It’s been months since he asked me to run away with him and I said no. I made my choice. I’m moving on.He’smoving on. With Ivy of all people.
Fine, there’s no proof of that, other than a vague transmission ofIvy asking to talk about their relationship. I’d like to think he wouldn’t move on so fast, but I kissed someone else yesterday, so…
In the mess hall, we sit with the usual crew. Gray winks at me when I slide into the chair beside him. I give him a look that saysstopand dig into my breakfast. It’s scrambled eggs and real bacon. He leans over and steals a piece of bacon from my plate, popping it into his mouth. I punch him in the arm.
“Eat your own food.”
I don’t think we’re giving away that we had our tongues down each other’s throats last night, but I don’t miss the smirk that appears on Henley’s lips as he glances between us.
Then Mako does as well, his head swiveling from me to Gray. “You hooked up,” he accuses.
“No, of course not,” I lie.
He gasps as if I had confirmed rather than denied it. “Does Karra know?”
His gaze immediately searches the room. Karra and Evlynne aren’t here yet, and I sort of hope neither of them comes to breakfast today.
I get my wish. The rest of the meal goes by without incident, and then I’m off to the range to work with the newcomers from the labor camp. Afterward, I meet Hawkins in the Temple. I’ve been slacking on my training, and Kallister chided me about it last night.
When it comes to incitement, Hawkins is one of the few people I can be completely honest with. Which is kind of depressing because, well, he’s kind of terrifying.
Today, he’s explaining the best techniques to maintain an energy leash over longer distances. So far, I’ve tried to incite at a distance only once, when Evlynne’s helicopter was flying away, and that was a dismal failure.
“What’s the best you’ve managed?” I ask Hawkins.
He thinks it over. “During my training, I incited Kallister to walk all the way to the aviary.”
Whoa. My jaw drops. “That’s almost a mile away.”
Now I see why he’s feared. He’s much stronger than me.
“Are you still practicing with Blake?” he asks.
“Who else would I be practicing with? Gray is the only one who will let me.”
“Yeah. I wish we had more rats.”
“Maybe if you stopped calling them rats, they’d be more inclined to help you…”
He scoffs. “Nobody wants an inciter in their head, Darlington. Doesn’t matter what you call them.”
When I’m leaving the Temple a few minutes later, I receive a message on my comm from Gray.
Busy tonight?
I smile at the question, because what plans could I possibly have? We’re fairly limited with what we can do here at the Dagger.
I respond with:
Not in the slightest. I’m all yours.
I realize at the last second how flirtatious that sounded. Of course, he pounces.
Every part of you?
Well, maybe just my fist when I smash it in your face.
Stop talking dirty to me, cowgirl. I’m trying to fly a plane.
