Children of the Eternal

XIV

Shin left the smoky and sweltering tavern and headed up the stone stairs, greeted by the unnatural chill of a location a little too close to the Edges. It almost made him run back inside, but he had something to handle.

Sure enough, the rich boy hung around outside, probably still trying to catch a decent ride back to his neighborhood. He looked like such an easy mark that Shin could have snatched his wallet with little difficulty.

"The good rides are a few streets over," Shin said, startling the rich boy as he crept up to him. "They don't want to draw attention to this place."

Will gave him a withering look. "I was going to check."

Shin shrugged. More important things lingered on his mind than the rich boy's dignity. "She's never going to think about you that way."

Will jammed his hands in his coat pockets. "I don't know what you mean."

Shin leaned against the iron fence and stared up at the dark sky. "If you've done all of this because you're sweet on Katie, you've wasted time. I'll shit Eternal Light before she looks at you as anything other than a friend."

"I don't care!"

The defensive note in his voice showed that he really did care. "You won't risk yourself for the cause, but you will come down here trying to get her attention. You're disappointing."

"Excuse me?" Will said, his voice icier than a night in the Edges.

Shin focused his gaze on the rich boy's stony expression. "Not only are you afraid of taking a stand, but you can't even stay for Katie's party when she's kissing someone else. She doesn't owe you anything." He took a deep breath and embraced his rage. "You're no different than any of them. All you are is a rich boy who thinks you're entitled to anyone. It must kill you that you're not."

Will clenched his hand and though his expression didn't change, Shin had the sense that he wanted to take a swing at him. Shin would welcome the opportunity to fight him.

But he stayed like a stone statue, not moving or changing anything. It disgusted Shin.

"Should I go tell Kate that you two are having a fight over her out here?" Aoi's annoyed voice drifted up the steps. "I'm sure she'd love the attention."

"I'm not fighting," Will mumbled as Aoi skipped up the steps. "I'm leaving."

Before Shin could say anything, he ran off down the street. Aoi raised an eyebrow at Shin.

"What?" He raised his hands. "He's the one who left in a huff because he couldn't get what he wanted."

"Aren't you older than him?" She gave a weary sigh. "Is he worth hassling?"

Shin didn't dignify her question with an answer and headed past her back to the tavern. He never brought up Will's petty behavior to Kate, who seemed to be dancing on starlight as she spent time with Elijah. She deserved to be happy, and he smiled as she left with the young man. Angry with him for no reason at all, Aoi sat on a table flirting with either a young man or young woman. Possibly both. With an aggravated sigh, Shin joined Matthew and his companion, Sam.

"I take it things aren't going to work out with you and Aoi this time around?" Matthew asked in a dry tone.

Shin waved his hand. "She'll come back."

"She looks pretty cozy where she is," Sam said with a chortle as Aoi slipped into the redhead girl's lap.

Shin groaned. "I need to get home, anyway. Early day tomorrow."

"Wait a moment," Matthew said in a low voice. "Sam is looking for a safe place for his sister to stay. Somewhere there is a lack of eyes."

Shin picked up his unfinished drink and stared at the contents. "I can recommend a few spots in the Edges."