Berries and Greed

“Aunt Indi’s even worse than Mom.” Greid’s sister, Suni, sat up straight and extended a hand with a wry smile on her face. “I’m Suni. Nice to meet you.”

“Lovely to meet you.” I shook her hand before Greid pulled me onto his lap in one of the free seats. He wrapped an arm around me tight to keep me warm as he took the joint from Laki.

Taking a small sip of champagne, I looked out at the garden. It was just as jungle-like as Greid’s but looked more purposefully designed, with little walkways meandering between the trees and bushes, most of which were bare. I bet it looked gorgeous in the spring.

“Your mom’s garden is nice,” I told Greid. He gestured at Laki with the joint.

“It’s all Laki.” His voice was tight as he held in a lungful of shade smoke, passing the joint over to Suni.

Laki gave me a wry smile when I looked at them. “I’m a landscaper.”

“Oh, really? Cool.”

“Mom’s already asked me to dig holes for Daga and Elern’s kids to play in when they’re old enough.” They shook their head as they took the joint from Suni. “Gonna fuck up the whole flow.”

“God, I’m so fuckin’ hungry.” Suni rubbed her stomach through her thick coat, slouching low in her seat. “When’s dinner?”

My mouth twitched as I huddled deeper against Greid. They were definitely his siblings, alright.

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Chapter Forty-Nine

Beryl

I was considerably more relaxed by the time we sat down to eat, and so was Greid, having shared two joints with Laki and Suni before the cold—and hunger—drove us all back inside.

Kiti made sure I was seated between her and Greid at the table, topping up my glass with fresh champagne and explaining all the dishes as Una, Indi and Tuvin brought them out. Some were pretty standard. A garlicky roast chicken. A fat slab of slow-cooked beef. Steamed vegetables—which none of the siblings touched as they began fighting among each other to load their plates—and dishes piled high with roasted and mashed potatoes.

Others were more unusual, like something called logus that looked like roasted bark. A bowl of grainy, bright orange goop studded with tiny black mushrooms. A glass dish of black nightberry sauce that gleamed purple as it was plopped onto plates.

“Want me to load up your plate for you?” Greid whispered, giving my leg a brief squeeze under the table.

I nodded at him with a grateful smile. We’d ordered from some demiurgus restaurants a few times, so he knew what kind of things I’d like. I didn’t want to risk offending Una by adding something to my plate that I’d end up leaving.

Once everyone’s plates were full, Bax stood up and gave a toast. The moment he was done, Nuni shot up from his seat and gave an even more elaborate toast. And then as everyone finally started eating, it fell quiet for the first time since we’d arrived. Jake squeezed himself between mine and Kiti’s seats to rest his snout on my thigh, gazing up at me plaintively. I gave his head an absent stroke as I took my first bite of chicken.

Una watched us all shrewdly for a few seconds, then breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back in her seat as she gulped down her glass of nightberry wine.

“It’s really good, Ma,” Laki mumbled around a mouthful, their eyes heavy and bloodshot from the shade.

A chorus of murmured agreement sounded around the table. Daga and Elern were the only ones not shovelling food into their mouths as they tried to eat while balancing two babies each on their laps.

Una’s yellow eyes shone with happiness, but she waved her hand dismissively. “Of course it is.”

This was what it was like, then, to have a proper family. To have a parent who ran themselves ragged just to make their children happy. A flash of guilt went through me the moment I thought it, making me squirm in my seat. That wasn’t fair. Violet had been a parent to me, and she’d tried her hardest.

But… it still hadn’t been a normal childhood for me. It hadn’t been like this.

We’d made plans to see Violet in the new year. Greid had visited the cult before Christmas to ask if he could escort her into the city to visit me. I knew he’d been incredibly nervous, and he’d shifted anxiously in his three-piece suit as I’d kissed him goodbye before he left. It’d made me love him even more.

I was both nervous and excited to see my aunt. Nervous, because we’d be telling her that we were a couple—though now that I thought about it, I was pretty sure she already suspected I’d felt more than friendly toward Greid for a while.

I knew that when I saw her, I’d be tempted to ask her to leave the cult. Greid had already offered for her to live with us, in my old bedroom. But I didn’t think it was fair to pressure her like that. I knew she liked it there, liked the quiet, peaceful life it gave her, free from any trouble.