Page 65 of The Fall

Kerr knew. Someone this perfect could have anyone they wanted. No single person could possess her. Her jealousy flared anyway.

Cementing the decision for her, Lusa nuzzled in tighter. It would be devastating. There was also nothing either of them could do to change that, so she might as well take as much as she could get.

“They’re going to kill us all, aren’t they?” Kerr kissed the top of Lusa’s head. Her heart shone at the scent of her shampoo on Lusa’s hair, an olfactory mark that she was hers, for now.

Lusa craned her neck to look at her. “Who?”

“The Adlets.”

Sliding her arm around her waist, Lusa pulled tightly. “Probably. But I’ll keep you safe.”

Kerr shook her head against the mattress. “I deserve it.”

Lusa traced a pattern against her arm. “And I deserved it for Piston.”

“We would have, if we’d known where you were.” Kerr laughed joylessly. “But no-one knows where the Adlets are.”

Lusa sighed with a million emotions Kerr couldn’t parse. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Knowing she couldn’t understand, Kerr reached for humour. “I didn’t believe I’d tame a lioness either.” Kerr dug her fingers against Lusa’s scalp. Like a cat, she leaned into it. “We thought you were still here, living under our noses, watching. You have tech that none of us can come close to replicating.”

Settling into her chest, Lusa remained silent. Kerr didn’t pry. “They’re real, you know,” Lusa said after a few breaths.

“Cloaking tech?” Kerr ran a finger across Lusa’s spine. “That would explain a lot.”

“No, lionesses.”

Kerr nuzzled into Lusa’s hair. “I know. I have one right here.”

Lusa smiled sadly. Kerr could tell something else was there, just out of reach and locked behind a door for which she didn’t have the key.

Drawing a finger across her arm, Kerr found the ridge of a long scar interrupting the pristine expanse of skin. “When did this happen?”

Lifting her arm, Lusa examined the remnants of a deep gash. “Training on a balance beam. I fell and caught my arm on a splinter. I was trying to show off for my sisters.”

“You have more than one sister?” Kerr frowned. “Do you not have DocPods? Even our old ones can fix this.”

“We do.” Lusa pressed her lips together, like she was trying to avoid blurting out the real reason.

“So why…” Kerr started, but Lusa bolted upright suddenly, throwing Kerr off balance. She scrambled to prop herself on her elbows. “Sorry? I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, not that.” Lusa scanned the room looking for something.

“What is it?” Kerr sat up.

“Alana.” Lusa rummaged through her rucksack and pulled out the device.

“Oh fuck!” Kerr held up her hands. “I swear, I had no idea you had a girlfriend. I would never…”

“Alana is my aunt.” Lusa attached her monocle.

“Your aunt is your girlfriend?”

Lusa looked amused and horrified. “Just my aunt. And she hates me.”

“You’re going to need to explain a lot more.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Lusa added.