"It seems, well, awkward," Terra said as she propped herself up on an elbow and gazed at the man in bed beside her. "I am sleeping with my best friend's husband."
Will sighed. "And I am sleeping with my wife's best friend. Have to admit, that thought kept me from coming on to you sooner than I did. But I think Ell would be good with us."
Terra laid her head back down on Will's shoulder, nuzzling in. "I know. But as I recall, I came on to you first."
"Well, it was not as if I could resist." His voice took a playful tone. "I was hopelessly ensnared in your sensuous web of desire."
Popping her head up, Terra dropped her jaw. "Sensuous web? Oh, gag. Where did you get that line?"
"It was a package deal with the pickup lines." A sly grin rose on his face. "So, did you swoon? Good thing you are already laying down."
"I don't know whether to give you a kiss or hit you."
Will raised an eyebrow. "Umm, I have a preference."
Terra leaned in, brushing lips against him with a teasing kiss. Then she slugged him on the arm.
"Oww! Why'd you do that?"
Terra shrugged with a grin. "I couldn't decide."
As giggles overtook her, Terra laid her head back down on Will's shoulder. He responded by wrapping an arm around her and drawing her in. "Terra," he whispered, "there was something you said late last night. I heard you say that you loved me."
She pinched her eyes shut and pressed her cheek into the crook of his neck. A warm flush came to her cheeks. Oh, he did hear that. Her eyes fluttered open, and she stammered. "It... it just slipped out. I didn't mean to hit you with that."
"We agreed to be honest with each other, didn't we? So Terra Lorr, then let me be clear — I have fallen in love with you."
Terra trembled in his arms as the cloud of doubt re-emerged. "Will, do we really have a chance? I am an agent, an assassin. I have killed so many. Do you really want a long-term relationship with me?"
Will shifted to his side and maneuvered Terra, so he looked her in the eyes while cupping her cheek. "Did I not marry Anna, your fellow agent? Terra, I know what you did and who you are. But I have seen your heart, and it is beautiful. Besides, I have no standing to pass judgment. So in answer to your question: yes, I do want a long-term relationship with you."
Terra held her breath. His words swept through her like a warm breeze, chasing away the cloud that shrouded her heart.
Will continued, pulling her back into his arms. "But there is one thing that I need you to do. You need to end your association with the Blue Uprising."
"I know." Terra took a deep breath. "My loyalty is almost gone, anyway. But they may not so easily let me go."
"Why not? I could help convince them."
"So we just walk in and say I quit?"
Stroking her hair, he answered, "Essentially, yes. Weren't you supposed to deliver me? Ell... Anna believed together we could make a difference in this world. So let's get started."
"Hmm, Ginny told me I would have some decisions to make."
Will put a hand on his forehead and groaned. "Oh, I forgot about Ginny."
"What?"
"When we tell her about us, we might get the Stare."
Terra grinned as she shimmied on top of him, her nose almost touching his. "Save that for later. Right now, your only concern should be my sensuous web of desire."
*****
Later that afternoon, Terra checked in again with her contact, Will again at her side at the table.
She spoke into the viewer in speaker mode. "Hex?"
"Terra, how are you coming along?"
"I am doing well. Has the shit storm calmed down any there?"
"Not at all. All our strategic plans are messed up, thanks to you. And I really do mean thanks. Rumor has it that the council is still arguing about what to do."
"Hex, this is important. Make sure they don't send anyone to Freehold. It will be crawling with Dynasty Enforcers. Besides, the Hooded Man would not be there."
"Walt already warned them," Hex said. "What are you going to do?"
"I am going to come in. Could you get me on the agenda for the next council meeting? Oh, and Will Sall is coming with me."
"Is that wise?"
"They need to hear what he has to say. By the way, he is here with me now."
Will interjected with a grin. "Hi, Hex. Glad to meet you."
The voice from the viewer stammered. "Oh... Um, hello Will. This is a bit of a surprise, especially over a secure channel."
Terra spoke. "It's alright Hex. He has been looking out for me as I recover. Send me a message later about the council meeting."
"Okay. And thank you, Will, for looking after our girl."
"Oh, it was really my pleasure." Will winked at Terra as she grinned at the hidden double meaning.
After Terra disconnected from the call, Will turned to her. "This Hex seems like a good one."
Terra nodded. "He is a friend. I will miss him when I leave."
"So we wait?"
"For now. In the meantime, we should train."
"Me?" Will smiled slyly. "I don't need training. Don't let Ginny influence you."
"No, not man training." She put a hand to her chin. "Although that is not a bad idea. But if we are going to save the world, we must work together and leverage our abilities." Terra turned and extended her hands. "Your power, Darkness, would cancel my Talent if we use them at the same time. But if we could alternate them, they could be very effective. You would cast your Darkness to disable any adversary with significant Talent. That would create an opening for me to strike with my Talent. The key is that I recover from the Darkness faster than they do. I will need to practice that."
"What about enemies without Talent, but with weapons?"
"I should be able to handle that, within limits. Ideally, we should have some weapons ourselves and know how to use them as a backup and also increase our effectiveness against disabled Talent. What weapons do you have?"
"I have some knives and rifles, also a handgun hidden in my truck," he replied. "And I learned some self-defense due to Ell's situation."
"You could teach me?"
Will grinned. "Hmm. So, I would train you?"
*****
The next morning after breakfast, they met in a grassy area just outside the front door. Terra tied her long, dark hair into a ponytail and rolled up her sleeves. Bracing herself, she nodded, and Will cast the Darkness over her. As the sickening vertigo overcame her, she gasped, staggered, and flung her arms out as if to grasp an invisible railing, eventually slumping to the ground. Will rushed over to help her up, but she brushed him off and rose on unsteady feet. "Again."
Another cast of the Darkness produced the same result. Will counseled her. "Don't fight it, you can't. Just let it flow through you like a gust of wind through the trees."
Terra nodded and stood up on unsteady feet. "Again."
On the next cast, she again swayed but did not fall down. "Again."
With each subsequent cast, the recovery time quickened, even as he increased the intensity of the Darkness.
Will nodded in approval. "Good. Now I want you to pick up that rock beside you with your Talent and hold it as long as you can in the Darkness. It will fall, but pick it up again as soon as you can."
Terra shifted into the aura and lifted the rock, a rounded piece of granite about the size of her fist, so that it floated in the air at eye level. Will cast the Darkness and the rock immediately fell with a thump, along with Terra to her knees. It was more difficult while in the aura. She stood on wobbly legs and tried to access the aura. Nothing. The frustration emerged as a frown.
Will advised. "Don't force it. Relax. The Darkness will leave you."
She took a deep breath and imagined a dark wind bending a willow tree made of light, the strong roots holding firm to the earth while the limber branches flexed, yet did not break. After two minutes, she could lift the rock again.
Determined eyes glared at Will. "Again."
This time the recovery was quicker, about a minute. "One more time."
Again the rock dropped as the Darkness swept over her. Terra concentrated on her breathing and visualization. The recovery time was half again better. Sweat beaded on her head despite the coolness of the morning. Bent over at the waist, she held up a hand, breathing deeply. "Enough for now."
Will drew her into his arms. "You got better each try. How are you feeling?"
Her mind swirled. "Tired and dizzy. I need a break."
Will put on a smirk. Terra yelped as he hefted her up and slung her over his shoulder like a sack of flour.
"Where are you taking me, kind sir?" she deadpanned with a blank expression. But then the giggle she had suppressed escaped her lips.
"Inside for the next phase of your training."
"And does this training somehow require less clothing?"
Will stepped onto the porch and swung open the door, taking care not to let it bang against the woman he carried. "Actually, none at all."