by S. E. Weir
The person is still here?
Yes.
Show me.
Sundancer sent her an image of a tall, blond man who was relatively attractive. Phina subtly shifted in her seat so she could scan for him. She casually searched the room amidst the other patrons who were in good cheer and found him in a spot across the room that had a direct view of her seat.
Hmmm.
Should I chase him away?
Phina studied the man while appearing to be paying attention to Ryan’s spiel about how boring it had been on the MR without Phina and Link around.
“Excuse me? Your life has been a constant drag?” Celeste asked from her seat next to him. Her nose was scrunched, but Phina knew she wasn’t upset, so she kept her focus on the man across the room.
“Aside from you, baby. You’re the exception to every rule,” Ryan hurried to assure her.
“It’s a good thing you’re cute,” Celeste retorted. “While that was smooth, it was pretty lame.”
Phina saw Ryan’s mouth drop from the corner of her eye.
“Lame? I am not lame.”
Tuning the couple out, she continued to observe the watcher surreptitiously until Todd nudged her again, gesturing to his head.
He had asked her not to read his mind, so she tried not to link to it often. Phina was afraid that the more time they spent together, the more likely it would be a losing battle. Still, she wanted to be careful. She wanted him to trust her. Since he was asking, Phina inserted a thought and kept the connection open.
What did you want to ask?
Who are you staring at?
Phina wasn’t surprised Todd had noticed a problem since he had obviously known something was wrong, but she was constantly surprised at how observant he proved to be.
A guy who followed our group from the docks. He could be here for any one of us, but I’m pretty sure he’s following me.
Todd’s jaw tightened, but he remained in the same position. Have you seen him before?
No, but I’m fairly certain I know why he’s following me.
You didn’t read his mind?
Phina grimaced. Sundancer kept telling her that mind-reading was normal for them and something to celebrate. He didn’t always understand her reluctance. However, Todd and Sundancer both knew she would do whatever it took to protect the people she cared about.
I could, but I would rather wait and see if he’s actually a problem first.
Todd glanced over and caught her gaze. What if he ambushes you later and you could have found out about it now?
Phina sighed internally. I suppose you are right.
Of course I am. He winked at her, causing her to smile.
And so modest, too, she teased, then turned to pay attention to the man spying on her. Her shoulders stiffened.
He was gone.
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Phina’s Apartment
Todd admired Phina as she yawned and opened her eyes. His smile widened as she blinked away her sleepiness and focused on him.
“Is something wrong?”
He shook his head as he pulled her close, adjusting the sheets to keep them both warm. “No. You just look adorable when you sleep. And when you wake up. Like a sleepy kitten.”
Phina turned her head in surprise. “You don’t usually say things like that.”
He reached up to smooth her hair behind her shoulders as he thought about it. “I think them. I wasn’t sure how it would go with being away from you after only being together for a few weeks. I’ve had several weeks to miss you, though, and I realized I didn’t like the separation. I want to be with you all the time.”
Her face lit up briefly before turning regretful. “I do, too. I missed you. But we have jobs that keep us apart. You could be either here on the MR or deployed for a time. I could be here or who knows where doing my job.”
Todd leaned forward to rest his head against hers as he held her. “I know, Kitten.”
She pulled her head back to stare at him. “Kitten, huh?”
He shrugged casually. “It just came out. What do you think about it?”
She thought seriously for several moments, then nodded. “It’s far better than anything Will has come up with.”
Todd’s eyebrows rose with interest. “Oh? What has he come up with?”
“Don’t ask.” Phina huffed as she leaned on his chest. “Kitten makes me a little more self-conscious about the age difference between us, but it’s still superior to ‘Raffles.’”
He leaned back so he could see her face. “Oh? Does our age difference bother you?”
He smiled as Phina fell silent to take a few moments to think. He liked that she took the time to make sure she knew that what she said was how she thought or felt. He admired how brave she was in many ways, but he particularly appreciated her honesty.
Phina shook her head. “I’ve always felt older than my age, except for rare times with Alina. I think I’m concerned that you see me as being immature or more like a kid.”
Todd pulled her up so she lay on top of him and gazed into her bright green eyes. “Trust me, after the last two days, I don’t think of you as a kid.”
He chuckled as she swatted him on the chest, slightly flustered. “Yes, well, I’m happy you aren’t a big creeper.”
After Phina settled back down, Todd continued, “As for the rest, you are mature for your age, even for some of those my age. I don’t think you are immature aside from rare occasions when you’re arguing with Link.”
Phina frowned down at him. “How is it different?”
Todd grinned at the remembrance of some of the epic blow-ups that had happened between Link and Phina after the assassination attempts. Link hadn’t been at the wedding, and he had been furious that he wasn’t there to protect her. “I think you see him more as a parent figure, so it happens naturally.”
She shifted uncomfortably. “I suppose so. I didn’t see it like that.”
“I know. But I figured I would mention it since that’s the only time I see it, and we were having a discussion.” He reached up to smooth her bed head hair, then gently tapped on her chin. “I think there’s something else bothering you. Do you want to talk about it?”
Unease flickered across her face as she hesitated before finally asking, “Would you rather I have a different job so I could be here on the MR all the time and we could see each other more often?”
Todd shook his head and wrapped his arms around her. “No. Would it make some things easier? Yes. But I think you would ultimately be miserable, and I would never want you to give up your dreams just because of me. That’s how resentment grows. We just happen to be two people who take our responsibilities seriously and have a high sense of loyalty and duty. We will make it work.”
Phina brightened. “You mean that?”
“I do.” He paused, then peered at her in speculation. “Actually, I’m wondering...how far can you connect to someone mentally?”
She frowned. “You mean distance?” She thought for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve never tried gauging it without Braeden bridging the other side. The only distance I know for sure is from the medical center where I woke up from the coma to Maxim and Alina’s apartment since I connected to her after I woke up.”
His heart twinged at the memory of the coma she had been in and his faith that she would wake up. He remembered standing alone in the outer room of the medical center, listening to the doctor tell Phina’s chosen family that she didn’t know if or when Phina would come to. He hadn’t known her well at that time, but she had already caught hold of his heart.
Todd was relieved that she had not only woken up but was thriving. He tugged Phina closer so he could give her a quick kiss...and got distracted.
Afterward, he leaned back, dazed. “What were we talking about again?”
Phina shook her head with a pleased smile. “My mental distance.”
“Right. What do you think about practicing that today? Keeping the conn
ection open while we get back into what’s going on outside of this apartment?”
One of his new favorite things was to study Phina’s face and see how much emotion and which ones she would show. She had so much inside her, and she only had recently accepted that it was all right to feel it. Currently, her interest warred with her uncertainty, although only those closest to her would have noticed it.
She answered slowly, unsure how he would respond. “We could do that, but you need to know that the more I connect to someone, the easier it gets. Also, though the connection between Sundancer and me is unique, it’s shown me that the closer I am mentally with someone, the harder it is to maintain a barrier between us.
“When we first started connecting, it was like a door that we noticeably stepped through. Now we don’t always notice it when the other person steps through. He told me that it’s most likely going to end up being more like a curtain that we purposely keep between us so we have separate minds.”
She shifted uncomfortably. “So, I can’t know for certain, but it’s possible that the more and longer you and I connect, the closer our minds will get. Because I’m the one forming the connection, I would be even more aware of what you are thinking and feeling, and eventually, I think I would always be aware of it.”
He waited to make sure she was done before caressing away the frown on her face. “Why do you think I’ll be upset about that?”
She shrugged casually and turned away, but he knew it wasn’t quite as small a thing as she tried to pretend it was.
“You didn’t want me to read your mind before,” she told him. “If we continue to connect often, I may not be able to stay out of your mind at all. I don’t want you to regret it.”
Todd leaned forward to kiss her forehead briefly, then began moving his hands on her back. “Look at me, Kitten.”
She shifted to do so as he continued, “We haven’t been together long, but I’m pretty certain I’m falling in love with you if I haven’t landed there already.”
Phina shyly smiled through the happiness shining on her face. “Me too.”
“I hoped so.” He wrapped his arms around her again and held her tight while she did the same, their foreheads touching. He leaned back and continued his train of thought. “I think that means our relationship is important to both of us and we’ll be together for a long time. Do you agree?”
Phina nodded, her gaze misty, though she kept her emotions locked down. His heart warmed, and he hugged her again.
His voice was muffled as he spoke into her hair. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I intend to spend as many years as we have in this universe with you.” Phina’s body shook in his arms. He realized she’d lost her hold on her tears as he felt dampness on his shoulder. He stroked her hair to soothe her. “It doesn’t bother me at all that our minds would be connected in the future. I think it would make things easier for you, and it would relieve my mind to know you are all right and not just hope. I think it’s a good idea if you want to do it.”
Phina pulled back and wiped her eyes with the back of her hands. “You do? Are you sure? From what Sundancer has told me, it’s not something I can easily undo without hurting both of us.”
Todd observed the uncertain way she held herself. He wiped away a tear she had missed and nodded. “I think what you aren’t sure about is if I accept you and your abilities, Kitten.”
She froze in surprise as their gazes connected. He felt a pang in his chest that the fallout of whatever happened with her aunt, whether it had been mind control or not, caused a strong woman like Phina to question herself. Not to mention that he’d only made his prior request out of duty before realizing exactly how many confidential secrets she already knew.
“I do, Phina. I think you’re amazing, and that’s only partly because of what you can do. You’re strong, and you have a big heart. You could do anything with your skills and abilities, but you choose to use them to help people and keep them safe,” Todd continued. “I have no doubts about you, and I have no doubts about us. I have faith that everything will work out and we will have many years together in between our responsibilities. If we can have a mental connection so we can remain close even when we’re apart, I think that just makes us incredibly lucky.”
Her tears flowed again as she held on tightly to him. “I feel the same way. I shouldn’t be crying because I’m happy, but I can’t help it. You’ve turned me into a mushy girl who cries at sappy things.”
He chuckled softly. “Well, there are worse things in the world.”
“Nope, that’s definitely the worst,” she lamented as she shook her head against his shoulder.
Todd nudged her to get her to look up. She dried her face and his shoulder with the sheet before giving him her attention. “Phina, the worst thing would be losing you.”
She sighed and shook her head. “Well, if you want to be all serious about it.”
He grinned and tugged lightly on her hair. “Oh, so you’re all done with serious?”
Phina nodded. “There’s only so much I can take. You told me this yourself, so you shouldn’t be surprised.”
Todd raised his eyebrows. “I distinctly remember you saying that, and I told you that you can handle more than you think.”
“Huh.” She shifted her body. “Imagine that.”
“If you’re trying to distract me...” Todd warned.
“Yes?”
“Well, it’s working.”
“That was the plan.”
Chapter Four
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Secret Bar, Back Room
Phina entered the back room and found Link at the bar, pouring a drink into a shot glass. He threw it back and set the glass on the bar.
She walked over with a frown on her face, gauging his mood. “Isn’t it too early to be drinking?”
He scowled at her as she slid onto the stool next to him. “It’s after lunch, and it was only a shot. Don’t be a nag.”
She huffed. “Sure. What’s the plan?”
“Well...” he drawled. “It just so happens that Masha has been after me to bring you to the base for training. Just like a woman to keep after a man for something he already is planning on doing,” he muttered as he poured another shot.
Phina scowled and slapped him on the head, causing most of his shot to spill over the side. “Stop that. You’re being a tool.”
“Ow!” He winced, then saw the mostly empty shot glass. “What the hell, Phina?”
She leaned back and crossed her arms, scrutinizing him with displeasure. “You know Todd thinks we act like you’re my parent figure?”
“Huh.” He appraised her briefly before refilling his shot glass. “I can see you don’t agree.”
“Nope. You act more like an older brother. An older brother who’s cool, but you’re being a tool.”
“Oh, geez.” He clenched his jaw before throwing the shot back. “Now you’re rhyming words. Why do you have to be so...”
“Smart?”
“No.”
“Intelligent?”
He balked and waved his shot glass at her. “Those are the same things!”
Phina shook her head with false sympathy at his lack of knowledge. “It’s actually an important distinction. Smart is how much and what you know. Intelligence is how you use it.”
“Well, thank you, Little Miss Smarty Pants.” Link gave her an exaggerated bow. “Whatever would we do without you?”
“Fall into wreck and ruin, I imagine.” She stuck her tongue out. Just because. It had nothing to do with the fact that Todd said she acted more immaturely with Link. Nope, nothing at all.
She caught him throwing the remainder of the shot back and sighed as she focused back on work. “So, we have a reason for visiting. We don’t need to come up with a story aside from that. That cover also has the benefit of making it seem like we may not want to be there. It gives us a reason for waiting so long since it wasn’t our idea. That may help.” She paused, then added, “It may
hurt, too. I suppose it depends on what’s going on.”
He nodded and leaned on the bar. “The only thing we do know is that there is at least one traitor there.”
Phina raised a finger. “Actually, we don’t know that. We have heard about a possible traitor, but we can’t confirm yet whether it’s true.”
Link frowned like he wanted to protest but stopped himself. “I suppose that’s true. But it’s the only thing we’ve heard since we started searching, so we need to check it out.”
She nodded and fell silent while he brooded. She took the opportunity to check her mental connection to Todd. It was still strong.
When Link barely moved or blinked, she asked, “So, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”
His head jerked up. “Nothing is bothering me.”
Phina placed her elbow on the bar. “Uh-huh. I’m not stupid, Link. I know when someone is lying to me.”
Link scowled. “I’m not lying.”
She appraised him. “I think you want to believe it’s nothing, but I think there’s something.”
He pressed his lips together and avoided her gaze while he poured another shot.
Phina thought it through, then ventured, “When did Masha contact you about this?”
Link’s hand twitched, and a splash of liquor hit the bar.
Huh. Speculation ran through her head, but Phina decided to let him off the hook and changed the subject. “When do you want to leave?”
Relief flared on Link’s face as he jumped on the subject change. “They began training a new group of recruits a few months ago, and they are now ready for advanced training. If we leave within five days, we should get there in time for you to join them.”
She nodded in understanding. “You want me to join the trainees, see what they are being taught and listen to their conversations.”
“I want you to pay attention to everyone,” he corrected.
Phina frowned. “Even those on staff and your seconds?”
Link swallowed uncomfortably and nodded. “We don’t know who the possible traitor is, so we have to suspect everyone. This didn’t sound like a recent development, so the traitor is unlikely to be a student.”
