Young Volcanoes

[Ara Zambrano]

Cold stone beneath her was the first sensation of many to come flooding back. Sweat had coalesced on her skin, clammy in the dank air of the Bastion. Her heart sounded far louder than it should have in her mind, it’s rhythm steady and smooth compared to the pounding drum it had been before blackness overtook her.

Laying still for a moment, she breathed in and out, taking stock of her aches and bruises as well as any lasting damage from the spar. Other than labored breathing, muscles sore from exertion, and a head that hurt from coming into contact with the floor, everything seemed to be in working order.

Setting one arm under her, she rolled onto one side and pushed off the stones, groaning as her head protested the motion. Pausing for a moment, torso propped up by an elbow, hair falling around her, lank and weighed down by sweat.

”Nicely...done.”

The praise was offered as the room slowly stopped spinning. Moving into a sitting position, she pulled her hair away, taking a few deep breaths to ground herself and push back the anger swirling in her eyes. The corruption had faded from her gaze, save for the permanent ring around her irises. She surveyed him from a distance, noting the way he held his wrist and used the wall for support.

Perhaps she wasn’t the only one suffering from their encounter. How much damage had she managed to inflict before she lost consciousness?

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Glancing up from under his lids, Connor saw her come to and take the time to centre herself, to gain awareness of what had happened and to compose her otherwise shocked system.

Behind a closed mouth and gritted teeth, the jaw muscle flinching, the Disciple held his wrist and soothed it as best he could.

"Not so bad yourself. One hell of a grip.”

He continued to pour his Force aura into the wrist, and he winced now and then as he felt the bone structure tearing along muscle gently as it re-formed and grew in quick succession. Force healing was a wonderful thing.

"How many have I won now? And they Knighted you before me.” Connor feigned an embarrassed look. "They must be desperate.”

He looked up at her and smiled, giving her a wink.

They were ok. This wasn’t one where he would get annoyed at her, or himself. They thrived on pain and pushing themselves, and both knew this is what the spar would entail.

"You feeling alright?”

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

His hand ran over the wrist she could only assume was seriously damaged, possibly broken. Resisting the urge to smirk, she pushed to her feet, taking a moment to get her bearings.

”One hell of an attack.”

It was the most praise she’d offer him, her tone conveying more than the words. Shaking her head, she debated moving to the man and inspecting his injury. Instead she turned and moved towards the opposite side of the room where her things were pilled neatly.

Gathering and donning her tunic and tabards, she raised an eyebrow, meeting his wink and smile with an unamused expression. The knight might have let the words goad her into anger had the pair not walked into the room expecting to come away bruised, battered, and exhausted. It was the only way to grow stronger, to push each other until they had nowhere else to go. Unlike their previous encounters, this one had not ended with one of them losing control.

A low chuckle accompanied a sly look, her hand flashing out and the metal hilt of her saber rising easily to her palm. Attaching it to her belt, one corner of her mouth quirked up in a smirk.

”Yes, they must be. They let you in after all.”

What the disciple didn’t need to know was that she’d used her last bit of strength to levitate the hilt, her resources officially tapped out. Let him think what he would, this was a tie, both too physically exhausted to push themselves further for the time being, even if they were still able to command the force.

”I am and will be fine. All of your attacks are….easily recoverable from.” She glanced at his hand pointedly and raised both eyebrows in question. ”And yourself, Mr. Harrison? Perhaps we should have that wrist looked at.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor looked at his wrist.

"This? This is a physical loss. Not a Force loss. I could drain the life from you right now if I wanted. The fact you passed out like a goober fish sealed my win, so think what you want. Another victory for Mr Harrison.”

He flashed her a smile, pushing up from the wall and holding his break to his chest.

"Don't worry, I know a good medical unit around here, remember. And I just need a bit of time to heal the bone. Hopefully it's not too bad or that's two weak hands I've got. May as well kill myself now than lose in battle.”

Something about her attitude still had that defensive wall up. The arrogance and show of pride she would do anything to maintain, even in losing a spar.

After a second, he looked at her again. He was always Mr. Harrison, which he hated.

"What's your name. You real name.”

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest with fake indignation, she turned to him.

”Bold words, but perhaps you want to save your strength healing that injury instead of trying to make me pass out like a goober fish.”

Resisting the urge to grin at the absurd insult, she knelt down, retrieving her cloak and settling it on her shoulders. They still had a lot to work on, but a rest and perhaps some food would do them both good. As much as she loved to rib and tease him, they did need to get that wrist looked at, it wouldn’t be wise to have him healing from a new injury when they went to Mustafar.

”If you wish to avoid the trip, we have a fairly competent medical facility here.”

The fabric was settled and secured, the knight moving to join him on his side of the room when she paused mid-step. Instantly all humor fled, her eyes narrowing, that easy smile tightening to a grim frown.

"My real name is Ara, it is a title as well as my name, as you already know.”

Intentionally misinterpreting his question, she used his words to avoid the rising tide of emotions the thought stirred. Her tone was steely, a warning against further prying. Changing her path, she took a few steps towards the door.

”I feel the need for some food, you are welcome to join if you wish.”

She would have invited him with an easy laugh and flirtatious suggestion, if she wasn’t working on pushing back the rising tide of emotions a simple question raised.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

I'm hard to open
But I think you're getting close
I know I'm broken
But that's something I'll never show
If I let you in
You know all the walls will disappear
Hanging by a thread
Till you break me down
Till you leave me bare

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor just looked at her with a curious gaze, forever working out what she really meant behind her words. She was right however about the wrist – it wouldn’t hurt to get it checked.

"Fair enough. I’ll go to the centre first. It’ll be ok.”

He started to walk with her.

"You’ll never let me in until you tell me your birth-name. And don’t think I’m going to give up trying to find out.”

With a glance, he watched for her reaction.

"I have plenty of secrets about my past I will share with you. Ones that nobody knows, and ones that belong to another time, but I want you to know about me in time. It’s why I trust you. One day, I hope you’ll do the same.”

Flexing his fingers, he rubbed the slightly swollen wrist and looked at it intently.

"Hm, that was a hell of a grip…you used…not bad at all….” he muttered.

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Nodding as he accepted the suggestion of getting the joint looked at professionally, she moved out of the room, unsurprised when he joined her. Her gaze stared straight ahead, her teeth clenched tightly as he preceded to pry about the name she’d left behind in what was another life. That girl, that life, that home, was dead and gone. The memories locked away tightly behind a wall of pride, ego, and determination.

Turning and stopping sharply in front of him, she placed a hand on his chest, eyes meeting his, only steel in her gaze.

Share them as you wish, but I do not ask for them. You want trust? You have it. I trust you to have my back. I trust you to teach me what I need to know.”

A low growl entered her tone, anger masking deeper emotions, the easier and more comfortable emotion one she grabbed onto and used.

”I trust you enough to show you this.” Her hand moved to the scar on her side, lids narrowed as she continued, her tone angry but not raised. ”The name you seek to learn is that of a dead girl, someone who no longer exists. Her life and her past matters little and you would do well to leave it alone.”

Dropping her hand, she took a step back, one breath to reign in the torrent of anger before it became too overbearing to control.

”If you wish to know anything, ask. I have no secrets; Ara has no secrets. But leave a past that is long dead, alone.”

Turning away from him, she took a few steps down the hallway, one hand clinched into a fist beneath her robe, the other, comfortably resting on the hilt of her saber. The smooth metal was a solid reminder of her new life, her standing, and her strength. The emotions that threatened to overwhelm her disappeared as she pulled her shell back around her, the easy face socialite coming to the forefront settling over her.

A quick glance back at Connor, accompanied a sly smile.

"I will have to try harder next time. Now let us get that looked at before any damage becomes permanent.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He looked over to her all the time she talked.

He looked at her scar, and looked in her eyes. There it was. The flicker of anger and resentment.

"I do have a question. I want to know your name.”

Looking ahead with an air of stubbornness, it was something he wasn’t going to drop, not now or in a few weeks or ever. He would find out.

"Just because she’s dead doesn’t mean you ignore part of your past. Because she is you. Don’t try be like some prophet, because you’re not. If I make Knight, then what. I take a new name to go by. Connor Harrison may well be put to rest, but dead or not, he’s me. He’s always been me and I won’t deny that because without him I wouldn’t be here now, with you or the Order.”

His face was stern and serious, looking past her run-of-the-mill flirtation he was getting immune to.

"Don’t pretend the past never happened. You’ll be stronger for it one day when you can talk about it in the past tense and be assured of your new life, rather than give a sexy smile a clenched fist under your robe.”

Connor continued on, not looking at her.

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

”For feth’s sake, Connor.”

Letting out a ragged, angry breath, she spun to face him.

”Talk about it in the past tense?! What part of “dead and gone” is not past tense?"

Eyes sparkling with anger and frustration, she met his glare with her own, her arms crossed over her chest in a visible effort to unclench her fist.

"You know my name. Why is that not enough for you?”

Tilting her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of emotions, the knight waited.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor stopped suddenly as she span into his path, all the while constantly feeding a soothing wave of energy to his broken bone and muscle.

"It can’t be past tense. You’re not dead, or gone. When I know your name, then we can discuss putting her in the past. Until then, you’re just sitting on something that’s going to explode for you one day. Badly. Excuse me.”

Side-stepping, the smallest smirk formed, but soon turned into a wince as he put too much pressure on his wrist.

"And I don’t know your name. I know Ara’s. Not yours.”

He turned his head partially to his shoulder.

"I’m rather famished now I have to say. I hope the medics here are as good as Avalonia.”

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

For a moment she stared at him, one hand itching to smack the smirk off his face. Her patience was rewarded when his smirk became a grimace, his own touch resulting in the pain she ached to cause him for his flippant comments. He side-stepped and she let him, the Knight hanging back with a small scowl across her face.

Insufferable. The man was utterly infuriating and insufferable at every turn.

”She is dead and gone. You should accept that some things are better left in the past, better left buried and forgotten.”

He tuned back to look at her, a change of topic to match her own.

”If you know Ara’s name and not mine, then you can convince her to join you in the mess hall. I have better things to do than babysit a Disciple who cares more about some long-gone street rat from Coruscant rather than his own training.”

The mention of his position within the Order was an intentional dig, meant to dig at his ego over his status. She knew that her authority over him was a thorn in his side. It was a petty move, but she used it never-the-less. With an arched eyebrow, she bowed slightly and turned on one heel, walk the opposite direction as the path they were taking towards the medical ward.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor gave that small, smug smile when someone was venting at him. He let her mouth off, and when she gave him the ultimatum, he gracefully matched her bow.

With a swift turn, Ara made her way off from him.

"Disciple I may be by rank, street-rat, but at least I don't act like one.”

Her tone was out of line and the more she wanted to defy him, the more Connor would push and twist it out of her.

He looked down at his wrist, and opted to get it sorted before anything else happened. The medical wing it was.

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

His voice floated through the corridor, the words, the insult, almost causing her to return to him, if for no other reason than to wipe the smirk off his face. Instead, she flashed him a wicked grin over her shoulder, eyes burning with rage, before turning a corner and disappearing deeper into the Bastion.

The stonework running parallel to the knight blurred as she took blind turns and wound her way through the labyrinth of a fortress. Any inhabitants she came across cleared out of her way easily, leaving a trail of curious looks and silent thoughts, the stormy expression on her face keeping any from voicing them until she was long past. Eventually, the door to her new apartments came into view, a code input to unlock the door easily, the echoing sound of her footsteps dying as the door slid shut behind her.

Moving into the bedroom portion of her rooms, she tossed her cloak on the bed, moving to the wardrobe to grab a change of clothes and towel. If he wanted to push her about her past, he could eat alone. Some things were better left unspoken, unthought, and buried.

A flash of silky, semi-opaque fabric caught her eye as she pulled a simple vest and pants from the large wardrobe. The fabric belonged to a new outfit purchased during a shopping trip in Avalonia a day or so before, with Kaalia. Her frown melted into a smug smile and narrowed eyes, the simple outfit left on the floor as she pulled the top and matching skirt out instead.

I'm taking back the crown
I'm all dressed up and naked
I see what's mine and take it
(Finders keepers, losers weepers)
Oh yeah
The crown...
So close I can taste it
I see what's mine and take it
(Finders keepers, losers weepers)

The mess hall was fairly empty, most of the Ren out on scouting missions, training, or busy procuring new armor and weaponry to prepare for the upcoming conflict. A plate of some form of stew sat on the table in front of her, mostly untouched, a mug of tea next to it. Both had been pushed aside in favor of a smaller plate with a piece of cake. The alcove was built into the far wall of the mess, a semicircular stone arch with ledge and cushion, small table and extra chair on the opposite side.

The knight lounged on the stone bench, one leg propped up against the wall, the other stretched out along the length of her seat, the expanse of pale flesh exposed by the silky ankle length skirt with thigh-high slit. The fabric pooled on the floor below, the linen a waterfall of ink. A fork rested against her lower lip as she stared absently at the stones opposite her, her back leaning comfortably against one curved edge of the alcove. The scar on her right side was almost completely revealed to the room, the silk fabric heled to her sides by two large straps, wrapping from the front to the back. Her shirt was also black, made of a light, gauzy fabric that covered most of her chest and arms, but little of her abs and lower back.

Spoiler

A short bath and time to prep had turned the Knight of Ren from a warrior in training into the socialite from Coruscant. The skin between her eyebrows crinkled as she thought, waiting for her dining companion should he choose to join her.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Kaalia whistled casually as she made her way through the Bastion. She had finished reading up on subjects of interest in the library, her promotion to Knight giving her access to more material to study. The redhead gladly made use of the new stream of knowledge and data she now was allowed to lay her eyes on. The sound of humming followed Kaalia's footsteps as her booted feet were leading her back towards her living quarters. She almost walked the wrong way on the previous turn, originally thinking her living space was still her old disciple's quarters. She was glad to have a more spacious place now.

The woman approached the mess hall, and for a second she debated getting a quick bite to eat. She glanced into the room for a moment when she saw her close friend [member="Ara Ren"] sitting in an alcove in the corner of the room. The brunette was lounging on the stone bench, but that wasn't what caused her to snort uncontrollably. Ara often made sure she looked nothing short of stunning, but rarely within the Bastion. Her choice of attire and pose caused the redhead's heart to skip a beat and she immediately brought a hand to her face, feeling her cheeks flare up. Her eyeballs jolted from left to right as she quickly ran away from the doorway back to her living space. A whispered "Please tell me she didn't see that..." came from her lips as she awkwardly walked on.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

After a nice hot wash and a check-up by the Bastion medics, Connor walked away with his wrist in a tight gauze. The bone had re-formed thanks to Connor’s intervention, but it was in the fragile stage - no heavy lifting or operating heavy machinery or fighting street-rats. That sort of thing for about a week.

With the invasion of Mustafar in the later planning stages, the week would be enough to heal and rest. Ara did a good job.

Walking down the long stone and marble passageway towards the mess hall, Connor held his wrist to his side to keep it out of harms way as he looked around at those passing by; Knights and Disciples, and Masters. Administrators, clerks, scientists - a whole host of dedicated men and women serving the Ren and the First Order. He was calm, collected and feeling a lot better - funny what a nice bowl of hot water could do.

Turning into the hall, he was nearly taken out by a red-head in rush, forcing him to side-step, because they were oblivious it seemed on anything except leaving. Connor looked after her.

"Kaal?”

No answer, and she was more or less gone.

That was [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] running away, he was sure of it. With a puzzled expression, he chuckled and shook his head. She was a unique one, that new Knight. But she was a good one too. Connor walked into the mess hall which wasn’t too busy, and looked around for Ara. It took him a few seconds to clock her in the far stone alcove; exactly where he would have been. Away from the hall, but enough to still be in it.

He found her, but he didn’t quite take her all in. She looked...wonderful. More than wonderful. In fact, she made him wish he’d gone back to change - he expected her in the training robes still, not looking so...well.....his sheepish smile said it all, one he clearly tried to hide as he walked over to her.

Connor slid into the alcove, admiring the view as he did and wishing he’d worn more than just his training vest and combats.

"I suddenly feel under-dressed,” he said dryly. "You certainly don’t evoke anything of a street-rat now.”

He laid his wrist on the table for her to see that he actually had been.

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

The sound of a scuffle and muffled snort drew Ara’s attention to the door of the mess hall, a flash of red hair trailing behind the girl who ran past. Canting her head in confusion, she raised an eyebrow as her friend [member="Kaalia Voldaren"] disappeared.

A soft chuckle accompanied a headshake, the Knight amused by her friend’s rush to get somewhere. The girl was still very young and very naïve, but dedicated. Curious as to her friend’s activities, the brunette took another forkful of cake and popped the baked good into her mouth with an easy grin. Most likely, the newly promoted Knight was researching or training, the same activities the rest of the Ren seemed to find to occupy their days until the upcoming battle.

Not long after, another familiar force signature and form came into range.

Years ago, Ara had perfected the art of looking relaxed, casual, and generally uninterested in the environment around her. She used that now, an easy smile forming on her face as he approached and took a seat at her table, the sheepish smile he tried to hide and wandering eyes saying more than his words that her outfit and appearance had the desired effect.

A sly look from beneath lowered lids and a subtle lift of the head accepted the compliment in his gaze, another bite of cake finding its way from the plate to her mouth before she chose to respond.

”Charming, Connor.”

Chuckling lowly, she raised an eyebrow pointedly at his wrist in silent question. An easy twist of the implement in her hand meant the tines of the fork also pointed at the wrapped joint.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Turning into the hall, he was nearly taken out by a red-head in rush, forcing him to side-step, because they were oblivious it seemed on anything except leaving. Connor looked after her.

"Yes, well. As charming as ever, that’s me.”

He looked down at his wrist, following her curiosity and held it up.

"One broken bone and bruised muscle. Healing fine, but don’t exert pressure or lift anything for a while and keep it fixed up for a week. At least you could get over your little heart palpation in a few minutes.”

With a frustrated sigh, he shook his head at her, but diffused any possible sign of real annoyance with a small grin. Sitting back in the alcove, he drummed his fingers and looked out to the hall, and keyed in an order of ice water from the datapad fixed into the table’s end.

Connor gave a content little sigh, not really knowing what to say or where to look or how to act. A lot had happened recently, but he was still unsure of how to approach the situation with Ara. She was tough; that was obvious. She was hiding secrets and living in the shadows. They had kissed a few times and given into their lustful desires on the shore just once. They had trained, stood before the Supreme Leader and now faced an invasion. But, still, he wasn’t sure what this even was.

He sighed again, looking to her and taking in the sight before him. She really was a sight, and beyond anything he could hope to call his own. Puckering up some confidence, he nipped his fingers between her hands and pinched a small cube of cake, as she had done to him in the past, and hungrily ate it in one.

"Mm. Nice.” A droid wheeled over with his water and slid it on the table with a toot and whistle. "Thank you.” He took a sip, the ice cold against his lips and the water more so against his teeth.

It was refreshing and just what he needed. Setting the glass down with a little lick of the lips, he looked at Ara again. There was much he wanted to ask, but was now the time? Was now the moment? No. Then again, when would it ever be with this one.

"You look really nice. I take it this is you out of hours now, Ara the flirtatious and free-spirited woman, not Ara the Knight of Ren. Or are they indistinguishable.”

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

Setting her fork on the edge of the plate holding a few last bits of cake, she reached forward and took her mug of tea with a small smile. His words and sigh said he was annoyed, but the smile he gave her belied his tone. Sipping from her mug, she observed as he placed his own order. The knight chose not to acknowledge his statement, letting her silence and serious expression speak for her. In a fight, she would protect herself first and foremost. Whether he intended a little heart palpation or to completely destroy the organ, she would have fought back. They were lucky the joint would heal as quickly as predicted, most likely thanks to the healing she had watched Connor do before she’d stormed off earlier.

Shifting slightly, she curled her legs under her and rested her torso against the stone, both hands wrapped around the ceramic of the mug. He avoided her gaze, a sly smile turning up her lips as she took another sip, inspecting him over the rim. The emotions she felt through their bond rolled, a mass of conflicting impressions of lust, doubt, and suspicion.

For a moment, she wondered exactly what thoughts were dragging those emotions to the forefront of his mind. Was his mind stuck on their training session earlier? He’d managed to best her again, although the broken wrist proved that it hadn’t been an easy win. Or was his mind drifting to a few days before, their explosive meeting on the shore of the lake?

Dark eyes inspected the disciple, one eyebrow raising as her stole a small bite of the sweet from her plate. With a soft chuckle, she repeated his gesture, popping a small piece into her mouth moments after he had, a droid quickly depositing a glass of water in front of him with a small whistle.

The few moments of silence between them hung heavily with unspoken questions. The last few days a whirlwind of emotion, a balance that hadn’t quite settled. His expression and his impatient motions betrayed his need to ask, even if he chose not to go so at this moment. She could sense the conflict brewing within, watching as he struggled to decide whether to give in to the thoughts swirling in his mind.

Instead, he chose to compliment her, a fairly harmless question leveled in her direction. Canting her head, sending her long hair falling along her back, she rested one temple on the cool stonework.

”Which do you think it is, Mr. Harrison? You analyzed me once, back in the restaurant on Dosuun, shortly after we met. What do you believe now?”

Running a finger around the run of the almost empty mug, she raised her eyebrows at him. He of all people should know that she was never fully disconnected from the darkness swirling within her.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Casting a questioning eye over the Knight, Connor hummed to himself for a second.

"I think this is all you. Knight of Ren, but flirtatious, warm-blooded and eager to impress on all fronts. After all, your greatest weapon isn't it.”

He smiled a little at his insinuation, but the questions were bubbling away in him. While there was parts of him that he could now simply turn off receptors for and not think twice, he was human. He wasn't a machine. War was coming. The invasion of the Mustafar Hex was coming soon, and everything would change forever.

If he failed like he did on Midwinter, then he may never make if off the planet alive. If Ara failed for a moment like in training, she may never leave the planet alive either. And then questions would be left unanswered forever.

"Ara, we're due to invade Mustafar soon. I need to know.” He thought about his words. "I want to know what happened the other night wasn't a one-off. What does it mean for me and you.”

Now, he steeled himself for her raise of the eyebrows, the seductive smile, the playful question batted back to him. However it was something he wasn't going to accept. She was going to have to face up to the consequences of her actions and at least be honest enough before Mustafar threatened to change things forever.

[member="Ara Ren"]

 

[Ara Zambrano]

His first statement drew a chuckle and a soft smile from her as she continued tracing the rim of the cup. If he thought her wiles and flirtatiousness was her greatest weapon, she’d succeeded in fooling him beyond what she’d ever thought possible. Her gaze moved away from him, staring at the pocket marked stonework on the opposite side of the alcove.

The flirtatious and hard-to-get socialite persona was one way of gathering information and putting those around her at ease. It was a trap of the deadliest kind, because those caught in it did not mind one bit. Her mind flashed to the image of a man in an alley, his body cold and lifeless one the ground as his blood seeped from a wound between two of his ribs. A wound she’d put there with a thought and a flick of the wrist. For a moment, her eyes darkened, the bloodlust rising up at the reminder of the day she’d joined the Ren. She ached to feel that power again, to watch the life slip away, eyes going blank and body growing cold.

A sip of tea shook her out of her reverie, her gaze drawn back to the man sitting across from her. She felt the stirrings of doubt through their bond. Mixed with the doubt was…fear? Glancing down at the brown liquid in her glass, she drank, taking a moment to process the feelings flowing through their connection.

Before she had time to draw her own conclusions as to the cause of his internal turmoil, he voiced one of the questions burning within.

Blood and violence was replaced with cool breezes, water lapping against the shore, and the feeling of skin touching skin, memories of their one explosive night together sparking a knot of anxiety in her gut.

A raised eyebrow and seductive smile did indeed meet his question, a cover for her own emotions. Her default back to the hard-to-pin down socialite far easier than examining the intense emotions she felt around both Connor and Kaalia.

”It is only a one-off only if you wish it to be.”

Her tone dipped low into that seductive purr, hoping the innuendo and open invitation would distract him from the deeper question she didn’t want to ponder.

[member="Connor Harrison"]