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You’ll die.” “Then we’ll die free,” Aleina says. “That’s a nice sentiment, but dead is dead.”
“You look like you hate everyone around you,” he adds. “Oh, that’s because I do.”
“Wanker. It’s a funny word,” Tana says dreamily. “Wanker. Say it enough times, and it feels weird. Wanker. Waaanker. Wanker. Wanker.” Serana massages the bridge of her nose. “Tana, I think you drank too much mugwort tea.” Tana clutches her mug. “Waaaaaaanker.”
“You know,” Serana finally says, “normally, when you get a new roommate, you should invite her to a party, not scare her half to death.” “Oh. Right.” Tana collects the cards miserably. She raises her eyes to me. “Um…do you want to go to a party?” “Not today, thanks.” “Good.” She looks relieved. “I haven’t been invited to any.”
“Well, it figures that anchovies would be signified by The Devil,” Darius mutters. “I like anchovies,” Serana interjects. “You would,” Darius snaps. She glares at him. “What does that mean?”
Some people shuffle uncomfortably. The image of Viviane walking around with a knife in her underwear is a vivid one.
“Sometimes, a particularly stupid student asks why we bother with knives and swords. After all, guns still work. The British military has them. And the answer is because we are not bloody soldiers, we are spies, you absolute fucking moron.
“What did she want?” Serana asks. I sigh. “She wants me to do extra training.” “That’s not too bad.” “Every morning at six.” Her jaw drops. “That is literal torture.” “Better than dying, I suppose.” I pause to consider it. “Slightly.”
Graceful and sophisticated as she looks, she spent the boat ride next to me, vomiting over the side. We are sisters in nausea now.
Almost automatically, I move forward and touch someone else. I wish I were dead. I will never forget the humiliation and embarrassment. Why? Why have I done it? That waitress told me, “Enjoy your meal,” and I told her, “You, too.” You, too. As if she were also eating a meal. That smile she gave me, that damnable, pitying smile. And now I see her across the room, talking to another waitress. I know what she’s doing. She’s telling her about me. How I said, “You, too,” like an imbecile. Now they’re laughing! As they should. I wish I were dead. Did anyone else hear me say it? I can never show
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“Some demons are actually pacifists and refuse to fight, even when cornered,” Tana says, staring at the window. Serana’s forehead scrunches up. “I was just speaking metaphorically, I guess. There are no demons in the world, Tana.” Her face has gone pale. “Right?” “Right.” Tana sips from her mead and smiles faintly. “It’s better to think that.” “Well, that’s a thought that’s gonna fester,” Darius mutters.
“I’m sure you will agree,” Raphael adds smoothly, “that when we report this to the rest of the knights at the Round Table, we can leave out the part where both Sentinels tried to warn you about the assassin, and you dismissed them as hysterical women because you were annoyed with your wife.”
“You’ve proven yourself to be the same self-obsessed twat you always were. You don’t have to be wealthy to think you’re better than everyone else, do you? To some people, arrogance comes just as naturally as breathing. And in reality, Raphael, I saved your ass more than once, you egomaniacal, solipsistic, stuck-up prick. Do not speak to me again unless it’s an order. Unless it’s life or death. You’re not good enough to speak to me, and you never were.”
“I’m going to need to kiss you.” “For realism,” I whisper. He brushes his thumb over my lower lip. “For the mission.” “For England.”
“Right,” he says. “Of course, we’re just getting warm. For the mission.” “For England.”
I wrap my legs around his hips, never wanting to let him go. “Raphael,” I gasp. His eyes search mine, and he brushes a damp lock of hair from my face. “Who could blame us?” he whispers. “We had to stay warm.”
“You are the Lady of the Lake.” I bite my lip. “That sounds so formal.” “How about Aqua Bitch?” Serana grins, joining us. “That’s better, right?” “Aqua Bitch?” Tana asks, scandalized. “What nicknames do you have for me behind my back?” “Oh, you’re the life of the party, Tana, for sure.” She blinks. “I am?” “No, pet. That was sarcasm. We could be in the middle of the wildest piss-up in the world, draped with gorgeous men and drinking and dancing, and your eyes would go glassy, and you’d tell us some poor sod was murdered on the very spot we’re standing a century back. Oh, and also, that we’re
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“Would you rather that I kept it secret?” I smile. “Shockingly, Tana had good news for once. Apparently, I’m going to rescue Raphael.” Serana nods. “Of course you are. No one is stopping my Aqua Bitch.”
