"Come on over here and hold on to the railing, then," Terrence said, laughing and grabbing her by the arm. They were drifting, of course, not really out on open water, but if she didn't have good balance, who knew what would happen. "I might lose my hat if I had to save you. And I am really, really attached to this hat."
He wasn't sure why he was thinking about her parents. Partly he'd brought it up because he didn't particularly want to talk about his, though he would be alright if she asked him questions, or something. But there was another reason.
It wasn't because he was envious of her liking her parents. No, if he'd liked his parents, he would be an entirely different person, and that person might not have been someone Ella liked. And not only would that have changed his life significantly just because he wouldn't be with her, but he would also be under the same potion Katie was under right now, oblivious to the way the world was. He absolutely did not want to be in her position; just thinking about the time he'd been under the potion made him feel slightly sick.
But he could do something for Katie. Maybe for her parents, who hadn't been as shitty as his. He couldn't get them out from under the potion, at least not yet. But he could find out what had happened to her mother. "I can look into it, if you want," he said. "I don't have much power, but what good is it being Marked anyway if I can't get you some information, at least?"
He said this with a little grin aimed at her, though he sincerely doubted it would be good news. Maybe he was setting himself up to tell her that her mother was imprisoned, or dead. But at least then she'd know, right? Wasn't that better than not knowing? The idea of blissful ignorance was driving him mad.
"It might not be good news, you know," he added, though he didn't really know how seriously she could take that warning, with that damned potion.