She doesn’t answer right away. Merely watches as I chew my oatmeal.Finally, she slides into the chair across from me, almost too casual.
“It’s funny how secrets have a way of coming to light, isn’t it?” Gray’s girlfriend remarks.
I flick up a brow. “Who’s keeping secrets, Karra?”
“You, silly. Our newest operative.” She smiles. “Real exciting life you lead there, cowgirl. Inciting people. Kissing them.”
“I think you must be mistaken. I’ve never kissed anyone I incited.”
Her eyes flash. “Let’s not do this. Gray told me you hooked up in the Command.”
“Once,” I say, and now that I’m satisfied we won’t be having a bare-knuckle brawl, I resume my meal.
“I don’t care how many times,” she says with a shrug. “And I don’t care that it happened. Gray and I have a very…complicated relationship. We weren’t together when you had him. But we’re together now, so if you’re locked on him, I’m going to need you to unlock yourself, and fast.”
I shrug back. “Gray is a friend. I will continue to be friends with him.”
“Did I say you couldn’t?”
“Wouldn’t care if you did.”
That seems to amuse her. “Be friends with whoever you want, Darlington.” She stands, tossing her raven hair over her shoulder. “But if you touch him while he’s with me, I will rip your fucking throat out.”
At that, she winks at me and saunters off, her combat boots snapping sharply on the floor.
Good chat.
After breakfast, I make my way to the Operations floor; the elevator down there is the only one that offers access to the Temple. Someone must’ve upgraded my clearance level, because the thumb scan works for me this time, the elevator doors parting without delay.
Though it’s only my second time, I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to stepping into the Temple, to this ghostly sensation of being engulfed by pure energy. The eerie blue light guides me toward the marble circle and the shrine where the people of the Old Era worshipped their God. If I were alive back then, I would’ve been incensed to find out that while the entire world was burning, my leaders were hiding in this mountain bunker. Presidents, politicians, the ones wealthy enough to buy themselves a place here. They hid like rats while their own people were dying in the Last War.
When I enter the main chamber, I spot Poppy again, meditating on a wide stone bench situated between two of the white marble pillars. She’s alone, sitting cross-legged, eyes closed.
At the sound of my footsteps, her eyelids pop open.
“Sorry,” I tell her. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s fine. I was just strengthening my shield.” For once, she doesn’t avert her gaze, instead locking it on mine, steady and sure. That’s encouraging.
“You’re Poppy, right? I’m Wren.”
“I know who you are.” I don’t hear any hostility in her tone.
I want to ask her a hundred questions, but suddenly her body goes rigid. I glance over my shoulder to see Hawkins stalking toward us.
Without acknowledging the blond girl, he gives me a curt nod. “Ready?”
Poppy darts off before I can even say goodbye to her. Not a fan of Hawkins, it appears.
Rather than go to one of the alcoves, Hawkins straddles the bench previously occupied by Poppy, resting his forearms on his thighs. I sit down and mimic the pose.
He gets right to business, which doesn’t surprise me. Hawkins doesn’t seem like someone who enjoys small talk. Or talk in general.
“Kallister said you incited a woman to kill herself.”
Oh.
Okay.
