Page 103 of Veiled Vixen

“So how would we do this? How would we even get down there? Your outlaws are pretty pissed off about things right now. They could shoot us as we descend.”

“They could,” I agree. And probably will. “We need a plan. We should go talk to Crux and Serpint. We’ll have to deal with Nyleena’s little princess rebellion too. Captain Red is gonna be a problem. Not only that, Luck is adamant that we take Lady and Dicker though the node with us and we think that maybe Succubus could know something about how to get that done.”

“Sun-fucked sentient ships.”

“And there’s one more thing.”

“What?”

“The Baby. He doesn’t want to stay behind either.”

Veila shrugs. “Fine with me if he comes.”

“No. He can’t come. He has to run the station. If he leaves and Succubus leaves, then… everyone dies.”

Veila sucks in a long breath. “I’m supposed to care about that. Right?”

“That’s a joke?”

She sniffs and tilts her head at me with a tight-lipped smile. It wasn’t a joke.

But whatever. They’re not her people. I’m not sure I would care about a station filled with people who wanted to kill me, either.

“How long do you think it will take?”

“To get down to the spin node?”

“No.” She pauses. “For us to love each other.”

And in this moment everything I thought I knew about Veila ceases to exist. All the things she was yesterday—silver princess, evil queen, sickening pawn—it all floats. Up and away. Then finally disappears altogether.

And in that woman’s place is this girl right here.

Left behind. Alone. Pink. Used. Sad. Desperate. Beautiful.

And maybe… one day… lovable.

“Do you know what the definition of love is, Veila?”

“Is this rhetorical? Or a real question?”

I smile. “Real question.”

“Well,” she says with a sigh. “Love is… when you can’t live without someone. And you’d rather die with them than go it alone.”

I nod my head. “That’s a pretty good answer.”

“Well, what’s your answer? That was just off the top of my head. I’m sure it will change once I think more about it.”

“Mine’s pretty simple. I would say that love is loyalty.”

She shrugs.

“And that’s something I can promise you. Right here. Right now. You have already said I’m that kind of guy. I’m too honest. I don’t know how to lie. I can be loyal, Veila. I can. And I will. I promise to protect you the same way I would protect Nyleena.”

“Nyleena?” She scoffs. “But not Luck?”

“I don’t love you like Luck and I can’t lie and say I do. But I don’t love Nyleena either, and I’d put my life on the line to save her.”