maximum security safe with temperature and humidity controls. Perfect for old books. Much better than the Endeavor’s cargo hold.
“Then it’s a good thing I’m leaving it here with you, where I know it’ll be safe,” I said.
I’d meant to reassure her, but her expression just fell even further. “You’re in danger, aren’t you?”
I shrugged, letting my own fear and habitual stress roll off my shoulders for Susan’s sake. “Always.”
“Then you should charge someone more for this.” She tried to hand the priceless book back to me, but I didn’t reach for it. “Maybe the money could help you…get away.”
I kept unpacking books for her, knowing she’d take her time discovering them all later. “If you want to, you can give that one to the Intergalactic Library. That’s what I was going to do with all of them.” I bit my lip, wishing I hadn’t said that. I was taking advantage of her. “If I didn’t have to pay for major repairs on my ship, I’d give them to you. I wish I could.”
Susan looked so torn that I knew I had to ask for something in return, or I’d have a real argument on my hands.
“What’s your personal water situation like?” I asked, breezing into a new subject like the previous one was already closed.
Her distraught expression blanked for a moment as she processed the sudden switch. “Good. My drain and refresh happened just last week.” She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial level. “And my tank is three cubes bigger than anyone realizes.”
Nice. Water that hadn’t been filtered a gazillion times over AND three cubes for free. “Well, if you really want to give me something more in exchange for that nice book, I could definitely use a shower.”
Susan scoffed. “That’s hardly equivalent.”
“But it’s the only thing I need. And you can also consider Bonk as prepayment,” I added. “He’s like a dose of happiness in a cuddly, purring package.”
A small laugh bubbled out of her. “Of course. You’re welcome to use my shower.”
I smiled. “I’ll need soap, shampoo, and a towel, too.” Too bad I hadn’t brought clean clothes with me. Although mine weren’t dirty. In fact, they were mostly brand new.
“You drive a hard bargain—” She frowned suddenly. “I don’t even know your name.”
My heart blasted off like a rocket. We hadn’t done names. I only knew hers from hearing the Dark Watch talk and speaking with Shade.
I sometimes joked in my head about wanting to tell people who I was, but I never really meant it. I’d told Jax early on because we’d both been in such bad shape when we’d met that we’d latched on to each other like lifelines, and there hadn’t been room in that rawness, fear, and pain for anything but the truth. I’d spent five years with the rest of my crew and only told them who I was the moment I thought we were all about to die. In a way, Bridgebane had forced it out of me, even though his threats were what had kept me silent in the first place.
I’d owned my real name three times in the last eighteen years, once to Jax not long after we’d met, and then just recently, to my crew and to my uncle. Right now, with Susan, I wanted to be me again, the daughter my mother knew.
But could telling her put her in danger? I didn’t think so. I’d be gone soon, and no one would ever connect us. The galaxy was too vast and populated for that. But if someone did, I wouldn’t blame Susan for betraying me. I would never want her hurt in my stead.
I waffled, indecision plaguing me.
Susan shook her head. “You don’t have to tell me. Forget I asked.”
“I want to.” I swallowed. “I just don’t usually tell the truth.”
“But the truth is something you want to tell me?” she asked.
I nodded, then laughed a little—an odd gurgle that didn’t sound right. “You might not believe me.”
Still holding that precious book, Susan looked at me like she had the other day, as though she were sizing me up. “I think I will.”
In that case… “Quintessa Novalight,” I blurted out before I could change my mind.
Susan’s eyes widened, and her whole body tilted back, even though her feet stayed planted where they were. My name was a bomb. It blew people away.
“You look nothing like him,” she finally said, her voice sounding thin.
I went back to carefully unloading the remaining books. The work helped to calm