Page 80 of Sunrise

“Thank you, Mistress. Now drink.”

She takes another sloppy sip. “Does he have ablog or something?”

“I don’t know.” He pulls her hair back and out of her face. “His name is Max Born.”

“MaxBorn?” Her jaw drops and she lights up a little. “Ilovethat guy.”

Knox tenses. “You know him?”

“Everyone knows him. He’sfamous.”

“Famous? I couldn’t find him anywhere on social media,” Knox argues. “How do you know him?”

Sophie slow blinks before taking a big gulp of water. “I loved the alien dick.”

She’s a mess.

“And I didnotsee that lot plist coming with the space ghost dragon.Thatwas a good one.” Her gaze wanders to the floor. “Lot plist. Plot list. Plot. Twist. Coming.”

I point at the water in her hand. “Drink.”

She takes two more sips.

Knox rubs her thigh, trying to redirect her. “Tell me about Max Born, baby.”

“Ohhh I love him.”

“We know. Why?”

“He helped in the development of quantum mechanics.” She holds her chest. “Heliterallygot a Nobel Prize for the sta-testicle. Wait. Statatatis. No.” She squeezes her eyes shut and sighs, getting frustrated with herself. “Sta. Tis. Ticalinterpretation of the wave function.”

Knox looks over at me for help, confusion screwing his face all up.

“Did that just turn you on, pup?” She winks at him. With both eyes.

Knox bites his bottom lip and looks over at me,trying to hide his amusement.

Sophie suddenly throws her arms out wide and almost falls into him. “Quantum harmonic oscillators have nooooo trajarady. Wait.Trajectory.” She slashes her hand in the air. “None. They’re just waves.” She moves her arms in a wave motion. “I want to go to the beach.”

Silence falls around us.

Her chin trembles. Curling up, she wraps her arms around her knees and hugs herself. “I had a bad day, guys.”

We look at each other and don’t move.

“They took my work and now I’m out.”

Rage slams into me. “What do you mean,they took your work?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. I want to hear about something else.” Sliding her sun pendant along the chain, she looks absolutely drained. “Tell me about sunrise.”

Before either of us can answer, she closes her eyes and passes out.

Chapter 25

Knox

Vault carries Sophie up to her room while I stay in the kitchen and clean up.

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