Never

Chapter 10: Fine Line

Thaddeus's POV:

"Do you have any idea how exhausting it is to be related to you?"

I tipped my head back over the edge of the unnecessarily oversized chair at the sound of my sister, Juliette's voice. After visiting Enid and finding her spots were coming in darker as the days passed, I decided to stop in to see my sister before returning to America.

Juliette's home was a little over the top, almost entirely made of marble, right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the turquoise waters of the ocean, and windows to let endless amounts of sunlight in were almost never closed. She didn't worry about robbers or murders or anything like that. It was unlikely she could come across anything scarier than herself.

She came down the marble steps, the heels of her black boots clicking against the surface. She paused a distance away, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at me.

"If it is half as exhausting as being related to you," I said, returning my gaze to the book in my hands, "then yes. I am quite truly, agonizingly aware of how exhausting it is."

"Someone just tried to kill me because of you."

"Oh come now, that's not fair," I frowned, turning the page. "How do you know it was because of me? We're all targets to someone."

"Because, Deus," she said, snatching my book and tossing it on the couch across from me. "They said, and I quote, 'you're Thaddeus's sister?' and when I confirmed, they tried to kill me."

"Well, admitting your relation to me was your first mistake," I said, lacing my fingers behind my head and leaning back. "Always say no. Always."

"There's this thing humans keep doing called 'manifesting'," Juliette said, crossing her arms and tapping her long red nails against her arm. "Supposedly if you say something enough, you start to believe it, and then it starts to be true."

"Interesting," I nodded slowly. "I suppose we don't know the full extent of the power of our minds but why the hell are you telling me this?"

"Because I'm considering manifesting a new family. So yes, next time someone asks me if I'm related to you, I'll say no. And maybe, if I'm lucky, it'll be true someday."

We stared each other down and I cracked a smile first. "I missed you too, darling."

"Shut up," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling. She plopped down on the chair big enough for three people with me and crossed her legs. "I spoke with Zeke last night."

I winced internally and dropped my arm over her shoulders. "And how did that go?"

"Well, he's probably the angriest person in the world right now."

I nodded slowly. "So he's devastated."

She frowned. "Yes."

"I'll make time to visit," I sighed. "This split between he and Gideon... It's going to fuck us over. The Elders were already pushing to get timber wolves and grizzlies off their own government system, this is just going to prove their point that they can't manage on their own."

"Maybe," Juliette said, sinking against my side and resting her head on my shoulder. "Or maybe, as fucked as it all is, this is for the best. Gideon was always willing when the Elders offered to make both brothers top tier Elders. Zeke was the only one resisting. Now, with timber wolves splitting their loyalty between Zeke and Gideon, it's quite a nice divider to show who our real friends are, and who we should kill."

"I hadn't considered that," I said, rubbing my chin. "I know Zeke is angry with Gideon, but angry enough to let us kill his twin brother?"

"Not everyone has been as lucky as us," she said, gazing up at me. "Just because someone is family, does not mean they belong in your life. Especially when they spend the entirety of their life ruining yours. I doubt Zeke will have an opposition."