Chapter 17: Unreasonable Expectations
“Have they always been this bad? Why on earth did you think they’d be reasonable?!” Oliver explodes. He’s still crying, but he looks more angry than anything. He is cradling Hyacinth who has gone limp in his arms.
“Yes, Alastair, why DID you think this was a good idea?” Virdia joins in, addressing her blood shocked outfit and shooing Azazel away from her until he, at last, turns back into a human and plops down on the ground hard.
“Excuse me?” is all Alastair can manage in response. He can understand Oliver’s rage, but Virdia? How is this his fault?
“You should have at least prepared him better!” she accuses, pulling off her heels and heading to the pink car parked behind Alastair’s own sleek black ride. Alastair follows her a few steps.
“You’re acting like I knew our parents were capable of this!” he storms.
“Didn’t you?” his brother pipes up quietly. When Alastair spins on him, he finds his brother’s eyes only sad and exhausted. Alastair softens.