Page 41 of Ash Fall

"The one that says you're about to adopt something."

I cough into my fist.

Luna shoots me a look. "Don't encourage her."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

Kara nods toward the girl. "She's not that kind of little sister. Picture Regina George raised by a possessed doll that spins it’s head around."

Luna's eyebrows go up. "Seriously?"

"Without the character growth Regina eventually gets, yes."

A laugh escapes me. That reference I know, because I've spent enough time around Luna to have watched Mean Girls more than once. According to her, it's culturally important.

Elenor joins us after climbing out of the other side of the Escalade. "Really? Mean like your particular brand of entertaining bitchiness, or mean enough that I should hide the knives?"

Kara's head jerks back. "Excuse me? My brand is wholly unique. There is no comparison."

Elenor nods with fake sincerity, "Of course it is, darling."

"I've spent years cultivating this personality."

"And you've done beautiful work."

Kara's offended expression lasts another two seconds before she smiles.

Those two are fucking dangerous together. Entertaining, but dangerous. They feed off each other when they get going. Elenor and Jules together are just as bad in a different way. Her eyes return to Briar, and she rubs her hands together with enough enthusiasm that I immediately feel sorry for the girl.

"Don't give it another thought. I'm always up for a new project. I'll take her in hand."

"Absolutely not!" Jules calls from twenty feet away without even turning around.

Elenor ignores him.

Kara laughs at that. "As much as I would love to see that, this one may be more than even you can handle." She points directly at Jules's sister. "Briar has had fifteen years of concentrated narcissist training. That's a lot of damage to undo."

The girl turns toward us. Her stare locks onto Kara.

"Kara."

There is enough disdain packed into those two syllables to confirm every single thing Kara just said.

Kara smiles brightly and sends all of it right back with nothing but a name. "Briar."

Beside me, Luna makes a tiny sound that could be a laugh trying to escape.

Briar's eyes move over our group, dismissing most of us before stopping on Elenor. "And who are you?"

Elenor's smile grows. This poor kid has no idea what she's just done.

"Your new project manager, darling."

Gage drops his head. Jules closes his eyes. Kara looks delighted, and Luna finally loses the fight and laughs. I look at her instead of Briar, because I can't help it.

Her hand comes up to cover her mouth, green eyes bright as she tries to get herself under control, and for a few seconds there's nothing heavy in her face.

I want that. Every stupid moment that makes her laugh, I want to be there for. I want her reaching for my hand without thinking about it. Give me more nights with my head in her lap while she plays with my hair, and mornings where I get to tease her until her cheeks turn pink. I want the ordinary things with her, even if ordinary now includes magic, soldiers, dragons, and an apocalypse convoy full of Louis Vuitton.