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“That’s what the Citadel would like you to believe,” Kern muttered.
“Those who apply to the Citadel are obligated to it. I applied under a false name and neither of you are under contract, so I believe we can operate much as Cara and her mates do.”
“On a contract-by-contract basis.” One of Cara’s mates owned a small fleet of ships. Raina presumed they allowed him to choose his own missions because they needed his ships. If Raina’s triad would be afforded the same privilege, it would ease many of her fears.
“Would that please you, mate?” Cylex asked with a gentle smile. “Would you feel more comfortable?”
“If I wasn’t thrust onto the frontline and ordered to start flinging Fireballs at people who had done nothing but been born on the wrong planet, I’d be a lot more comfortable,” she agreed. “I don’t really believe in war.”
“What sort of missions would you accept?”
She didn’t miss the challenge in Kern’s tone. His features remained neutral, but his hands were clenched and his foot bounced agitatedly. Now she was the one starting to feel defensive. “I would have to hear the specifics of what I was expected to do.”
“Would you end a life if doing so would better the lives of millions?” His challenge was overt now.
It was a familiar thought exercise. Would you go back in time and kill Hitler if it prevented World War Two? Only Kern’s question wasn’t hypothetical. He was talking about Jevara. “I know Jevara needs to die or at least be taken out of commission permanently. I just don’t want to be the one to do it.”
“No one will ever force you to kill,” Cylex stressed, scooting to the edge of the cushions. “We might try hard to persuade you to our way of thinking, but nothing will ever be forced upon you. Your mates would not allow it.”
“Damn right,” Kern reinforced. “I understand the conflict you’re feeling. I have spent many years at the Temple of Air.”
“Then why did you become an assassin?” The question was out before she could weigh the ramifications of being so bold.
“Seeing into my father’s mind taught me that some people deserve to die.”
There was no need for him to say more. Earth’s history was filled with good examples of the concept. “As long as I have input into which missions we accept, I am ready to join a triad.”
Kern and Cylex exchanged surprised looks and excitement rippled across their psychic link.
Kern scooted to the edge of the sofa as he said, “I think we should apply the same standards to your earlier example. If a concern is brought to you directly that requires you to put yourself in danger, bring it to us and the three of us will decide how best to resolve the situation.Together.” He let the last word ring as his gaze locked with hers.
“Together,” Cylex echoed.
Raina smiled broadly and said, “Together.”
Kern returned her smile though his mind was shielded. She didn’t need the empathic connection to understand what he was feeling. He was afraid to hope, afraid she would still reject him. “Was there anything else?”
They had addressed her primary concerns. All that was left now was basic logistics. “Where would we live and how would we make our living? Unless we obligate ourselves to the Citadel full time, we would need another source of income.”
“My current occupation is dangerous and would require me to be gone frequently,” Kern mused. “I will definitely need to find something else.”
“As will I,” Cylex added.
“I have accumulated enough wealth to allow us time to figure out the answer to those questions,” Kern told them. “We do not need to rush into anything. It is important that we find a situation that best suits all three of us.”
“I have resources available to us also,” Cylex offered.
“All right. Where do we want to center our job search? Where does it make the most sense for us to live?”
“If you are nearby, I would be content anywhere. I do not care where our house is located.”
For a millisecond she thought Kern was mocking her, but he met her gaze, his expression sincere. Then slowly his shields lowered and his emotions flowed into her mind. Tenderness and protectiveness, desire not just to share pleasure, but to share his life with her.
“You have given me hope, Raina.” His voice was thickened by emotion and his expression had never been so open before. “That is something I never expected to feel again. The rest is irrelevant, as long as you are there.”
Needing to touch them, she crossed the room and knelt on the floor in front of the couch. She placed one hand on Kern’s thigh and the other on Cylex’s. “What about you?” She looked into Cylex’s eyes. “Once my training is finished, where would you like to live?”
“My family is here, as is yours. If Kern is willing, a home on Altor makes the most sense to me.”
