Swallowing down the stakes, the expectations, and aligning myself again with a productive mindset takes a few seconds. A few strokes across her lower torso and the shallow rising diaphragm underneath.
Brown eyes stared at for those long few seconds with her hand curled much too close to mine. Fingertips scratching at the covers at her side. I’m pretty sure she wants to grab onto .
And I would let her right now... and I think she knows it. Vrika seems to expect that she will. If I just stay here like this.
> No, she won’t. Because she knows she is taking advantage. And unlike , she has less malleable morals. <
She doesn’t want the intimacy at her worst... and she’s been clear she is willing to wait until I choose it. Too patient for her own power. Too sweet for her own level of danger.
"No one else really needs to find out about this. Because you are probably right that the others would challenge you while you are weakened. In fact... I think that makes the most sense out of all of this."
"You’re thinking like this is... a coup attempt. That a mber of my pack wants to take control."
I t her brown gaze steadily. At least by the ti I ca back in here from the kitchen, my eyes had lost that annoying blue glow. So they are not reflecting back. Just the room’s light in them.
"In my world, we didn’t survive the intrigue of the palace by assuming the best of people’s intentions. No matter who they are, were, or could be."
Which is why no matter how much I’m tricking myself into trusting her, I still refuse to let myself fully do so. It’s the reason there is still a secret I keep.
The reason... even if she lets help her with everything? There will always be things I never let her help with.
She was quiet for several dozen of my heartbeats. I know because I started counting them for sothing to do instead of think more about myself and my choices or more about her and what hers could really be.
When she finally spoke, her voice was different. Harder. Like I’ve heard her speaking in her *real* role on the phone or against rogues rather than... how she talks to .
"If you’re right, and soone wanted to move against while they think I’m down... then I need to recover quickly."
"Very well. Then we make sure you can do that where they can’t possibly find you. And we figure out who’s responsible before they try again."
"...We?"
I pulled out my phone, ignoring that wistful question which lost all her firm montum in favor of action. Though the fingernails scratching the back of my hand still on her stomach the next second after I look away made my eyes swim and my feet co close to pushing up to a stand...
> Taking it back, she needs to be *more* patient. I’ll seriously run away! <
"I’m going to contact soone. But first, I need you to understand sothing clearly."
Already composing the corrective ssage to Claire that I needed to send with one thumb, I knew this was going to require very careful handling to keep things from escalating. On any front.
Kyrie’s eyes focused on mine, with what looked like considerable effort. Not just because looking dazed from her silver problem, but because she clearly didn’t want to look away from her own fingertips.
Like she couldn’t believe what they’d just done. But also couldn’t wholeheartedly scold them for acting ’on their own’.
> Yes, it’s cute when she can’t control herself. Yes, the tension in my back just lessened. Yes, shut up! <
"You follow my lead in this situation. I’m helping only because I know a bit about how to handle threats against people in power... and because I know you. What you are capable of."
All I’ve learned and experienced tell she should remain as the leader she is. Such firmness overlaying hope and kindness is patently rare, where I co from. Not that I know it to be common here... but that’s the point.
"I don’t know this other person beyond that they are capable of malice. Which is a danger to . Understood?"
"Yes, Princess. I understand."
A fleeting smile crossed her face at my excuse to act. For a mont I even think it looks a little... rebellious.
But the thought goes out from between my ears quickly when I hear the shallow breath she takes after answering. She’s fighting the poisoning, fighting just to talk with it in her lungs.
Not making plans to... I don’t know. Practice bending her morals? Push and push at until sothing dangerous happens like I do to her?
> I really am her ruin. She does not need to learn from . <
"Good. Now try to rest for a while. I might make so calls so you may hear speaking since the door is kind of... done for. We’re going to get you sowhere safer than this."
"Is here not safe? I promise my pack doesn’t know about this place..."
I’m willing to overlook her statent because she is sick. Because while her ’pack’ in the sense of every spirit bearing werewolf and wolfless Oga that calls themselves a Ricoat may not know...
"...Because if anyone tries to trick your Beta into thinking you are just playing hooky to smoke you out, the first place he is going to look is here, isn’t it?"
With one hand, she grabbed the edge of the blanket again and pulled it over her face. I hear a sound that is either a laugh or cough, but more likely both. Why is what I said that funny?!
"I forgot... sorry... there’s also your assigned security, too. And Claire... she’s going to realize the lie so quickly, if she hasn’t already. I didn’t think just... hiding alone in an ergency would be so hard..."
"...Nothing worth doing should ever be considered easy. And you didn’t hide alone, rember? You burgled my residence knowing I would be coming back."
"I apologized..."
A phrase with such childish grievance that I can’t help myself but to lean over so that our faces are close.
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