destination time. And the reason you can’t follow someone through a spin node is because even if you have the destination, and the time, the time is out of locality. It’s unknowable. You can’t ever know the time on the other side of a spin node. It’s too far away.” We blink at each other. “But… even if this is true, it’s not helpful, Alera. I don’t even know what to do with that information.”
She blushes. “That’s because in order to find your fucking superpower you have to look for it inside a fuck.”
I grin and run my fingers through my hair. Averting my eyes away from her gaze. “I cannot believe we’re having this conversation.”
“You know what I like about you?”
I side eye her. Keenly interested in knowing this. “What?”
“You’re… good.”
“Good?” I laugh. “Thanks. That’s really what I wanted to hear.”
“You don’t want to be good?”
“I’m the governor of Harem Station. Not this Harem Station. I don’t know what this place is. But my Harem Station is a bastion of outlaws. We are a stronghold of escaped prisoners and pirates. We’re a fortress of thieves and mercenaries. And we keep girls, Alera. Girls like you. Princesses who glow. I sell girls like you by the hour to very rich people. And right now? Right now, we’re at war. And I feel like we’ve been at war my whole life. I’m not good. I’m a willing accomplice to a whole shit-show of atrocities.”
“And yet,” she says. “You practically blushed when I started talking about sex.”
“Heh. I’m not shy, if that’s what you’re saying.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. Not at all. I’m saying that you’re uncomfortable with the idea of having sex with me. Why is that?”
“Maybe because I’ve fucked a whole bunch of different Corlas during my spin node travels and they were…” I sigh. “Not what I was looking for.”
“I’m not Corla.”
“I know.”
“So what is your problem? What were you looking for?”
“I don’t know.” But it’s not true. I do know. “I’m looking for… my innocence, I think. It’s been a really long time since I was innocent.”
I expect her to laugh about that.
But she doesn’t.
“You were looking for your sixteen-year-old self.”
I nod. “Yeah. Maybe.”
Her eyes stare deep into mine. “Because you… you still believed in good and evil back then, didn’t you?”
“That idea wasn’t revolutionary at the time, Alera. It was known. And now, it’s not. I’m not that kid. And none of this was my choice.”
She cocks her head at me. “None of it?”
I hesitate. Wondering how hard I want to fight this battle. But then I just throw up my hands. “Fine. It’s all my fault. I agreed to her stupid plan. I practically kidnapped my brothers and made them go along with it. I went along with ALCOR. I let them all leave. I fell for the soulmate bullshit. It’s all my fault.”
“And this?” Alera says. Panning her hand to the room. “Who is responsible for this?”
“Apparently me.”
She smiles. Then that smile grows into a wide grin. “Why did you come here, Crux?”
“I was sent here.” But she’s already shaking her head. “Sun-fucked gods. OK. I came here to fuck Corla. There. Are you happy?”
“It’s a start. At least we’re back to the sex part.”
“So what are you saying? I should just fuck you instead?”
“Is that what you want?”
“Is that what you want?”
She’s shaking her head again. “None of this is about me. I think we both know that.”
I don’t know what to say to that. “It’s all very confusing. Blow them up. Don’t blow them up. Save us, don’t save us. Go along, don’t go along. What is the point?” Alera just blinks at me. “I don’t think there’s a point. I don’t think it matters.”
She and I are both silent for a little while. I lean back against the counter and she just stares at me.
“What?” I finally say.
“Come over here.”
“Why?” She raises one eyebrow at me and I smile. “Fine.” I take two steps forward and erase the distance between us. My hands go to the top of her thighs automatically. Sliding up the length of them until they’re gripping her hips. Her arms drape over my shoulder in a casual way that has an air of familiarity to it.
“See,” she says. “I’m not gonna bite you.”
“I don’t think you’re going to bite me. I’m just not sure this will make anything better.”
“How can you possibly say that? I mean…” she laughs. “When I walked into this room and found you, my