Chapter 271

Elodie calmed from her over-excited state, fortunately, as the conversation began in earnest.

It had been a while since they had talked, so they had a lot to catch up on. Both practical—like the shard-eaters, her new team, and Zoey’s sponsorship—along with the personal. Which Elodie had gotten a vivid preface to.

Idly walking through the estate’s expansive garden, the two sisters talked about all sorts of sensitive topics under the protection of her sound-barrier artifact.

Unlike with her father, Rosalie gave the full story, since hiding her relationship with Zoey was out the window. She omitted the exact details, of course, because her sister didn’t need to know what they were getting up to in each shard, but with some awkwardness—and delight and insistence on Elodie’s part—she explained how she had fallen into Zoey’s orbit, and the strange nature of her class and the shards they ventured into.

Even Elodie, carefree as she could be, sharpened her attention when the shard eaters were brought up, and what Ephythithys choosing a champion implied for the world at large. But she had talked with Father already, and so she wasn’t shocked by anything she said; she’d gotten the overview earlier.

Elodie was much more interested in the personal side of things. To Rosalie’s chagrin.

“I really can’t believe it,” she lamented. “I’ve been gone two months, and when I come back, my prudish little sister has not one, or two, but two and a half girlfriends. And I didn’t even get to vet them.”

“I’m more than capable of selecting my own romantic partners, Elodie. Your personal approval is wholly unnecessary.”

Elodie clutched at her chest like she’d been struck by an arrow.

Grumbling, Rosalie amended, “Though your concern is appreciated.”

The beaming smile returned, easy as that. “Tell me about them.”

“Haven’t I already?”

“You recited a list of events. Pared down to the most crucial details, a commander giving a battle report. No, Rosalie. Tell me about them. How did they melt that cold, frozen heart of yours?”

Rosalie eyed her.

“Actually, that’s not true. You don’t have a cold, frozen heart. You just pretend—” Rosalie made a sound of protest. “—But how’d they get past the mask to find the gross and gooey insides?”

“Evocative as always, Elodie.” Rosalie sighed, well accustomed to her eldest sibling’s antics. “Must I really? It’s embarrassing to just... talk about such things.”

“Really? It’s embarrassing to tell your sister about the girls you’re in love with? See, that’s where Enzo messed you up. All of us up,” she corrected. “We’re family. Who else would you talk about this with?”

Rosalie grimaced, and Elodie rolled her eyes.

“I don’t need you to write poetry about them. I just wanna know why you like them.” She narrowed her eyes. “So I can decide which ones I have to kill.”

She delivered the sentence so deadpan that Rosalie paused, however much she knew it was a joke.

“I would prefer if you don’t kill any of them,” she said anyway, “regardless of what conclusions you come to.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.”

This time, Rosalie was the one to roll her eyes.

“Seriously, gimme the juicy details!”

Rosalie wrinkled her nose but reluctantly obliged. She hardly had to think deeply about the answer; she knew why she liked Zoey, and—reluctantly—why she liked Delta too. Her affection for Maddy was less deep, but it was burgeoning, and Astrid, well, she’d only known Astrid a few days, so she wouldn’t throw her into the mix yet. When Elodie had said ‘two and a half girlfriends’, Maddy had been the one who half counted.

“Zoey is ... a breath of fresh air,” Rosalie said, choosing the words carefully. “Someone completely removed from our lifestyle. It’s surprising how much I appreciate that. Even now that she’s adjusting to being a wayfarer, her personality hasn’t changed in the slightest. She’s kind, considerate, insightful. A gentle soul, for all that she’s handling herself well in combat. Empathetic, too. Brash and impulsive in her own way, but not thoughtless. I feel like she always knows what I’m thinking. She ... has always assumed the best out of me, too.”

“And she’s got great tits,” Elodie said.

Rosalie looked at her reproachfully.

“Didn’t mean to ruin the moment.” By the shit-eating grin, she clearly had. Though it had also been intentional; breaking the tension, since she knew Rosalie struggled with talks like these. Elodie, too, was empathetic, strangely so for their upbringing. “Or are you annoyed because I shouldn’t talk about your girlfriend like that?”

“I would rather you didn’t remark on my girlfriend’s breasts in any manner, yes.”

“Well, I’m just calling the sky blue. Those things are incredible. Seriously, they’re—”

“Elodie!”

“Right, right. Go ahead.” She mimed zippering her mouth.

“Delta, on the other hand, is a lot like you,” Rosalie said flatly.

Both sisters paused at that, and Rosalie grimaced at what she’d accidentally implied.

“There’s similarities in your personalities, I mean. Generalizing. She’s straightforward and impulsive, and acts according to her beliefs—which are principled. For all that she causes trouble, she’s a good person at heart, and she’s very ... affectionate. Like Zoey, I always get the feeling that she... sees me. That’s the biggest thing, with both of them. That I don’t need to—” She struggled for how to put it.

“Put on an act?”

“No. Rather, that even if I try, they see through it. I don’t know.” Rosalie shrugged. “I haven’t had to put it into words.”

Elodie nodded, making Rosalie think she was actually taking this seriously for a moment, then she added, “And she’s also got great tits. Two for two, in that department. You outdid yourself.”

Rosalie swatted at her, but Elodie ducked out of the way with ease. She laughed as she fluidly returned to Rosalie’s side.

“Nah, but really. It’s bad to only care about the attraction factor, but that’s an important part of a relationship. Sexual appeal. And, I mean, I only saw them when they were made out of goo, but still. Two big thumbs up.” She laughed, clearly not finding the topic remotely as awkward as Rosalie—or more likely, purposefully venturing into this territory because it flustered Rosalie.