Page 136 of Bruised MC Bear

15

Kiera

That evening, Kiera found Reena neatening up in the laboratory. She demanded answers. If Kiera had to, she would scour and hunt through her friend’s mind for the truth. It was a stroke of good luck that she walked into the lab when she did, because Reena was on her way out.

“Hold it.” Kiera held out her hand, placing it on Reena’s chest. “You are not going anywhere, miss botanist. We need to talk.”

“About what? Another date with Xander?” Reena joked, giving her a wink.

“I want answers about what you’re working on.”

“I already told you I can only share when it’s time.”

“Not anymore, dear. We have five days until the ceremony, so you will tell me now.”

Reena stopped scrubbing the countertop, straightened up, and crossed her arms. “Or what?”

“Come on, Reena. You can trust me.”

Reena shrugged, arms still folded. “I know I can trust you, love. The thing is I’ve been sworn to keep my mouth shut on this. You don’t know yet, but you will. I promise.”

“This time, keeping it from me is just not good enough.” Kiera poked her head out the door, making sure nobody was coming down the hall in either direction, then turned back to Reena and whispered, “I know it is about the ravagers, that there are other ways to stop them. Proven methods that already work.”

Reena didn’t respond, but something changed in her face. Her eyebrows lowered, her cheeks went slack. She might as well have admitted it.

“That’s not such a big guess, is it, Kiera? You know I’m always working on spells and potions to keep them out.”

“Except that my source is ironclad this time.”

“And who is that?”

“The Regent.”

“He told you?”

“In a way.”

“Why do I get the feeling my best friend in the world is baiting me?”

“Trust me when I say I am not.”

“Minassus would never tell you.”

Kiera grunted out her frustration. “Look, I read his mind, all right?” she blurted out.

Reena frowned, chewing the inside of her mouth the way she always did when she was uncertain of something and needed time to assess its merit. “You cannot. The Regent’s mind is unreachable…militarized almost…unless…oh my God!”

“Yes. I slept with Xander.”

“Sweet mother of God, you have!”

“Focus, Reena. I’m not here about that. Tell me about the new weapons against the ravagers.”

Reena blew out a breath. “All right, but only because if you dared reading the Regent’s mind, you probably wouldn't hesitate to wrench my secrets right out of my head. I’ll show you where I’ve been conducting my trials.”

“Yes. Let’s go to the dungeon.”

“Wow, you got solid information. It’s true that the work here on the main floor labs is more…sanitized. You know, preliminary tests and analysis. The trials, on the other hand, are conducted downstairs.”