thrown up and a bit back, like a pirate on the deck of his ship. Or a commander on his bridge.
“Planning to big time, betray you.”
“You are only one who could try to betray me.”
She felt compelled to point out, “Only someone you trust can betray you.” His gaze narrowed to a knifepoint. “I could try to trick you. Hard to do with the sniffing thing. Attack. Difficult without a weapon.” Though not impossible, since she was also a weapon, but no reason to tell him that if he hadn’t already noticed this for himself.
“Or you are insane.”
“A person needs a little crazy or they never dare cut the rope.” It was a paraphrase. She had more insanity quotes, but she wasn’t sure he could handle them any better than the truths. Or that she should encourage the insanity defense. His lashes flickered. A hit? Maybe there was room for one more. “Or how about this one: Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage.” His lashes flickered again. Did he feel locked in a cage? Or out of his place? If she had her time senses, she could see if he was in the wrong time, the wrong place. If, if, if.
We know something is wrong or we wouldn’t be here.
Never assume she shot back at him.
“Why would anyone betray me?”
Ashe sensed uncertainty behind the scorn. She propped a hip against the table. “Is your world so perfect no one ever does anything skanky? No one ever jockeys for a leadership position they don’t deserve? No one stabs anyone in the back to get something they didn’t earn?”
His shoulders rose and fell in a sigh. “Of course not. But I am not—” He stopped, his hard gaze holding her across the short space that separated them.
“What? Not important enough to betray? You’re high strata. In line for that council thing.”
“Bana.”
Ashe shrugged. “Maybe she’s worried.”
“Of what could she worry?”
“Maybe she is afraid you’ll try to be a hero. Save the alien girl.” Did her eyes ask the question they shouldn’t? She wasn’t sure. Her emotions switched so fast around him. One minute she was cool as ice, the next totally girl-with-a-guy lame. The sad part? She didn’t know what she wanted or needed him to do, other than not let people cut her open, of course. She’d missed some key, maturation events by entering the Time Service so young. She knew the facts of life, but didn’t have a clue what to do with them. Boys bored her. No question she’d seen some truly fine men traveling through time, but they’d passed through her life too fast for her to ping on anyone. Until this one. Him she had to notice. This was the first man who didn’t bore her. Were these feelings her just wanting what she couldn’t have? How did she know? She didn’t need a hero, of course, because she was here to fix his time line, and rescue her own self, but it would be nice if he wanted to be a hero. For his sake. It was good to want to be a hero. Meant you weren’t the bad guy. Cause you’re the hero.
He will let you down.
Shan paced around the table that separated them, trapping her in the corner of the tent. He stopped when she had to look up to maintain gaze lock. His brooding gaze, the sulky droop to his mouth should not have made her blood heat like that crazy flame Bana used to make her amazing stew. The whole looming over her thing usually didn’t work for her, but when he did it, it was kind of cute.
He has had much practice at it.
Ashe got that it raised bad memories for him, but what she didn’t get was why it felt familiar to her—and not in a bad way. If this was about not-so-great grandma, shouldn’t she feel annoyed? If only on a genetic level? Instead she felt…not annoyed. Might have felt more but not ready to admit it to herself or anyone else.
His head tipped to one side, the frown between his brows deepening. Ashe studied it, trying to decide if it worried her or not, decided not. It didn’t look or a feel like an “I want you gone”
“Planning to big time, betray you.”
“You are only one who could try to betray me.”
She felt compelled to point out, “Only someone you trust can betray you.” His gaze narrowed to a knifepoint. “I could try to trick you. Hard to do with the sniffing thing. Attack. Difficult without a weapon.” Though not impossible, since she was also a weapon, but no reason to tell him that if he hadn’t already noticed this for himself.
“Or you are insane.”
“A person needs a little crazy or they never dare cut the rope.” It was a paraphrase. She had more insanity quotes, but she wasn’t sure he could handle them any better than the truths. Or that she should encourage the insanity defense. His lashes flickered. A hit? Maybe there was room for one more. “Or how about this one: Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage.” His lashes flickered again. Did he feel locked in a cage? Or out of his place? If she had her time senses, she could see if he was in the wrong time, the wrong place. If, if, if.
We know something is wrong or we wouldn’t be here.
Never assume she shot back at him.
“Why would anyone betray me?”
Ashe sensed uncertainty behind the scorn. She propped a hip against the table. “Is your world so perfect no one ever does anything skanky? No one ever jockeys for a leadership position they don’t deserve? No one stabs anyone in the back to get something they didn’t earn?”
His shoulders rose and fell in a sigh. “Of course not. But I am not—” He stopped, his hard gaze holding her across the short space that separated them.
“What? Not important enough to betray? You’re high strata. In line for that council thing.”
“Bana.”
Ashe shrugged. “Maybe she’s worried.”
“Of what could she worry?”
“Maybe she is afraid you’ll try to be a hero. Save the alien girl.” Did her eyes ask the question they shouldn’t? She wasn’t sure. Her emotions switched so fast around him. One minute she was cool as ice, the next totally girl-with-a-guy lame. The sad part? She didn’t know what she wanted or needed him to do, other than not let people cut her open, of course. She’d missed some key, maturation events by entering the Time Service so young. She knew the facts of life, but didn’t have a clue what to do with them. Boys bored her. No question she’d seen some truly fine men traveling through time, but they’d passed through her life too fast for her to ping on anyone. Until this one. Him she had to notice. This was the first man who didn’t bore her. Were these feelings her just wanting what she couldn’t have? How did she know? She didn’t need a hero, of course, because she was here to fix his time line, and rescue her own self, but it would be nice if he wanted to be a hero. For his sake. It was good to want to be a hero. Meant you weren’t the bad guy. Cause you’re the hero.
He will let you down.
Shan paced around the table that separated them, trapping her in the corner of the tent. He stopped when she had to look up to maintain gaze lock. His brooding gaze, the sulky droop to his mouth should not have made her blood heat like that crazy flame Bana used to make her amazing stew. The whole looming over her thing usually didn’t work for her, but when he did it, it was kind of cute.
He has had much practice at it.
Ashe got that it raised bad memories for him, but what she didn’t get was why it felt familiar to her—and not in a bad way. If this was about not-so-great grandma, shouldn’t she feel annoyed? If only on a genetic level? Instead she felt…not annoyed. Might have felt more but not ready to admit it to herself or anyone else.
His head tipped to one side, the frown between his brows deepening. Ashe studied it, trying to decide if it worried her or not, decided not. It didn’t look or a feel like an “I want you gone”
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