“You needed help, and I had to do something about it. There really wasn’t an option,” he says, and I want to tell him that there definitelywasan option, but wasn’t I just as bad when I went running into that same world to help him a mere week ago?
I plan not to bring that up and simply hope he forgets so he doesn’t turn this around on me.
“You did the same thing just last week,” he says, as though he’s read my mind.
“I did no such thing,” I mumble under my breath.
“Don’t act like if you say it quietly, I won’t hear it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I told you that this is what happens when you eat too much pizza. Memory loss and other issues.”
“You just don’t want to eat any more pizza! And that’s fine, I now want lobster.”
“You went from one extreme to the other,” I complain. “And don’t think I’ve forgotten what we were talking about.”
“I remember nothing,” he says. “Memory loss, remember?”
“No, you’re supposed to remember the things I tell you.”
“Selective memory loss… I selectively forgot that you told me not to go into that world… although you only said I couldn’t go without you, and I definitely took you.”
“I was unconscious for most of it. Start from the beginning. I want to hear it all.”
“It went really well. I just kind of… strutted in there and was like, ‘I need Riley’s horse,’ and they were like, ‘Hell yeah, you do.’ And I was like, ‘Ha, you’re so funny.’ And then that was that.”
The look I’m giving him hopefully conveys that I believe absolutely none of that and doubt any part went well. Because the moments I semi-remember all seemed to be a shitshow.
“Okay, how bad was it?” I ask. He fills me in, and I realize that “How bad was it” barely scratched the surface because it was beyond “bad.” I sigh. “I’m so sorry I put you through so much.”
“Oh… I’m not done,” Torin says. “I was just doing the pregnant pause thing to build up the tension, and you leaped onto it in hopes it was over.”
“I was really hoping it was over.”
“Oh, no, definitely not.”
“Please don’t tell me it gets worse,” I mutter, but his expression tells me it definitely gets worse. When he gets to the horse part, I raise an eyebrow. “Now I know you’re lying because there’s no way in hell I’d ever go hug a horse.” I shudder at the thought. I still have nightmares from the horse Torin made me ride to the library.
“You were going to leave me for him. You were like, ‘See ya, bitch, thanks for risking your life to get me here, it was nice knowing you. Do you want to go for a romp in the hay before I kick you out?’”
“Oh, did that last part happen? I’m just… I know for sure it definitely happened. There I was, all dying and shit, and my last thoughts were a romp in the hay with you.”
Torin grins at me. “Nah, you were holding on to that horse leg like a stripper on a pole.”
“Please, no. It was a mistake.”
“You were all, ‘Thank you for being my bitch and carrying me to this point, but you are no longer needed.’”
I laugh as I shake my head. “You know you are very much needed. I couldn’t do any of this without you.”
And so he finishes his story before tapping something that feels warm on my chest. I instinctively look down but since Kit isn’t on my shoulder, I can’t see it right away until she gets the hint and turns her head to face me. My hands ache while I reach down and pick up the hourglass and examine it. Kit gets quite close to scrutinize it in detail then licks it for some reason.
I contemplate the hourglass. If I hadn’t seen the god do the very same thing to Conquest’s horse, I might have questioned it, but there’s something about this that draws me to it. I feel almost hypnotized by it.
“Do you think this will help? I mean… I get that this isn’t ideal, but the horse is now in my possession… will it be enough?”
“I don’t know,” Torin replies. “But I have my doubts. I’m afraid you’ll likely have to find a way to free him before things get much worse.”
“I’m guessing the god won’t happily let him go for me,” I say as I tip the hourglass just a little and watch the sand slide. Then I wrap my hand around it and feel the warmth… it’s so soothing and it makes my hands ache just a little bit less, but there’s also something sad about it. Something that makes me feel upset while I’m the one over here who doesn’t even want a horse.
