Page 318 of Psycho Gods

Life comes at you fast.

“It’s not bad,” John said nervously as he and Luka stood up in front of me.

I was not convinced. “If it’s not bad, then why are you so nervous?” I asked him suspiciously.

“It’s good.” John paused. “But it might be a little shocking, so just promise me you won’t freak out.”

I pointed my pipe at him. “Too late. I’m already freaking out.”

“It is a great thing,” Luka said stoically, a fierce expression on his face. Since he was the same man who usually ignored everyone, I wasn’t sure I trusted his judgment.

“I just want to be clear,” I said slowly, “if you’re going to produce a carcass. Don’t.”

“It’s not a dead body,” John said with exasperation.

Scorpius muttered behind me on the couch, “It was a forest of dead bodies.”

“Not helping,” I said, and the room went silent.

“So—” John chewed on his lower lip “—you know how your back hurts every time you get turned on?”

“No,” I said dryly. “I forgot.”

John glared. “I’ve put a lot of time and effort into this presentation, and you’re making it very difficult right now.”

“Oh darn,” I said sarcastically.

John swallowed audibly. “Like I was saying.” He paused and squinted like he was trying to remember memorized lines.

My eyes grew heavy.

“Oh my sun god,” Malum groaned. “Just spit it out.”

“Right. Because your method really worked well?” John snapped back. “Let me do my thing. I have performance anxiety, and you’re not helping.”

“Why is this a performance?” I asked with confusion.

I felt delirious.

I’d started the day in a war camp. Now John was struggling to put on some type of theatrical performance.

I yawned sleepily.

“It wasn’t my plan to show her immediately,” Malum said to John. “I went to Sadie for advice, and she said to surprise Arabella with our project as soon as I could. She said she’d like it!”

I pursed my lips.

Moisture built behind my eyes as my throat closed, and I asked hoarsely, “Sadie really wanted to do that for me?”

“Are you serious right now?” Scorpius asked.

Malum made a choking noise. “Why is it sweet when she does it but traumatizing when we do it?”

I wiped a tear out of my eye. “Because you’re men, and you’d just showed me your house for the first time. Do you know how creepy that is for a woman?”

“No one’s paying attention,” John complained. “I can’t do this. Luka, you’re going to have to go on without me.” He went to sit back down, but Luka grabbed his arm and stopped him.

John grumbled but kept standing.