nodded, felt numb. He had done that right before the raid.
His father smiled. “You have remarkable talent. You’ll be an excellent ruler someday.”
CHAPTER 7
T HE SECOND S ATURDAY IN A UGUST
Jesse hadn’t planned on going to the Natural History Museum. He’d already shot down Tori’s idea of meeting together, so there was no point in going. But he went anyway. If Tori made an appearance, he wanted to talk to her, to explain things better than he had at camp.
He showed up at eleven forty-five instead of twelve. The elephant display was in the middle of the atrium right in front of the museum entrance. The curators had posed the elephant in action, so it had a startled look to it—like it had just woken up, found itself surrounded by tourists, and was about to charge out of the room in a rampaging panic. Jesse didn’t want to stand by it for the next fifteen minutes. He went up to the second story, he wasn’t quite sure why, but he was used to following his instincts.
The second- and third-floor balconies wrapped around the atrium. Jesse wandered around near the railing, keeping an eye on the main floor without looking like he really was. As usual, the museum was packed with tourists, families, and kids on field trips. Constant noise, constant commotion. If there was something wrong on the first floor that his Slayer senses had picked up, Jesse didn’t know how to figure out what it was. Too many people were coming and going.
Besides, Jesse didn’t expect Tori to show up. She hadn’t even wanted to talk to him at camp after he told her not to put her life on hold for him. She flew away, ditched dinner, and went off with Dirk somewhere. They didn’t come back until late. Jesse knew how late because when Dirk came into the cabin, he shook his head at Jesse and said, “You are an awesome boyfriend. Wherever you learned your boyfriend skills—great job.” Then Dirk had slow clapped.
That was the problem with counterparts. They were all fiercely loyal to each other. Even Alyssa and Rosa, who ignored each other most of the time at camp, would come to the other’s defense the moment they thought another Slayer was too critical. And you didn’t want to get them mad or they would both be slower than needed to heal your burn wounds.
Jesse and Tori were supposed to be counterparts, too, and there were times that he’d felt so sure of her, he was positive they were. But they didn’t have the same abilities the other counterparts did. Maybe you couldn’t be that with two people, and Tori was Dirk’s counterpart before she learned to fly.
Twelve o’clock came. Tori didn’t. Jesse wandered around looking at the signs for the butterfly exhibit and the gem and mineral section. The words he wanted to say to Tori ran in a loop through his mind.
I never said I didn’t care about you anymore. I only said we needed to make sure our feelings didn’t get in the way of our training. I said I didn’t want you to sit home for nine months waiting to see me again. Most girls would appreciate a guy being unselfish about it. I never even said I was going to date other girls. And you didn’t bother to ask.
Tori had assumed the worst; they were over and he’d never really cared about her to begin with. Jesse had meant it, though, when he told her he only wanted the separation to last until next summer. He had meant every kiss. It hadn’t been just a pastime or an ego kick.
Jesse wandered back over to the railing and glanced down at the elephant again. Tori stood in front of the sign. She was here. She had come.
Tori stood out from the rest of the crowd. She couldn’t help it. She was tall, graceful, and looked like a model. For a moment, he could only stare at her. He’d gotten used to seeing her in shorts and T-shirts, her hair always pulled back in a ponytail or braid. Now she wore a white skirt and a red-and-white top. Her long golden-brown hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls. She had not only
His father smiled. “You have remarkable talent. You’ll be an excellent ruler someday.”
CHAPTER 7
T HE SECOND S ATURDAY IN A UGUST
Jesse hadn’t planned on going to the Natural History Museum. He’d already shot down Tori’s idea of meeting together, so there was no point in going. But he went anyway. If Tori made an appearance, he wanted to talk to her, to explain things better than he had at camp.
He showed up at eleven forty-five instead of twelve. The elephant display was in the middle of the atrium right in front of the museum entrance. The curators had posed the elephant in action, so it had a startled look to it—like it had just woken up, found itself surrounded by tourists, and was about to charge out of the room in a rampaging panic. Jesse didn’t want to stand by it for the next fifteen minutes. He went up to the second story, he wasn’t quite sure why, but he was used to following his instincts.
The second- and third-floor balconies wrapped around the atrium. Jesse wandered around near the railing, keeping an eye on the main floor without looking like he really was. As usual, the museum was packed with tourists, families, and kids on field trips. Constant noise, constant commotion. If there was something wrong on the first floor that his Slayer senses had picked up, Jesse didn’t know how to figure out what it was. Too many people were coming and going.
Besides, Jesse didn’t expect Tori to show up. She hadn’t even wanted to talk to him at camp after he told her not to put her life on hold for him. She flew away, ditched dinner, and went off with Dirk somewhere. They didn’t come back until late. Jesse knew how late because when Dirk came into the cabin, he shook his head at Jesse and said, “You are an awesome boyfriend. Wherever you learned your boyfriend skills—great job.” Then Dirk had slow clapped.
That was the problem with counterparts. They were all fiercely loyal to each other. Even Alyssa and Rosa, who ignored each other most of the time at camp, would come to the other’s defense the moment they thought another Slayer was too critical. And you didn’t want to get them mad or they would both be slower than needed to heal your burn wounds.
Jesse and Tori were supposed to be counterparts, too, and there were times that he’d felt so sure of her, he was positive they were. But they didn’t have the same abilities the other counterparts did. Maybe you couldn’t be that with two people, and Tori was Dirk’s counterpart before she learned to fly.
Twelve o’clock came. Tori didn’t. Jesse wandered around looking at the signs for the butterfly exhibit and the gem and mineral section. The words he wanted to say to Tori ran in a loop through his mind.
I never said I didn’t care about you anymore. I only said we needed to make sure our feelings didn’t get in the way of our training. I said I didn’t want you to sit home for nine months waiting to see me again. Most girls would appreciate a guy being unselfish about it. I never even said I was going to date other girls. And you didn’t bother to ask.
Tori had assumed the worst; they were over and he’d never really cared about her to begin with. Jesse had meant it, though, when he told her he only wanted the separation to last until next summer. He had meant every kiss. It hadn’t been just a pastime or an ego kick.
Jesse wandered back over to the railing and glanced down at the elephant again. Tori stood in front of the sign. She was here. She had come.
Tori stood out from the rest of the crowd. She couldn’t help it. She was tall, graceful, and looked like a model. For a moment, he could only stare at her. He’d gotten used to seeing her in shorts and T-shirts, her hair always pulled back in a ponytail or braid. Now she wore a white skirt and a red-and-white top. Her long golden-brown hair fell around her shoulders in loose curls. She had not only
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