“This is very wise of you,” said Tahlia.

“This isn’t how it works,” said Jeff. “You can’t just decide that we’re going to change you. Most humans will be meat, not citizens.”

“But he’s mine, and I say if he wants to stay, if he wants to switch sides, we let him.” I looked over my shoulder to where Second was waiting. “First told me I could protect my friends. If this is part of how I protect them, that’s all right. Let’s protect them.”

// we will keep it // said Second. I knew Jeff could hear her too, from the way his face scrunched up, like he’d just bitten into something sour. // we will not consume it, unless it wishes to be consumed. unless it wishes to be reborn. //

“You can stay,” I said, to David. “They’ll take care of you, and my sister”—I indicated Second—“promises you won’t be hurt unless you ask them to hurt you. The conversion process is … it’s not pleasant.” I didn’t remember much about my own—Anastasia’s own—encounter with the flower, but I remembered enough to know that it had hurt like hell. I couldn’t imagine it would be any more pleasant for an adult.

Then again, maybe that was a good thing. Everything should cost. Birthing should never be entirely free of pain. If it were, how would we know when it was over?

David smiled slightly. “Thank you,” he said. “After I … After, will I be able to understand them too?”

“I think so,” I said.

“If you can’t, I’ll teach you,” said Tahlia. She rose, walking over to rest a hand gently on David’s arm. She looked at me. How had I wound up in charge? Why should my opinion matter more than anyone else’s? I didn’t know, but I had, and it did, and I was stuck. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll make sure he comes to no harm he doesn’t ask for.”

Meaning she would lead him to the flower, but she wouldn’t press his hand against its heart. Under the circumstances, that was the best I could have hoped for.

David, meanwhile, was looking at Toni, his big hands empty and spread wide, like he was showing her he had nothing left. “Are we going to be cool?” he asked. “Are you okay with this?”

“You think I didn’t know my father paid you to take a job at the observatory he funded to keep me out from underfoot?” Her answer seemed to have nothing to do with his question. She shook her head. “You were supposed to be my keeper. You weren’t supposed to be my friend. You asshole. You weren’t supposed to be somebody I would actually care about. How dare you do this now.”