Page 12 of Total Lunar Eclipse

Mars directs us a small distance away to a little alcove for some privacy.

To rant.

Before he can even gear up, I cut in and ask Zahra, “Mars filled me in. . . about Jupiter and Sun. . . but only briefly mentioned your encounter with Lina. What happened?”

“You mean the time when I accidentally on purpose fisted her ass, or when she sent Fuck-O, the herpes clown, after she soul-bonded with me?”

Everything inside my mind blanks.

What the hell do I even say to that?

Next to me, Mars is sniggering smugly.

“Paybacks, bitch,”he gloats mentally.

The fucker has me there.

I brush my long, black hair off my face and glare up at the sky, trying to assemble my thoughts. Finally, I settle on the most important one:

“How the fuck did you soul-bond with Lina?”

I’m genuinely baffled as to how this happened. . . I mean, I’m equally confused at how Zahra accidentally on purpose anally fisted Lina. . . but baby steps.

“I didn’t soul-bond with that pussyfalafel! The ass-salad jumped in on Caed’s and my bond!”

I sigh deeply before asking, “What are apussyfalafeland anass-salad?”

I cut her off before she can answer, though.

“Never mind. Forget I asked. How about we just stick with traditional curse words?”

Zahra gasps dramatically, like I have wounded her mortally.

“I’ll have you know that one of the last things Nyam said to me was to never curb my creative swearing tendencies!”

“No he didn’t,” Mars scoffs.

Zahra sticks her tongue out at him, “You weren’t there. You wouldn’t know. And I am not going to spit on his memory by not fully expressing myself as he wished!”

I scrub my hands up and down my face.

What’s that ridiculous earth saying. . .I can’t even. . .

“You two soul-bonded?” I ask Mars out-loud.

He nods his head in affirmation and I take a second to really process this information. Like the others, Mars was irrevocably damaged by Lina’s mishandlings. Out of us all, I never would have thought he would form a soul-bond with any other being. Or that Zahra already felt connected enough to form one. . .

A part of me rejoices for Mars. Of the eight of us, he has suffered the most, and I am glad he has found love again. But the other part of me is a jealous bastard that can’t stand he has gained her love, her heart, and her soul.

“You asked,”Mars remarks on our mental link, feeling my envy.“Just be glad you didn’t start with the part about Zahra fisting Lina in the ass.”

I had actually forgotten that little bit.

“I’m truly afraid to ask. . . but why was your fist in Lina’s-”

“Smashed spider?” Zahra supplies helpfully.

“Excuse me?”