Page 37 of In Her Own Rite

“I can’t believe you made me breakfast,” I say, lifting myself up to sit on the kitchen island.

“Gabe couldn’t, either. He told you to come home if you can’t choke this down.”

“I’m sure I’ll manage.”

He makes me a plate and I eat it happily, even if it’s easily less good than anything Gabe’s ever made. Breakfast.For me.

“So what are you doing today?” Kieran asks, leaning against the sink.

“I wanna finish the thing I’m painting for Gabe. And Maren gave me some of her books to borrow, so I want to tell her what I think of the first one so far. I was gonna take a walk in the woods and send her some voice messages.”

“Cool. I’ll lace up my shoes after you finish eating.”

I swallow my bite of eggs. “Oh, I was planning on going alone.”

“Em,” he says, crossing his arms. “You can’t go by yourself.”

“I didn’t realize I needed to ask.”

“You said you’d let me look out for you while we’re here.”

I put my plate down beside me. “I agreed to let you come with me to the house. I didn’t agree to you coming with me for everything I do.”

He lifts an eyebrow. “You want to take a walk in the woods, alone, when some True Remnant nutjobs are slaughtering a field of sheep and writing things on the wall in blood?”

“You’re being dramatic.Ifit’s even the real Remnant, they’re on Saroe, not here. I don’t need your permission to take a walk.”

“Em, if anything ever happened to you—”

I jump down from the counter. “You wouldn’t forgive yourself, I know. You know, this whole overprotective thing isn’t as hot as you think it is.”

I see a flash of anger in his face and instantly feel guilty. But before I can apologize, he says,

“I don’t do this to be hot for you, Emerson. I’m just trying to keep you safe. The world is a dangerous place. Not everyone has good intentions.”

The indignation hits me like a bucket of cold water to the face.

“You think I don’t know the world is dangerous? I’m not naïve, Kier. There isn’t a thing out there you can protect me from that isn’t already worse than what happened in my own house.”

I see some emotion flash across his face, but I don’t have the time to figure it out.

“I didn’t say you’re naïve,” he says. “I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine. You’re letting your fear get the better of you.”

“You don’t know what I know.”

“So tell me, then.”

“I can’t.”

I sigh. “Nice. So not only do you have to protect me from what’s out there, but youalsohave to protect me fromknowingwhat’s out there.”

“It’s not like that—”

“I’m not a child, Kieran. I don’t need you to protect me from myself.”

“I protect you because Iloveyou.”

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