"How in blazes? What is it? Speak up, Mister!"
Blanche had finally been coaxed across the threshold of Ethan Gray’s apartment. For a child who usually spent her evenings trying to find any excuse to infiltrate his living space, her sudden "busy" attitude was a baffling shift in the winds. Was every female of the species this mercurial, even at four and a half? Ethan didn't take it personally. He knew the social weight of the Midnight Academy was currently resting on her small shoulders.
"Don't get your knickers in a twist," Ethan said, suppressing a grin. He reached for a neatly wrapped package on the side table. "Here. This is for you."
The moment Blanche saw the gift, the mask of the stoic "Queen of the Playground" crumbled. Her eyes lit up like lanterns, and she let out that characte
