.?" ...Still not sure yet," I say, making Adeola sigh."What have you got to lose?" Adeola asks. "It's not like you'll ever bea boy again, is it? It's ...ot like 'Steve' has anything to go back to,but 'Stephanie'... 'Stephanie' is a hot, young, rich successful, famoussinger with the world at her feet." All of which I got WITHOUT hormones," I said, silencing the dark-skinned girl."Then why not make things easier for you?" Adeola asks. "Take the pillsand you get girlier, innit?" Well, yes..." I. "'—corrupts absolutely.' You said that once before. But why did everybody but me think that way about him?" You were too close, Jack," he answered. "He got you out of that mess at the beginning. You were right, by the way, we'd probably have locked you up and kept you locked up until you died, or worse; I never told you, but the security system said you were into DEFCONTROL at the core level. They told me nobody was ever supposed to be able to get where you were. It was why everybody panicked. Aunty said “Accha ji tho aapko kaisi ladki chahiye”Maine kaha “Jab time aayega bata dunga”Uspe woh force karne lagi “Batao b ab mujhse kya chupana. Mai dund dethi hu”Bahut insist karne par maine bola aap jaise chaihiye. Uspe woh bahut jor jor se hasne lagi. Aur boli “Mujhe pata tha tera aisa hi kuch jawab hoga”I m shocked, and looking at aunty. Teri najar kaha hoti hai roj tho. Aur boli “Computer pe bait k kya kartha hai woh b mujhe pata hai”Mai dar gaya aur bola “Sorry aunt main agge se nahi. From virgin to whore in a few hours; you really are the Dark Queen. I thought with a rueful smile. All of Alkandi’s carnations were ultimately the same. That ancient succubus heritage unfurled itself like a debauched late-blooming flower. I placed my hands behind by back and paced the tent until I found myself next to Yavara’s head. Her eyes stared upward, though I got the impression they were looking at nothing at all. I placed my index finger on her forehead and recited the verse I’d spoken.