Strangeness and Charm: The Courts of the Feyre Read Online Free PDF

funny."
      "I've never blown drain covers off! Now you're making stuff up about me!" she protested.
      "You can go out when you can keep a hold on your temper, and a lid on your abilities." I stood up. "Until then you're not safe. So it's up to you. Prove to me that you can control yourself and I'll take you out."
      "To see Mum?" she brightened.
      "I'll think about it."
      Her expression fell. "No, then."
      "Like I said, I'll think about it."
      "Yeah, you always say that when you don't want to say no, but you're not going to say yes," she said.
      "Some things aren't as easy as yes and no, Alex. Maybe if you grew up a bit and took some responsibility for yourself you'd understand that."
      Now she looked sulky.
      "You could start by actually practicing some of the control you're supposed to be developing. How many fish can you actually bring to the surface?"
      "Seven." The lie was plain again.
      "Alex, you're not helping yourself." I moved to the door. "I have things to do, and so do you, if you would only do some of them. I can't keep cleaning up after you."
      "Oh, so it's my fault the government was torturing prisoners is it? It's my fault that Porton Down was experimenting on innocent people?"
      "No," I said, "but it's your choice how you deal with it."
      "You're only saying that because you don't want to explain to Mum."
      "I'm only saying it because it's true. I'm trying to help you."
      "Maybe I don't want help. Maybe I'm beyond help."
      "Look", I said. "Neither of us can go back, but both of us can go forward. Learn to deal with things as they are and you'll be happier for it." I stood in the doorway. "Think about it."
      "My life sucks," she said.
      "Everyone's life sucks at one time or another. There are people around you who care, but they can't help you if you won't help yourself. You can lay on your bed and sulk all your life or you can get up and do something."
      "When you and Mum broke up, you did something. You left. You walked out the door and you left me – with her! You've no idea what she was like."
      "That's not fair, Alex." Though I knew very well what Katherine was like.
      "Yeah, well. Life's not fair. That's what you always say."
      "That's because it's true," I said "Your mother gave me no choice. I didn't like it and it wasn't fair, but that's the way it was. It's about time you learned that life isn't perfect and you have to make the best of what you've got. Grow up, Alex."
      The remark came out harsher than I'd intended and her eyes brimmed. She turned away to face the window.
      I swept out and retreated down the corridor, feeling that once more I was in the wrong no matter what I did. She knew she'd struck a nerve with her last remark, but then she knew where all my soft spots were and never failed to exploit them. Now I had said too much and I was automatically in the wrong.
      I bunched my fists as I walked away. Kids !
     
    When I got back to our rooms, Blackbird was leafing through the folders I had left on the desk.
      "Those are supposed to be confidential," I said.
      "Secret is what it says here," she said, checking the front of the file.
      "Wouldn't that imply that you shouldn't be reading them?"
      "They're not really secret. No one would be stupid enough to leave secret documents lying around on a desk where anyone might read them," she pointed out.
      "Touché." There was not much point in grabbing them back now. She was most of the way through the pile.
      "Where's the baby?"
      "Going to sleep."
      "I'll just go check on him."
      "If you go in there now you'll wake him up again. Leave him be. If he has a nap now he'll be much nicer to know later. Otherwise he'll just be crabby all day, and it won't be you that has to suffer."
      I bit my tongue on the reply to that.
      "You could have seen him when he was having a bath. I heard you sneak in earlier."
      "I was on my way to see