Page 74 of Pet: Torment

“What was it like? Being bonded?” she asks.

It takes me a moment to realize her curiosity comes from her own desire. She’s never bothered attempting because of the warning their mother gave. Now that all these terrible things have happened as a result of Remus’s bonding, I’m sure she wants to know if the risk is worth it.

“I don’t know, exactly. We never got it down. Remus wasn’t using it as a courtesy to me,” I say. Xion leans back, disappointment on her features. But I don’t want to elaborate onour last few nights together. I don’t want her to think the bond is something she should risk. Not if it means her mother coming after her lover and wiping her mind as well.

“Did she never say why it was so crucial not to bond with the weak?” I ask.

Xion shakes her head. “She didn’t have to.”

Hatred for their mother burns inside of me as Xion says the words.

“How can you not hate her? After everything you’ve found out. You don’t even know what parts of you are real,” I say.

Xion doesn’t react with anger. “She’s my mother. She’s all we know. We are the only of our kind that exist,” she says.

I shake my head. “I doubt that,” I say.

“Whoever is out there, whoever she is running from, is probably close. That’s why she hasn’t come back. And why she didn’t make sure her handiwork was permanent. She’s got bigger things to worry about,” I say, opening the book once again.

Silence settles over us, and I find that I can’t focus on the words on the page. So, I close it, looking at Xion.

“Has he asked about me?” I ask.

Xion doesn’t respond. But she doesn’t have to. I know he has.

I laugh.

“You give your mother too much credit. And you’re giving Remus too little. He suspects. Which means he’s probably investigating without any of you knowing. It won’t be long before you’re facing issues on all sides,” I say.

Xion narrows her gaze. “Facing issues?”

I nod.

“Remus has never taken kindly to being lied to,” I say.

“Why are you so confident that he suspects something?” she asks.

I bite the inside of my cheek, hesitant to reveal what more happened in that records room. So, I try to reveal as little as I can while proving my point.

“He recognized something he gave me. That’s why he was in the record room. He didn’t remember that he gave it to me, and thought that I stole it. But I’m still here, even if it is with an injury,” I say.

“When he first returned, he would have killed me for sure. But time has passed since, and he hasn’t because he’s curious. His world isn’t adding up.Idon’t make sense to him. Whatever your mother did isn’t working this time either,” I say.

Silence follows, and when I look at Xion, she isn’t looking at me.

“Why can’t you just admit that you don’t have any control over this situation?” I ask.

She looks at me, allowing her anger through.

“What would that change, Iris? What would that accomplish in all of this if I admitted that I have no control over this situation?” she snaps.

“It would give me a chance to fight for him. Toactuallyfight for him. To be unafraid of what could happen to me and know that I didn’t turn my back on him,” I say.

Xion stands. “I did not turn my back on him,” she says much louder than she’s ever spoken to me. It’d be frightening if I didn’t understand where it stems from. I can see her desperation.

I pull in a deep breath, closing the book before setting it down next to me. I then stand, meeting her gaze.

“Then admit this is out of your control. Because if you are somehow in control of this situation, and this is as far you’ve gotten to getting him back, then you have,” I say.