Page 91 of Dark Space

‘He is, isn’t he?’ Maeve said proudly, as Elswyth smiled.

‘It wasn’t …great, the whole getting bitten thing, but Alcide and Callan intervened before anything truly bad could happen. It sounds stupid, but what I need to talk about is something different.’ I chewed my lip.

‘Nothing you say is stupid,’ Tessa said gently. ‘What is it?’

‘How do you …’ I trailed off. ‘How do you managethree?’ I blurted.

Maeve and Tessa looked at each other and burst out laughing.

‘Fucked if I know,’ Maeve said a minute later, when she’d caught her breath.

‘I’m not sure Imanagethem at all,’ Tessa said thoughtfully. ‘I more just … exist, and they’re there. Morgan prefers to pretend he’s managingme, Aster is inherentlyunmanageable, and Cy is perfect.’

Maeve eyed Elswyth. ‘Do Imanageyou?’ She paused. ‘I mean, Ashton is a given.’

‘Ash needs the most management,’ Elswyth agreed, then muttered something that sounded likebark brainunder her breath.

‘You just work out your own dynamic,’ Tessa said. ‘You work out what you need from them, and what they need from you, and what they need from each other.’

I laughed nervously and looked at my hands. ‘I haven’t dated for years, and now I have three partners. It’s … a lot.’

‘It’s a lot regardless ofanydating history,’ Tessa said. ‘You’re doing beautifully, Anna.’

I took a deep breath. ‘Would Willow talk to me about a long-term contraceptive? I don’t … I’m not ready for children, and we don’t know what’s going to happen on Scytha, and …’

‘Of course,’ Elswyth said immediately. ‘Of course he would.’

‘Just make it something the starling super spunk won’t affect.’ Tessa gave a small smile, rubbing her belly again. ‘I didn’t really mind, but it still came as a shock.’

I blinked at her. ‘Super spunk?’

‘Starlings, they –’ Tessa broke off with a soft yelp as darkness flooded the room and Vesper materialised in front of the bed. She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘Just so you know, I house trained Asternotto do that, if you need any tips.’

‘Vesper?’ I said softly, taking in the way his eyes were glowing the way they did when he was excited, but his mouth wastwisted. He gathered up both my hands in his warm grasp and knelt before me. ‘What’s happened?’

‘They’ve decided,’ he said hoarsely. ‘The Council. They said yes. They’ll support Alcide’s claim.’

I squeezed his fingers. ‘That’s wonderful news! But Vesper … Why aren’t you happier?’

He lifted my knuckles to his lips. ‘Because we’re going to war, lodestar. And you’ll be coming with us.’

I took a shuddering breath.

A silence fell over the room; the only sound was that of softly running water. I ran my thumb over Vesper’s fingers, trying to sort through what I was feeling. I hadn’t expected it to happen soquickly, but then, I hadn’t expectedanyof this. Not being abducted, not travelling through space, not falling in love.

Now I not only had to work out how to manage a relationship with threepartners – I’d have to work out how to be aqueen.

I exhaled, pleased at how even it sounded. I could pretend to be calm, even if I didn’t feel it. ‘We’re going to war,’ I repeated evenly.

Maeve exchanged a long glance with Elswyth, then looked across at Tessa. ‘Well,’ she said at last. ‘Then I guess we’re coming with you.’