Chapter 371

SHAWN "Plus you're useful," Ollie added. "The plasma blasts were really cool." "Ollie," Lumina said warningly. "What? They were cool! Uncle Shawn can blow up trees!" "I'm not your uncle yet," I said automatically. "But you will be," Ollie insisted. "Once the adoption is official. Then you'll be Uncle Shawn and you can teach us cool stuff." "I'm not teaching you plasma blasts," I said immediately. "Not plasma blasts," Riley clarified. "But perhaps survival techniques? Strategic thinking? You've been living independently for six months. That requires significant practical knowledge that could be educational." "You want me to teach you how to shoplift and sleep in abandoned buildings?" I asked incredulously. "Situational awareness and resource acquisition in hostile environments," Riley corrected. "Which are valuable skills." "No," Xenois said flatly. "Nobody is teaching my children how to be homeless." "But—" Riley started. "No." "It's practical—" "Riley." The five-year-old subsided, but