She gives me a bleak look. If there was ever a time for you to dazzle us with your brilliance, its now.
Im working on it. But I need stuff. Lets go. Well make it back before anybody even knows were gone.
We turn and begin walking down the street. Im going to have to leave her aboveground. Im not about to give away Dublin-downs secrets. But Ill take her as close as I can and leave her someplace sheltered. The snow crunches beneath my boots twice, as I sink through snow then ice, snow then ice. I hear Jo going through three layers because she weighs more than me. The sky is white with thick flakes swirling down in a dizzying display if you look up at them too long. They melt on my face, the only part of me exposed. We raided Chesters coatroom before we left, bundling in layers, tugging on hats and mittens and boots. If this weather keeps up, we could end up with ten feet of ice and drifts in the next day or two and it will totally shut the city down. Folks that didnt think to come out somewhere for warmth will freeze, snowed into their hidey-holes. If the sun doesnt start shining soon, this stuffll never melt. Itll just keep piling. Time is getting more critical with each passing day. I cant believe I lost almost a whole month in the White Mansion with Christian! Speaking of which, I look around warily, checking all the rooftops, making sure the Hag isnt sitting on one of them, knitting away, or worse, getting ready to swoop down on us. The crazy blood and guts bitch creeps me out. I shiver. We need to freeze-frame, Jo. Take my hand.
She gives me a look like Im deranged. Theres no way youre doing that to me! Especially not on ice. Half your face is a bruise and the other half is recovering from one. Have you looked in a mirror lately?
That aint because Im a sloppy freeze-framer. Its because of stupid jerk-ass Ryodan.
Stupid jerk-ass Ryodan is going to break both your legs if you take one more step, Ryodan says right behind us.
I whirl on him. Why are you always stalking me?
Youre always making me.
How do you keep finding me? Do I have a blinking beacon on my forehead that sends a signal straight to him every time I disobey an order? I refuse to believe since he bit me, he can track me wherever I go. Thats a suffocating thought. Its wrong and unfair.
Get back inside. Now.
You didnt find me in the White Mansion. A lightbulb goes off in my head. I been busy with other worries, or Id have clued into it sooner. You cant track me in Faery! Thats why he was so mad. I almost punch air Im so happy. I have a safety zone. If I ever need to hide from him, Faerys the place to go. And youre the one whos always making me do stuff thatmakes me have to do other stuff that aint what you want me to do. Its not my fault. Im just reacting to you.
Theres your first mistake. Learn to act, kid.
I am acting. Im trying to do something about our problems.
And you, Jo, he says soft, you should have known better.
Leave her out of this, I say.
She helped you disobey me.
She did not. Cause, see, I didnt disobey you. You said I could leave with one of your people. Youre boinking her every day, and if that doesnt make her one of your people then you need to quit boinking her. Either she is or she aint, and you cant have it both ways. You dont get to have sex with folks then discount them. So. Is Jo one of your people? Or just another piece of booty in your endless lineup?
Dani, stop it, Jo warns.
Feck no, Im not stopping it. Im so pissed, Im vibrating. He doesnt deserve you and you deserve so much better! It doesnt help that behind Ryodan the fire-can folks have switched songs again and are now booming out a rousing rendition of Hail Glorious St. Patrick, clapping their hands and banging on cans with pieces of wood, getting all rambunctious. The louder they sing, the hotter my temper gets. Hes always pushing everybody else around but nobody ever calls him out on the carpet. I say its way past time. Either you matter to him or you dont, and he needs to say which one it is. I want to know which one it is.
She matters, Ryodan says.
Jo looks stunned.
It pisses me off even more. Shes looking all dreamy-eyed and in love again. Anybody can see she aint his type. You liar, she does not!
Dani, stow it, Jo says.
I know him. I know how he tricked me. Hes splitting verbal hairs. Of course she matters. But he didnt say to me. She matters to the club, for mercenary reasons, because shes a waitress. Does she, like, matter to you emotionally? Do you love her?
Dani, stop it right now! Jo says, horrified. To Ryodan she says, Dont answer her. Im sorry. Just ignore her. This is so embarrassing.
Answer me, I say to Ryodan. The hymn folks are really rocking it now, dancing and swaying, and Im almost having to yell to be heard. But thats okay. I feel like yelling.
For fucks sake, Ryodan growls over his shoulder, cant they go sing somewhere else.
They want in, I say. Theyre going to die on your doorstep because youre too much of a prick to save them.
Im working on it. But I need stuff. Lets go. Well make it back before anybody even knows were gone.
We turn and begin walking down the street. Im going to have to leave her aboveground. Im not about to give away Dublin-downs secrets. But Ill take her as close as I can and leave her someplace sheltered. The snow crunches beneath my boots twice, as I sink through snow then ice, snow then ice. I hear Jo going through three layers because she weighs more than me. The sky is white with thick flakes swirling down in a dizzying display if you look up at them too long. They melt on my face, the only part of me exposed. We raided Chesters coatroom before we left, bundling in layers, tugging on hats and mittens and boots. If this weather keeps up, we could end up with ten feet of ice and drifts in the next day or two and it will totally shut the city down. Folks that didnt think to come out somewhere for warmth will freeze, snowed into their hidey-holes. If the sun doesnt start shining soon, this stuffll never melt. Itll just keep piling. Time is getting more critical with each passing day. I cant believe I lost almost a whole month in the White Mansion with Christian! Speaking of which, I look around warily, checking all the rooftops, making sure the Hag isnt sitting on one of them, knitting away, or worse, getting ready to swoop down on us. The crazy blood and guts bitch creeps me out. I shiver. We need to freeze-frame, Jo. Take my hand.
She gives me a look like Im deranged. Theres no way youre doing that to me! Especially not on ice. Half your face is a bruise and the other half is recovering from one. Have you looked in a mirror lately?
That aint because Im a sloppy freeze-framer. Its because of stupid jerk-ass Ryodan.
Stupid jerk-ass Ryodan is going to break both your legs if you take one more step, Ryodan says right behind us.
I whirl on him. Why are you always stalking me?
Youre always making me.
How do you keep finding me? Do I have a blinking beacon on my forehead that sends a signal straight to him every time I disobey an order? I refuse to believe since he bit me, he can track me wherever I go. Thats a suffocating thought. Its wrong and unfair.
Get back inside. Now.
You didnt find me in the White Mansion. A lightbulb goes off in my head. I been busy with other worries, or Id have clued into it sooner. You cant track me in Faery! Thats why he was so mad. I almost punch air Im so happy. I have a safety zone. If I ever need to hide from him, Faerys the place to go. And youre the one whos always making me do stuff thatmakes me have to do other stuff that aint what you want me to do. Its not my fault. Im just reacting to you.
Theres your first mistake. Learn to act, kid.
I am acting. Im trying to do something about our problems.
And you, Jo, he says soft, you should have known better.
Leave her out of this, I say.
She helped you disobey me.
She did not. Cause, see, I didnt disobey you. You said I could leave with one of your people. Youre boinking her every day, and if that doesnt make her one of your people then you need to quit boinking her. Either she is or she aint, and you cant have it both ways. You dont get to have sex with folks then discount them. So. Is Jo one of your people? Or just another piece of booty in your endless lineup?
Dani, stop it, Jo warns.
Feck no, Im not stopping it. Im so pissed, Im vibrating. He doesnt deserve you and you deserve so much better! It doesnt help that behind Ryodan the fire-can folks have switched songs again and are now booming out a rousing rendition of Hail Glorious St. Patrick, clapping their hands and banging on cans with pieces of wood, getting all rambunctious. The louder they sing, the hotter my temper gets. Hes always pushing everybody else around but nobody ever calls him out on the carpet. I say its way past time. Either you matter to him or you dont, and he needs to say which one it is. I want to know which one it is.
She matters, Ryodan says.
Jo looks stunned.
It pisses me off even more. Shes looking all dreamy-eyed and in love again. Anybody can see she aint his type. You liar, she does not!
Dani, stow it, Jo says.
I know him. I know how he tricked me. Hes splitting verbal hairs. Of course she matters. But he didnt say to me. She matters to the club, for mercenary reasons, because shes a waitress. Does she, like, matter to you emotionally? Do you love her?
Dani, stop it right now! Jo says, horrified. To Ryodan she says, Dont answer her. Im sorry. Just ignore her. This is so embarrassing.
Answer me, I say to Ryodan. The hymn folks are really rocking it now, dancing and swaying, and Im almost having to yell to be heard. But thats okay. I feel like yelling.
For fucks sake, Ryodan growls over his shoulder, cant they go sing somewhere else.
They want in, I say. Theyre going to die on your doorstep because youre too much of a prick to save them.
