“She’s a Dane,” Will says quietly, but there’s a smirk playing across his lips. “A mix-up in the hospital or something. Look. Our hair even matches.” He leans in. Thank the gods, he’s joking. This is a good sign. “Oh, wait. Are your roots . . . dark?”
I smack his hand away and laugh. And he laughs that wonderful laugh of his, and suddenly, things don’t seem so dire at all. And that’s how Karl finds us when he comes into the room, me and the Dane boys laughing, Astrid, too, in a quiet way, with everyone else wondering if they’ve stepped through the portal to Crazy Town.
“I knocked,” Karl says. He’s confused and concerned at the same time. “But there was no answer. I almost left, but I heard voices, so . . .”
“No worries, man,” Will says. He and Karl knock elbows, and now there’s another question from both twins: they know each other? “You’re always welcome to barge right in, mate. Except, you may want to turn around and leave, as we’ve currently found ourselves in the midst of parental secrets and lies and general incestuousness. Chances are, one of these stellar, so-called upstanding parents here might have actually either: a) sired you, b) had an affair with one of your parents, or c) claimed you as their own.”
I’d best describe Karl as an owl at the moment.
“Will,” Cameron sighs. “Enough. Karl, we didn’t expect you until later tonight.”
Karl greets Cameron, holding up an envelope that must surely be from Zthane. And then he looks to me, concern filling those hazel eyes of his. “Do I even want to know?”
“Why are you here, Karl?” It’s the first time Jonah’s spoken since coming into the apartment. I want to bottle his words so I can listen to them all the time, especially since I’m pretty sure, the moment he and I finally get to talk, he’s the one who’s going to want to run away, screaming, because this here? It’s a hot mess.
“Right.” He clears his throat uncomfortably. “Zthane has sent the paperwork we discussed last night, Chloe.” He hands the manila envelope to me. “He’s also requesting a meeting with you and Will as soon as possible. He, uh . . . we need to discuss some . . .” He glances quickly at Jonah and then back at me. “Obviously, there are key matters we need to discuss in more detail.”
This so does not sit well with either twin, both of whom loathe being kept out of the loop.
Will must see how this stresses me out, because he says lightly, “I refuse to give up my pancake recipe. Zthane will just have to do without.” And then, “Honestly, mate. You know we laid ourselves bare last night. You need to tell Nightstorm to back off, give us some space. We’ll do our duty, but you know as well as we do that a bit of rest is well deserved, especially after these last two weeks.”
Karl rubs at his hair tiredly. “I know. Zthane’s just—you must understand that this is a game changer.”
Astrid cuts in, her voice quiet yet steady. “Is this something the Council should know?”
“Yes,” Karl tells her. “And it’ll be brought up shortly, just as soon as Councilwoman Lilywhite is debriefed further.”
I can’t believe this. First the bomb about Cameron and Astrid, and now this? What else could go wrong right now? I try to keep my frustration at bay, especially at how Karl is busting out my official title. He knows I haven’t had time to tell Jonah and Kellan yet. There’s a smidge of pity in his eyes, though.
“What is going on right now?” Kellan asks. “What are you guys talking about?”
But Karl doesn’t answer him. He glances briefly at the twins and then back to Will and me. “Can I talk to you two privately?”
It’s clear this makes both Jonah and Kellan unhappy, Astrid, too, but Will and I reluctantly follow Karl into one of the back bedrooms. Once the door is shut and Nell nearly knocks me over, Karl murmurs, “Things seem to be going well.”
“Are you daft? Did you not hear anything I said back there?” Will paces the room; it’s not a good sign. Maybe I ought to let him drink more tequila after all.
“I assumed you were joking,” Karl says, leaning back against the door.
Will groans. “I wish I were! To briefly recap, these people come in, and it turns out my dad and this woman used to date, and she’s my bloody godmother, and that girl out there is my godfather’s daughter, and my mum and that woman were best friends. So if you think Chloe’s had her say yet, think again. She’s been sidelined due to the insanity unfolding in my living room. You can’t drag her away until she’s had her say. You know this, mate.”
“Gods, this is shitty timing,” Karl says quietly. “I assumed that you’d at least have had some time with Jonah so far.”
I try not to cry. Or think about how incredibly hurt he looks out there.
“How about this—I’ll give you an hour leeway to get down to HQ. I know it’s not much time, but it’s a start, right?” He rubs at his five o’clock shadow. “I’ve got to take Kellan back with me, though. Something’s come up in Los Angeles, and he’s needed for a turn-around mission. He should be back in Annar by morning, though.”