Chapter 42

I glanced back at Charles's resting figure and grimaced. Was this seriously something I wanted to do? We'd made our truce, and even though I said I'd continue to keep my guard up I couldn't help but feel the urge to answer his question. It's not like it's a big deal, right? It's literally just your nationality... "I'm not Russian," I blurted out before I could think, blinking and internally cursing myself as I realised there was no turning back now. "Hmm?" He mumbled tiredly in return, his eyes still shut but his attention now back on me. "... I'm not Russian," I repeated awkwardly, turning to look away as I saw his eyes open in curiosity, "My dad's Scottish and my mum's American. My first step-father was Russian and he was the one that insisted that I attend this school in the middle of nowhere. I was a bit of a problem kid at the time and he was... particular." See? That wasn't too bad... "Oh, right..." He