I don’t know how to say this, but I’ll try. You’re not the one. You’re not trained. You have no natural talents. You have no chance of appreciating this gift as it should be appreciated. So just step back and accept it. I’m the chosen one, Wren. Trust me, you don’t even want to think about what it would be like if you actually were. So much pressure. So much dedication. So much responsibility. You have no idea how hard it all is. And there’s no way you’d be up to the challenge of handling it.”
Rage boils and pops through me, and I lose it just a little. “If that’s what it takes to keep Loki, then maybe Sofu didn’t make a mistake at all. Maybe I am the one. Because I’m used to pressure you couldn’t imagine, couldn’t even dream of. You have no idea what my life is like on a day to day. Trust me, it’s nothing a spoiled brat like you would be able to handle. I have more responsibility and pressure on my shoulders than most adults have.” And way more than the two who were supposed to take care of me ever bothered to shoulder.
“You’re getting so upset.” She clucks her tongue at me and gives me a sugary, condescending smile. “Don’t take it so personally. You need to accept who you are and all your limitations. And that means you have to come to terms with the fact that your place is under me.”
“We’ll see about that.” My fists are balled up, my jaw is clenched, and I’m shaking so hard, I feel like I’m about to have a seizure.
My cousin stifles a dismissive giggle that makes me feel impotent and doubly furious.
“Wren, I’m so glad I met you.” She takes two steps forward and grabs me in a hug so bruising, I know what an anaconda victim must feel like. She leans her mouth close to my ear and hisses, “I can tell we’re going to be best friends .”
I feel faint from the lack of blood her hug-tourniquet is causing. She needs to brush up on her English, because I think she misspoke. The word she is looking for is most definitely enemies.
Chapter 11
Sakura sashays out of the kitchen and five of the six guys who spent the last fifteen minutes drooling over every word out of her mouth follow her like drones. The only one who stays behind is Jonas.
“So that was random.” I toss my red cup into the garbage can under the sink.
Jonas blinks a few times like he’s just waking up. “Really random. You didn’t know Sakura was coming to America? No one called you or your grandma?”
“Nope. Unless Bestemor got the call and forgot to tell me. But she’s been so much better lately.”
The florescent light pops and crackles over our heads.
“She seems really, er, different.” Jonas rubs his hand on the back of his neck. “And she’s really pretty.” He notices my expression and rushes to say, “What I mean is I could tell you two were cousins right away. You look so similar.”
If Jonas complimenting Sakura wasn’t bad enough, the comparison is even worse. “I do not look like that pink-haired half-wit. She looks one of those bitchy-bored Bratz dolls.”
“I think her hair is interesting.” Jonas’s face is serious, but his eyes tease me.
“Interesting? Please. How about ‘desperate for attention’? And she didn’t seem nice. She seemed like she wanted something and was going to do what she needed to do to get it.”
“What do you think she wants?” He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
“She seemed to take a lot of interest in Loki.” I want to lean my head on his shoulder and think this all out. I content myself with taking one step closer to him.
“I thought I heard her say that Loki was your family’s most powerful fox. Does that mean there’re more foxes?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know about any of this.” A cold shiver runs over my skin. “Do you mind ditching the party early, Jonas? I kind of want to get home and check on Bestemor.” And Loki, but I don’t tell him that.
“No problem.” He takes his hands
Rage boils and pops through me, and I lose it just a little. “If that’s what it takes to keep Loki, then maybe Sofu didn’t make a mistake at all. Maybe I am the one. Because I’m used to pressure you couldn’t imagine, couldn’t even dream of. You have no idea what my life is like on a day to day. Trust me, it’s nothing a spoiled brat like you would be able to handle. I have more responsibility and pressure on my shoulders than most adults have.” And way more than the two who were supposed to take care of me ever bothered to shoulder.
“You’re getting so upset.” She clucks her tongue at me and gives me a sugary, condescending smile. “Don’t take it so personally. You need to accept who you are and all your limitations. And that means you have to come to terms with the fact that your place is under me.”
“We’ll see about that.” My fists are balled up, my jaw is clenched, and I’m shaking so hard, I feel like I’m about to have a seizure.
My cousin stifles a dismissive giggle that makes me feel impotent and doubly furious.
“Wren, I’m so glad I met you.” She takes two steps forward and grabs me in a hug so bruising, I know what an anaconda victim must feel like. She leans her mouth close to my ear and hisses, “I can tell we’re going to be best friends .”
I feel faint from the lack of blood her hug-tourniquet is causing. She needs to brush up on her English, because I think she misspoke. The word she is looking for is most definitely enemies.
Chapter 11
Sakura sashays out of the kitchen and five of the six guys who spent the last fifteen minutes drooling over every word out of her mouth follow her like drones. The only one who stays behind is Jonas.
“So that was random.” I toss my red cup into the garbage can under the sink.
Jonas blinks a few times like he’s just waking up. “Really random. You didn’t know Sakura was coming to America? No one called you or your grandma?”
“Nope. Unless Bestemor got the call and forgot to tell me. But she’s been so much better lately.”
The florescent light pops and crackles over our heads.
“She seems really, er, different.” Jonas rubs his hand on the back of his neck. “And she’s really pretty.” He notices my expression and rushes to say, “What I mean is I could tell you two were cousins right away. You look so similar.”
If Jonas complimenting Sakura wasn’t bad enough, the comparison is even worse. “I do not look like that pink-haired half-wit. She looks one of those bitchy-bored Bratz dolls.”
“I think her hair is interesting.” Jonas’s face is serious, but his eyes tease me.
“Interesting? Please. How about ‘desperate for attention’? And she didn’t seem nice. She seemed like she wanted something and was going to do what she needed to do to get it.”
“What do you think she wants?” He stuffs his hands in the pockets of his jacket.
“She seemed to take a lot of interest in Loki.” I want to lean my head on his shoulder and think this all out. I content myself with taking one step closer to him.
“I thought I heard her say that Loki was your family’s most powerful fox. Does that mean there’re more foxes?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know about any of this.” A cold shiver runs over my skin. “Do you mind ditching the party early, Jonas? I kind of want to get home and check on Bestemor.” And Loki, but I don’t tell him that.
“No problem.” He takes his hands
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