Page 32 of Carnal: The Beast Who Loved Me

“Geography?” Serene laughed. “Well, there’s our settlement, the human city, and the Rautt live across the wasteland. Next?”

She couldn’t explain to Serene that, to Rosie, geography meant navigating dimensions, worlds upon worlds, being able to move not just back and forth, but up and down through a reality far more complex than the Extant’s wife could imagine.

“What do you need?”

Serene shifted her weight back and studied Rosie. “Now there’s a question worthy of a teacher. How do you feel about twelve-year-olds?”

“I don’t know.”

Serene laughed. “No siblings?”

“No.”

“No friends with siblings?”

“No.”

“Cousins?” Rosie shook her head. “No experience with children. At all.”

“How about this? You have some time between lunch and dinner. When you feel like it, you can sit in on classes. Any one you want. I’ll tell the teachers you’ve been invited. You can sort of try them out and see if there’s an age group that feels like a fit.”

Rosie grinned. “A fit.”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Maybe.”

“Think you can find your way back?”

“I know the way back.”

“Well, then. See you tonight. We’re having potato and squash venison.”

“What’s wrong with now?”

Serene laughed. “You sound like one of my boys.” Rosie caught the faintest flinch when Serene finished that sentence and supposed she was always grieving for Crave, not knowing whether he was dead or alive, but always in pain either way. It would be so easy for Rosie to find out at the least, bring him home safe at the worst. And she wondered what was the point of having unusual abilities if she wasn’t supposed to use them to do some good in the world. Serene’s voice brought her out of that fugue. “We were lucky Charming wasn’t really hurt.”

“Yes. That would have been a shame.”

Rosie made her way back to her temporary retreat and made her room even more girlie just to irritate Carnal in the unlikely event he might see it again while she was still there. If she’d been asked why she cared, she wouldn’t have known what to say.

Supper at the Extant’s house was an entirely different experience with the oldest son in residence. Whereas dinner conversation was usually quiet and subdued, Carnal kept everyone laughing with stories from Farsuitwail. Reading between the lines, Rosie pieced it together that human females were infatuated with Exiled’s hybrid males, a fact that was met with considerable consternation on the part of human males.

Rosie sat back and observed the dynamic. It was easy to see that Carnal was adored by his family. They soaked up his presence like sponges that were afraid they might not see water again for a long time. She found herself thinking that, when he left again, he’d leave them mourning for more. And there was no doubt in her mind that hewouldbe leaving again.

She’d been pushing a piece of squash around her plate when she heard her name.

“Hmmm?” she said.

Carnal was wearing an amused look. “I said, how do you like it here?”

“I like it fine, Carnal.”

“How does it compare to, uh, where you’re from?”

“Oh,” she smiled, “there’s a world of difference.”

“Ha!” Charming barked out. “Funny. I told you she’s smartandfunny.”

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