Noctisardor Bypass How would it ever get me by?

Leave him alone, Druid commanded. Anselm turned on his heels, surprised by how her questions buried like thorns in his sense of self.

What was he planning to do, really? He quavered. He knew full well he wasn’t going to stride after Etienne and declare his love. He wasn’t gay, and refused to entertain that possibility despite the exquisite way viewing Etienne caused his heart to palpate.

And he certainly wasn’t going to apologize. He’d never left Etienne. Twice now, Etienne had left him. Anselm was under the misguided impression being there was enough — but it hadn’t been.

What else, then, did he plan? He wasn’t going to grab Etienne and attack him, as furious as he was with the seaborn. These were all things he’d never do.

So, what was the point, really?

A scowl darkened his sharp eyes, hooding his expression with something malignant. ’Vhy do you care?’ He mocked, his lip curled in disdain. VhY dO yOu— How could he possibly gather every emotion surrounding Etienne and translate it for a busybody third party? And why did she think she was owed an explanation? He made to say something truly evil — like how both she and Heda had the familial trademark of sticking their fat noses where they didn’t belong and fouling up everything — but he knew this wasn’t fair or true.

His mouth clapped shut abruptly. So, she and Etienne spent all their time gossiping about him behind his back, then? Maybe he should feel jealous, that the three of them were all so buddy-buddy that they were at liberty to discuss matters profoundly private. The intimacy of this multi-layered breach of trust was so scorching, his lungs burned.

Anselm apprised Druid with the full burn of his wounded stare. I vill not be sucked into this. He declared with a lash of his tail, already turning his back on Druid. Just as so many had done to him.

It was about time he started turning his back first.