sighed. “You know I’m not totally evil. We talked a few years ago, and you admitted I didn’t seem that bad.”
“I wasn’t sure what to think about you. You seemed almost human, but I didn’t know if you were trying to trick me. Part of me wanted to believe you weren’t evil, and I worried it was only wishful thinking.” Joshua leaned back.
“I don’t know what I can say to convince you, but everything I said to you then was the truth, and everything I’ve said today is the truth. I tell the truth most of the time, actually. When I do lie, it’s usually to my parents.” I kept petting Mew-Mew and he kept purring, settling a little more into my lap. He apparently wasn’t worried about us getting kicked out.
“You already did something that’s as close to convincing me as you can get.”
“What’s that?”
“Bringing your cat back to life because you loved him. If a human had powers like yours, they would have done the same thing for their loved one. You’re capable of love. That seems like a miracle in itself.”
I thought it was probably best if I didn’t mention all the other things I’d used my powers for. “Well, I am half human, even if my mom is a devil-worshipping bitch.”
“Please, watch your language.”
“Sorry,” I muttered. “Are you really gonna let me stay here?”
“Yes. You’re a person in need and I can’t turn you away.”
It took some effort to get it out, but I did say, “Thanks. What are you gonna tell your mom?”
“The truth.”
I jolted, disturbing Mew-Mew. “She’s not gonna let me stay here if you tell her the truth. You think she wants the devil’s son staying in the same house with her?”
“I can’t lie to her, Alexander. If I explain it to her, she’ll understand.”
He’s such a goody-good. “If you say so.”
“Does this…” He asked tentatively, “Does the abuse happen a lot?”
“Yeah. I told you, he does this to me all the time. Every time I run away, he drags me home and beats the shit out of me.”
Joshua made a face. “I suppose that’s what you’d expect from the devil. I can’t imagine what your life must be like.”
“Fucked up and shitty. Sorry.” Trying to watch my potty mouth was going to be hard. “But I have some friends now and that’s made a huge difference.” Thinking about them reminded me of what we’d done. “Oh, yeah. I should tell you about what we did yesterday.”
“What did you do?” Curious, he leaned a little closer.
A smile spread across my face and turned into a grin. “We saved the world.”
“You—” Joshua couldn’t even finish the sentence; he just stared at me with wide eyes.
“I know, right?” I laughed, and I told him about fighting Sköll and all that.
Joshua leaned back, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it. You’re supposed to help your father end the world, but you saved it?”
“Yep, and I’d do it again. I don’t want the world to end. I told you that when we first met.”
“I know. But it’s one thing to say you don’t want to do what your father wants and another thing to take on a Norse monster wolf to stop him from eating the sun.”
“No one else was gonna do it,” I said.
“Alexander, you’re amazing.”
“Call me Alex. My mom calls me Alexander when I’m in trouble, which is a lot.” I rubbed at my jaw. All that talking made my mouth hurt. “Hey, you got any painkillers? I heal fast, but it still hurts like… uh, a lot.”
He got me some aspirin and a glass of water. Just as I was washing down the second pill, his mom came home. “Hi, Mom.” He went over to her and gave her a hug. “This is Alex.”
I tried to remember what the polite thing to do was and finally stood up. “Um, hi… ma’am.”
“Oh, mercy. What happened to you?” She had a Spanish accent.
“My father beat the—” I caught myself again. “He beat me up.”
“Oh, darling.” She went to me and lifted her hands as if to touch my face. I fought the
“I wasn’t sure what to think about you. You seemed almost human, but I didn’t know if you were trying to trick me. Part of me wanted to believe you weren’t evil, and I worried it was only wishful thinking.” Joshua leaned back.
“I don’t know what I can say to convince you, but everything I said to you then was the truth, and everything I’ve said today is the truth. I tell the truth most of the time, actually. When I do lie, it’s usually to my parents.” I kept petting Mew-Mew and he kept purring, settling a little more into my lap. He apparently wasn’t worried about us getting kicked out.
“You already did something that’s as close to convincing me as you can get.”
“What’s that?”
“Bringing your cat back to life because you loved him. If a human had powers like yours, they would have done the same thing for their loved one. You’re capable of love. That seems like a miracle in itself.”
I thought it was probably best if I didn’t mention all the other things I’d used my powers for. “Well, I am half human, even if my mom is a devil-worshipping bitch.”
“Please, watch your language.”
“Sorry,” I muttered. “Are you really gonna let me stay here?”
“Yes. You’re a person in need and I can’t turn you away.”
It took some effort to get it out, but I did say, “Thanks. What are you gonna tell your mom?”
“The truth.”
I jolted, disturbing Mew-Mew. “She’s not gonna let me stay here if you tell her the truth. You think she wants the devil’s son staying in the same house with her?”
“I can’t lie to her, Alexander. If I explain it to her, she’ll understand.”
He’s such a goody-good. “If you say so.”
“Does this…” He asked tentatively, “Does the abuse happen a lot?”
“Yeah. I told you, he does this to me all the time. Every time I run away, he drags me home and beats the shit out of me.”
Joshua made a face. “I suppose that’s what you’d expect from the devil. I can’t imagine what your life must be like.”
“Fucked up and shitty. Sorry.” Trying to watch my potty mouth was going to be hard. “But I have some friends now and that’s made a huge difference.” Thinking about them reminded me of what we’d done. “Oh, yeah. I should tell you about what we did yesterday.”
“What did you do?” Curious, he leaned a little closer.
A smile spread across my face and turned into a grin. “We saved the world.”
“You—” Joshua couldn’t even finish the sentence; he just stared at me with wide eyes.
“I know, right?” I laughed, and I told him about fighting Sköll and all that.
Joshua leaned back, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it. You’re supposed to help your father end the world, but you saved it?”
“Yep, and I’d do it again. I don’t want the world to end. I told you that when we first met.”
“I know. But it’s one thing to say you don’t want to do what your father wants and another thing to take on a Norse monster wolf to stop him from eating the sun.”
“No one else was gonna do it,” I said.
“Alexander, you’re amazing.”
“Call me Alex. My mom calls me Alexander when I’m in trouble, which is a lot.” I rubbed at my jaw. All that talking made my mouth hurt. “Hey, you got any painkillers? I heal fast, but it still hurts like… uh, a lot.”
He got me some aspirin and a glass of water. Just as I was washing down the second pill, his mom came home. “Hi, Mom.” He went over to her and gave her a hug. “This is Alex.”
I tried to remember what the polite thing to do was and finally stood up. “Um, hi… ma’am.”
“Oh, mercy. What happened to you?” She had a Spanish accent.
“My father beat the—” I caught myself again. “He beat me up.”
“Oh, darling.” She went to me and lifted her hands as if to touch my face. I fought the
Similar Books
