Page 23 of A Liar's Twisted Tongue

Aralia gives me an infuriating look and ends it with a wink. I smile, even though I’d like to slap the stupid grin off her face.

“Desy, Desy, Desy,” Kai says, arms flailing more and more. When he slips, I end up catching him, settling him down on his log.

“This is your party?” I say to him, and his face falls.

“No. It’s Lucian’s,” he slurs and looks somewhere in the distance. “Lucy, Lucy, Lucy,” he says in a mocking tone. “He used to be my sister—I mean—he used to be my friend!”

“Oh,” I say stupidly. “I thought the party was for your engagement?”

Kai picks up a glass bottle—one I recognize because we make them in the welders’ village. My stomach churns. It says Moon Vesi on the label.

“Our engagement,” he mumbles.

“What?”

“Our engagement!” Kai shouts. “His,” he points, and I follow his finger right into the boy with the midnight eyes. “And mine.”

Lucian.

His name is Lucian.

“Oh.” It’s only now that I take in the state he’s in. Droozed out of his mind, trying to drink more, shoulders slouching, mouth flipped upside down perpetually. “My apologies.”

Kai starts laughing so hard I worry he might choke.

“Why are you laughing?” I ask him.

He looks at me, his head tipping back like his neck is fluid. “People prefer to say congratulations.” His head falls back, and he starts laughing again. When he’s recomposed himself, he drinks some more.

I put my hand on his, and when his droozen brain registers my touch, he looks at me. “Do you want to go somewhere quiet with me?”

I rub my thumb along the top of his hand.

He giggles, a goofy little laugh. “Yeah,” he clears his throat and says in a deep voice, “yes.”

I have to do this. I will never be able to fit in here. Will never be more than easily manipulated septic scum, and I’m okay with that, so why try to change it? Besides, these kids have had everything handed to them. I’m just giving him a real-world experience.

With his hand in mine, I help him up and feel for his essence. It feels like Damien’s, sharp and precise, quite different from the Air Folks. I take him through the quickest shortcut I’ve identified and can feel the vesi kicking through me, though not nearly as much as Kai, who’s stumbling over every step like he has two left feet.

“Desdemona!” someone calls—a familiar someone. I don’t want to turn around. I wonder if Kai could make us invisible with that dandy light magic, but there’s no way he’s in a state to do such a thing.

I keep walking, hoping she will just go away, take another drink, and forget what she saw. But three steps into my plan, I realize it’s a terrible one. I turn to face her. “He’s droozed out of his mind!” Aralia calls. “What are you doing?”

I walk back to her with Kai on my arm. Think, think, think. What to say?

“Kai asked me to take him to the river,” I say. “I think he’s thirsty.”

“Water,” Kai mumbles. “I do want water.”

“I’ll come with you,” she says.

“I got it, really.”

Aralia gives me a long, pointed look. “Why do you think I share a suite with Calista?” She grabs his other arm.

My plan has barely commenced and it’s already failed. I walk with Aralia, not having any other choice. When we get to the river, her hand brushes against mine and I make an effort to feel her power. Fluid and untamable. More powerful than your typical Air Folk. Perhaps enough power for me to use a little and get to Lorucille.

There’s a rock a few feet from me, big enough to knock her out with one hit if I use enough force. With Aralia holding Kai over the river, this is the perfect time. Slowly, I pick up the rock. It’s behind my back when she looks at me. She lets go of Kai, throwing him on the grass, and pulls out her flask and a joint.

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