#bonus?

Apollo rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s nothing that will interest you, really. Nahyuta’s probably staying till really late or maybe even overnight. If you don’t go back now, you’re probably going to stay for hours here.”

“How would you know if what you’re talking about will interest me or not?” she rebutted.

Boy, this one’s a stubborn one.

Nahyuta massaged the bridge of his nose and said, “This is a talk between men.”

If that’s what you’re gonna call a sleepover to chat about my crush on a rockstar, sure, Apollo almost said. Thank goodness for the last strand of inhibition in his exhausted body. Unpacking the entire day does that to you.

“If it’s a chat between men, then can I join in?” Datz eagerly butt in.

Nahyuta’s glare was almost searing. “Between brothers,” he corrected himself.

“Aren’t I a br-“

“You’re an uncle at best, Datz,” Apollo retorted.

That elicited a whimper.

“Look, Rayfa,” Nahyuta said, his voice gentler now, “while I really want to spend time with you too, the two of us are going to to be talking about something that’s a little more... personal to Apollo. So we would appreciate it if we had a little bit of privacy.”

Rayfa’s eyes widened in understanding. “Oh.” She pursed her lips.

Apollo waved his arms. “Hey! It’s okay!” he said. “Anyway, I’ll tell you about it in due time.”

“You will?” Nahyuta blinked.

Apollo frowned. “Will I?”

“Why are you asking me that?!”

“Whatever it is,” Rayfa interrupted the brothers, her arms akimbo, “you will only tell me if, and only if, you are comfortable with it. I shall not demand to hear about it! That would be simply rude and unseemly of a priestess.” A pause. “Unless, of course, it is against the law, then I must demand the truth as the royal priestess,” she said with a smirk. “I hope it wouldn’t come to that.”