"Is it anyone's? It's a whole bunch of squabbling about who gets to wear a crown and have a fancy name," Adrian said, shrugging a little. "It does mean you get to go to some pretty sweet parties, though, and that's always a good thing."

Except, of course, when he had the nagging of responsibilities in the back of his head telling him he had better things to do than party his way through life. There was Jill, and Eddie, and Sydney and the rest. They had meaning that this kind of empty life didn't have.

But they weren't here, were they? Adrian was all alone, as he had been before they came along, and he'd ended up alone in spite of his attempts to change. Might as well go back to drinking.