S.J.Bolton

Felix’s eyes narrowed. ‘What kind of favour?’

‘Anything I ask.’

But he’d been knocked sideways by what she’d said to him.

Shit, thought Xav. I’ve got it wrong.

‘Oh, I’m simply wondering what Megan might have been prepared to do for a group she was desperate to be accepted by.’

And we owe her, remember, we all agreed. She could ask us for absolutely anything.’

She stood, on the threshold of his school, looking up at him and he knew, almost word for word, what she was going to say next.

‘My one chance,’ she began, ‘and it’s a slim one, is to find someone the same blood group as me.’ She smiled then, and he caught a glimpse of the old Megan.

‘Someone who owes me a favour.’

punting, paddle-boating, picnicking

‘What?’ Talitha said. ‘What did she want? What did you have to do?’

‘Stay single,’ Xav replied.

‘I have a degree in finance and accountancy.’ She waited for one of the others to react. When they didn’t, she picked up her wine glass and looked around at them over the rim. ‘What?’ she said. ‘You thought I’d waste twenty years in prison?’

‘That’s a lot of sodium hydroxide,’ she said