"It's not all it's cracked up to be," Demetri says with a laugh, even though he's lying. There's nothing he wouldn't do for his brothers and his sister, even if they drove him crazy sometimes. "Cousins might be nice. There aren't a lot of us. I always used to wonder why."

The curse, again, but he's not going to say that now. Even if he's implied it, he doesn't want to dwell, letting his hand touch Fabrice's as they walk. "Tuesday is council night... Wednesday?"