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Panic trembles my hands, and I squeeze them tight, trying to catch my breath.
“His name is Orion,” Moffy says, helping me out.
“Orion,” I nod and gulp air. Okay.
I named a dog after a constellation. That makes sense at least. So does his breed. “He’s a Newfie,” I say. “Like Nana fromPeter Pan.”
Moffy nods, then eats his next words, rethinking. He cracks a few knuckles.
There’s more?I could ask. He’s clearly trying to filter out what’s unnecessary info, so I’m not hit over the head with details and history all at once.
“You remember me, Orion?” I ask, scratching his fluffy head with two hands. He licks my cheek again.I wish I could remember you.
I rise to my feet, and Orion circles my body frenziedly. “He has mega puppy energy.”
“He is still a puppy,” Maximoff says.
“Really? He’s huge.”
“Newfies stop growing when they’re two. Which he won’t be until April.” Moffy smiles down at a drooling Orion.
He’ll be bigger? His torso reaches my waist, and he’d hog most of the couch if he jumped on the cushions. The more he races around me like a cumbersome adorable oaf, the more I gather that Orion loves me. I share my brother’s smile and give Orion one more pat and scratch.
Just then, asecondfluffy Newfie suddenly trots up to his side. Moffy pets him under the chin. The puppy is almost identical to mine. Except for the brown fur.
My lips slowly part.
“You can ask,” Moffy encourages.
“I don’t need to ask.” I lean my weight on one foot, trying to be casual. “He’s Orion’s brother.” It’s an educated guess, but it’s enough to light up my brother’s eyes.
“You remember Arkham?” He’s tentative, but the hope attached to his voice sends a wave of wasps through my stomach. Stinging my insides.
“Yeah, a little,” I lie.
His brows pinch. “It’s okay if you don’t know something. I’m not going to judg—”
“Iknowyou won’t judge me,” I interrupt him with unfamiliar bite.
He nods slowly, not even put off by my tone. My brother is still a good, moral bean, I think. “Just making sure you know.”
“I know,” I mutter. Silence stretches more tension.
Moffy clears it. “Ready to see your room?”
My biggest gateway back to Original Luna.
Anxiety flits away, replaced by more eagerness. “Yeah, let’s do it.” I hope my confidence vanquishes my brother’s worries.
“Think of the penthouse like a square box,” Maximoff tells me while we walk down the wide hall. “Emergency staircase is in the middle, along with the elevator lobby or foyer, whatever you want to call it, and the elevator. Then this hall pretty much connects everything. You can do an entire loop of the house just following it.”
That’s not so hard to figure out.
He points to a door. “Game room.” Then another door. “Your room.” He opens the door for me but lets me be the first to enter. Well, technically, I’m the first human.
Orion barrels ahead. Plopping down on a fuzzy dog bed, he pants and drools.
One step inside, I take it all in.
