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The rest of the summary describes how the mortal students at the academy are trained to protect their Fae keepers from the darklings. Upon graduation, most usually go into service as shadow guardians who protect high-ranking Evermore Fae from darklings. she takes two sips, she begins washing the dishes left by Aunt Zinnia.
“Cal came by today,” Aunt Zinnia says carefully, glancing up from her cornbread.
Aunt Violet stops scrubbing a heavy cast iron skillet and glances over her shoulder at her sister. “You let that boy enter this house?”
“Vi, I’d let the devil in this house if he came with the gifts Cal did.”
“Huh.” Aunt Violet slams the pan onto the drying rack and begins assaulting a cup. “And what did it take to buy you off?”
Aunt Zinnia stares down at her hands, a flush creeping over her cheeks as she lists off the items. Way more than what I fit in the wheelbarrow. “Oh, there might have been some slims in there too, for when you don’t go outside and smoke.”
Aunt Violet whips around, soapy bubbles dribbling from her purple dish-gloves onto the floor. “Are you saying I can be bought?”
“Well, you certainly didn’t hesitate to fill your tea with the sugar Cal brought.”
Vi stares death at her sister.
“I’m saying,” Aunt Zinnia amends, her gaze flitting to the kids around the island, “we do what we do to survive.”
If I don’t distract them, they’ll fight until one storms off, usually Aunt Violet. Then they won’t talk for a week and the tension will be awful.
So I grab a hot pad shaped like a donut and bravely jump into the mix.
“I hate Cal more than anyone,” I say, punctuating the word hate. “But if he wants to give us what’s technically ours, anyway, why not let him?”
“Don’t sell yourself short, Summer,” Aunt Violet snaps. “You would have sent that boy running back to his farm with his tail between his legs and his ass peppered with buckshot.”
God, she knows me too well.
“Language, Vi!” Aunt Zinnia scolds.
“Well it’s true. The Millers don’t give away nothing for free. He thinks Summer can be bought just like his daddy and granddaddy when they bullied Dad into selling the back half of the property, remember, Zinnia? Well she isn’t for sale and that’s that.”
I nod my head. That’s right, Cal. Not. For. Sale.
“Do you see a for sale sign on her?” Aunt Zinnia barks.
Aunt Violet rolls her eyes. “That wasn’t literal, Z.”
I raise my hand. “Right here, guys.”
They ignore me. They’ve locked horns like two old bulls, and only bloodshed will break them apart.
Aunt Zinnia huffs as she throws a towel over the cornbread pan and shoves it across the Formica counter. “Fine. I’ll just go throw this out.”
“Don’t be dramatic, Z. We can eat the damned cornbread . . . as dry as I imagine it is.”
Zinnia’s face flushes red. “No, I will not have you saying I sold Summer like some dried up dairy cow. And . . . another thing. I’ll have you know this cornbread is the best I’ve ever made.”
“Oh, you are something else.” Aunt Violet violently stirs the spoon inside her tea. “How the creator decided we were sisters, I’ll never know.”
If only I’d been here when Cal came, this could have all been avoided. I spare a glance at the 12 gauge shotgun propped by the door.
I would have totally peppered his ass.
“Stop,” I order. Both sisters look over at me like they forgot I was still here. “Next time Cal comes, let him bring whatever he wants.”
I won’t be here anyway, I almost add.
