I studied the terms, thought about the Alpine snow edge, the reflective canals of Venice, and that vintage watch.
Then I called Rosalie.
After three ringing tones, I switched to a video call, and the face on the screen was Fritz’s.
“Brother Keagan?”
“Rosalie is showering.”
A faint mark showed along his collarbone, and his face carried the content look of a man fully indulged.
He no longer resembled the shy, thin boy he once was.
“Honestly, there’s something I’m unsure whether I should mention, but I think you’ll learn it sooner or later.”
“Do you know?”
“Rosalie said the thing she dislikes most about you is your always-calm manner.”
“She’s obsessed with me in bed. She says she loves how young and untamed I am, that I make her feel so good she almost loses control.”
Fritz paused, then continued, pride clear in his voice.
“Oh, and back when you arranged for someone to take a piece of skin from me, leaving that large mark…”
“Rosalie felt bad for me, so she willingly had part of her own skin taken to be grafted onto mine…”
The video cut off without warning.
I gripped the window ledge to keep myself upright.
After waiting for my pulse to settle, I called another number.