Fallon found her own words romantic, when coming out of Wren’s mouth.
“And now?”
Wren held Fallon’s hands in hers. “Let’s burn it all down. Whatever this is, I’m in it with you.”
Fallon usually had a few different options marked out at any given time. Strategies. Plans. But looking into Wren’s eyes, she made the only choice she could—she kissed her.
“Good news,” Fallon announced when she assembled Avian Unit, Ross, and Hesta in her quarters that evening. “I know how Colb escaped.”
“And the bad news?” Hesta asked.
“Wren broke him out.”
A long pause allowed Hawk to get all the swearing out of his system.
When he was done, she held up a hand to the questions being thrown at her. “She thought he was the right side to trust, just as we did at one point. She thought she was doing the right thing. But I’ve worked it through, and this could work in our favor.”
“How’s that?” Ross asked.
“He doesn’t know we’ve flipped her. Therefore, he should still trust her. We can work with that. All we need is an idea.”
Silence fell, and she knew they saw the opportunity.
“What do we do about Wren?” Hesta asked.
“She now understands the basics of the situation, and I’m certain we can trust her.”
“You’re sure you’re being entirely objective about that?” Peregrine looked curious rather than doubtful.
“As sure as I can be. You’re all welcome to question her. In fact, I want you to.” She gave them a moment to think about it before she moved on. “Arin’s going to be training Kellis, now that I’ve brought him on board. He’ll be invited to meetings like these in the future too. It’s going to get tougher to get us all together, since someone’s bound to be on duty at any given time.”
“You know…” Hawk scratched at his beard. “I’m thinking of chucking all of this top secret shit and taking up farming on some little planet.”
“No you aren’t.” Peregrine smirked at him.
“No, I’m not,” he agreed. “But it sure sounds nice, every now and then.”
“You’d be bored in no time,” Fallon pointed out. “It sounds like we have no ideas on how to reel Colb in. I want you all to think about it and we’ll meet tomorrow to discuss it.”
Nobody looked thrilled with their assignment.
“Cheer up,” Fallon said. “This is good. We have a way in.”
She wondered if they were thinking about Wren and her trustworthiness, but they’d just have to talk to her themselves. Then they could be sure.
Raptor was the last to leave, and he fixed her with a look before he did. He’d said nothing the entire meeting, and she could only wonder what he was thinking. She needed to talk to him to explain her previous need for space, but his look told her that he now wanted some distance. They were the same, the two of them. What always drew them together also pushed them apart. She hoped that soon, he’d be ready to talk.
Fallon woke up with Wren the next morning, feeling happy but guilty. On one hand, she had Wren, pink-cheeked and brimming with gaiety, peeping at her over a quick breakfast. On the other, her heart felt heavy about Raptor. Her relationship with Wren hadn’t bothered him before, but she’d told him she needed to not have relationship stuff clouding her vision. Then she’d almost immediately taken her relationship with Wren to another level. Raptor deserved better, and she couldn’t have felt more shitty about it.
“Busy day ahead, right?” Wren asked.
“You could say that. Bunch of spy shit. You know.”
Wren laughed at her. “You’re awful.”
“You’re probably right.”
Wren shook a chopstick at her. “You’re not supposed to agree.”
“How about you?” Fallon asked. “A lot to get done today?”
“Routine stuff. Some basic maintenance on incoming ships.”
“Well, maybe you’ll get lucky and someone’s ship will blow up, requiring you to make unusual and difficult repairs.”
“Don’t tease. But that would be nice,” Wren admitted. “Not that I want anyone to get hurt.”
“You just like the more interesting jobs. I know.”
Wren smiled and took the last bite of her blistercake. “Want to watch a holo-vid tonight?”
“I’d love to, but I’ll have to see how the day goes.”
“Right. Spy shit, and all.” Wren began clearing the table.
“That’s my life.” Fallon finished her own blistercake and gathered her dishes, taking them into the kitchenette.
“Yeah. I’m okay with it.” Wren leaned back against the cabinet and pulled Fallon into a hug. “I’m sure I don’t even know what that really means yet, but I’ll learn.”
“You’re sure you want to deal with that?” Fallon didn’t know what this conversation was leading to.
“Yes. I love you. Whether your name is Em or Fallon or Rikivontagu. I love you. Your heart, your humor, your way of being all hard on the outside but all soft on the inside. I’m in this long term. You’ve never been just an amore to me.” Wren fixed her with an intense look. She clearly needed Fallon to know that their relationship had never been a casual affair to her.
There are some statements and questions that, no matter how you answer, you’re screwed. Even taking too long to answer means you’re screwed. And as much as Fallon didn’t want to be quiet for too long, she wanted even more not to say the wrong thing that she could never take back.
But rather than be offended, Wren smiled and kissed Fallon’s nose. “Relax. I’m not asking for anything. Married, not married, monogamous, free…I don’t care about all that. You humans have the worst time appreciating what you have. You have to put all this energy into owning someone, or being owned. That’s the one thing you never really understood about me. I thought you’d started to loosen up, considering that good-looking teammate of yours.” She gently traced her fingers over the back of Fallon’s neck. “I don’t need any more than to know that we have this, and that we’re going to keep having this.”
“So what you’re saying is that
