Page 31 of His Human Believer

“I knew in three,” she says.

“That’s different. You were being hunted by a corporation and he saved your life. I always thought that hyper stressful situation fast tracked your intimacy.”

“I don’t know. I think none of that actually mattered. I knew pretty soon after we met, I was just in denial at first because of his reputation.”

I laugh, and it comes out slightly wrong.

“You know your job doesn’t need Salo to operate. You can work from anywhere.”

I exhale. “Don’t.”

“You record, edit and release from a room. Your sources send you files, they don’t come visit, Mar, nobody’s ever knocked on your door with a case. You built that studio, it didn’t come with the apartment. You could rebuild it in nine diurnals with a tablet and a decent wall. The only things on Salo are an apartment lease and a chair you like.”

“I love that chair,” I grumble.

“I know you love that chair. Bring the chair.”

“It’s not about the job.”

“I know it isn’t.”

“I built that life on purpose.” I look at the window, at the purple dark and the shape of the wall out there beyond the garden. “I made every single decision myself. Nobody handed me any of it or had a vote. And it works, Avery. It’s a good life and I like it. I’m thirty-four years old and it’s a little scary to be thinking of such a big change, where I’m letting someone else into my life and considering moving to another planet.”

“There’s something else super important you need to think about if you decide to move forward with a possible marriage to Vidar Coalstone. Do you want to be a mom?”

“Yeah,” I say.

Avery’s eyes go bright immediately. “Really? It’s that easy for you to decide?”

“I’ve been actually picturing being pregnant and having a baby, in detail. Can you believe?”

Avery refills my glass without being asked. “No worries. You’ve got some thinking to do and about ten months to do it, because that male is not going anywhere.”

“It’s fine, though. I’m keeping my mouth shut and my hands to myself and being extremely professional about all of this. Thank the gods no one can tell how I really feel about Vidar. That would be embarrassing.”

She bites her lip. “Um, Margaret, the Hyrrokin can scent your arousal.” She says it carefully, the way you’d tell somebody about a death. “All of them. It’s not a special thing, it’s not a mate thing. It’s just a sense. Like hearing.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No, Avery.”

“I genuinely thought you knew. I’ve assumed you knew this whole time. Didn’t I tell you back when it was first happening to me? I can’t believe I didn’t tell you.”

“Does that mean only the male it’s aimed at, or⁠—”

“Every Hyrrokin in the room would know,” Avery confirms.

And then, underneath the mortification, something else surfaces. “He knew and so did Hannibal,” I say. “In the living room. The first day.”

Avery nods.

“Damn it. Everyone knows how I feel about Vidar. Vidar knows how I feel about Vidar. I mean, of course he knows from what I’ve told him, but I didn’t know he knew so explicitly, every step of the way.”

“Yep,” Avery answers.

“And Halloween is tomorrow.”