GENESIS “Do you like it, princess?” Kieran asked. I pulled my eyes away from the ceiling I’d been staring at. It was covered in tiny lights—like little suns, but cold. The whole room, this place he called a restaurant, was loud. Too loud. People sat in chairs just like ours, packed in all around. Some laughed. Others talked quickly, their hands moving like they were casting spells. I didn’t understand most of what they were saying. I didn’t try to. The table between us was shiny. When I touched it, I could see my fingers reflected on the surface, like little ghosts. There were two cups. Two plates. Napkins folded like little triangles. The knife scared me a little—it looked sharp. The chair beneath me was soft, not too deep. The lights weren’t too bright, but not dark either. Like the

