though.”
Thea groaned. “How viral?”
“You probably weren’t even trending this hard when you were with Baird Frost.”
“Shit,” Thea muttered.
“What are they saying?” Cora asked. “Alien?”
Elon nodded. “Mostly alien. A few are going with demon.”
“What, not an angel?” Cora looked offended on her friend’s behalf. “She saved the kid’s life. What demon does that?”
Elon shrugged. “I think it’s the wings. We definitely have demon wings. Angel wings are supposed to be feathery bird wings, you know?”
“How would you know what kind of wings angels have?” Cora asked.
“I’m just saying, that’s usually how the pictures are. I—”
“I’m going to propose to Flannery.”
They all stopped and stared at Nero. Cora started choking on her beer. Elon slapped her back a few times.
Finally Thea said, “Really? How… nice.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cora wheezed.
Nero crossed his arms and glared at his sister. Thea had always found his coloring rather unfortunate, the lavender skin clashing with the bright red hair. But the deep purple blush spreading over his face and neck now were doing him even less favors than usual.
“I would have done it anyway,” he said.
“Well, that’s an odd way for you to declare your love for my cousin,” Thea said. “What do you mean anyway ?” She stopped and almost choked, herself. “She’s not pregnant is she? Please tell me she’s not pregnant.”
At least her discomfort broke up the tension a bit. Nero grinned at her. “You don’t know much about fury reproduction, do you?”
“Huh?”
“She’s not pregnant.”
“Let’s get back to what you meant by anyway ,” Cora said. Her voice was controlled—but barely.
Lord knew Thea had had her share of problems with her cousin, but she was starting to feel offended by Cora’s horror at the idea of having Flannery for a sister-in-law. And she was surprised at her friend. Cora had never treated Thea like she was inferior while Thea was still a human.
But not in your family, huh Cora? Boy, did you turn out to be racist. Creaturist? Whatever. Prejudiced.
“I meant, this would have happened eventually,” Nero said. “And you, dear sister, would have had to find a way to be happy for me instead of acting like a bitch.” He raised his voice over both Cora and Elon’s protests. “ But now … I’m not convinced she’s safe out there.”
“So you want her to come live in the colony so you can protect her? Just because of this Hemlock Heights thing?” Elon asked.
“Basically,” said Nero.
Elon shook his head. “I want to be on your side, buddy, but that doesn’t seem like a good reason to get married.”
“Nothing seems like a good reason to get married to you,” Cora snapped.
Ah, now we see the real reason. It’s not that you’re creaturist, or at least not entirely. You’re jealous.
“Like I said, I’d have done it either way,” Nero was saying. “But the timing has to do with that, yes.”
“But we have no reason to think they’re just targeting anyone involved with the superhex!” Cora said.
“We can’t be sure they’re not, either,” said Nero.
“You’ve only been together what?” Cora asked. “Three months?”
A lot less time than Cora’s been with Elon. And Nero is her younger brother. Thea glanced at Elon. Something tells me you’re in for it, buddy. Judging by the flat line of his mouth, Elon was inclined to agree.
“Long enough to know her, and my own mind.” Nero gave Thea a stern look. “And before you say anything, she’s grown a lot in that time.”
Thea threw up her hands. “Hey, I didn’t say a word.”
And she kept on not saying a word, while Cora continued to try to talk her brother out of it, and Elon tried to soothe his girlfriend and keep the peace. Thea was in no mood to pick a side. Mainly because she didn’t know whose side she was on. Nero was right: Flannery had grown. For the better. Thea wanted
Thea groaned. “How viral?”
“You probably weren’t even trending this hard when you were with Baird Frost.”
“Shit,” Thea muttered.
“What are they saying?” Cora asked. “Alien?”
Elon nodded. “Mostly alien. A few are going with demon.”
“What, not an angel?” Cora looked offended on her friend’s behalf. “She saved the kid’s life. What demon does that?”
Elon shrugged. “I think it’s the wings. We definitely have demon wings. Angel wings are supposed to be feathery bird wings, you know?”
“How would you know what kind of wings angels have?” Cora asked.
“I’m just saying, that’s usually how the pictures are. I—”
“I’m going to propose to Flannery.”
They all stopped and stared at Nero. Cora started choking on her beer. Elon slapped her back a few times.
Finally Thea said, “Really? How… nice.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cora wheezed.
Nero crossed his arms and glared at his sister. Thea had always found his coloring rather unfortunate, the lavender skin clashing with the bright red hair. But the deep purple blush spreading over his face and neck now were doing him even less favors than usual.
“I would have done it anyway,” he said.
“Well, that’s an odd way for you to declare your love for my cousin,” Thea said. “What do you mean anyway ?” She stopped and almost choked, herself. “She’s not pregnant is she? Please tell me she’s not pregnant.”
At least her discomfort broke up the tension a bit. Nero grinned at her. “You don’t know much about fury reproduction, do you?”
“Huh?”
“She’s not pregnant.”
“Let’s get back to what you meant by anyway ,” Cora said. Her voice was controlled—but barely.
Lord knew Thea had had her share of problems with her cousin, but she was starting to feel offended by Cora’s horror at the idea of having Flannery for a sister-in-law. And she was surprised at her friend. Cora had never treated Thea like she was inferior while Thea was still a human.
But not in your family, huh Cora? Boy, did you turn out to be racist. Creaturist? Whatever. Prejudiced.
“I meant, this would have happened eventually,” Nero said. “And you, dear sister, would have had to find a way to be happy for me instead of acting like a bitch.” He raised his voice over both Cora and Elon’s protests. “ But now … I’m not convinced she’s safe out there.”
“So you want her to come live in the colony so you can protect her? Just because of this Hemlock Heights thing?” Elon asked.
“Basically,” said Nero.
Elon shook his head. “I want to be on your side, buddy, but that doesn’t seem like a good reason to get married.”
“Nothing seems like a good reason to get married to you,” Cora snapped.
Ah, now we see the real reason. It’s not that you’re creaturist, or at least not entirely. You’re jealous.
“Like I said, I’d have done it either way,” Nero was saying. “But the timing has to do with that, yes.”
“But we have no reason to think they’re just targeting anyone involved with the superhex!” Cora said.
“We can’t be sure they’re not, either,” said Nero.
“You’ve only been together what?” Cora asked. “Three months?”
A lot less time than Cora’s been with Elon. And Nero is her younger brother. Thea glanced at Elon. Something tells me you’re in for it, buddy. Judging by the flat line of his mouth, Elon was inclined to agree.
“Long enough to know her, and my own mind.” Nero gave Thea a stern look. “And before you say anything, she’s grown a lot in that time.”
Thea threw up her hands. “Hey, I didn’t say a word.”
And she kept on not saying a word, while Cora continued to try to talk her brother out of it, and Elon tried to soothe his girlfriend and keep the peace. Thea was in no mood to pick a side. Mainly because she didn’t know whose side she was on. Nero was right: Flannery had grown. For the better. Thea wanted
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