finally, they’ve stopped spitting out these lies about you. so sorry, love. i’ve been stuck in interviews all day. left my burner phone at home. But I love you. The plan’s still the plan, right? Call me later.

You’re so thankful to read his words, to know that he’s not mad, that you start typing a response. But halfway through the first sentence you remember the rules. Always ten minutes between texts. Hackers will catch quick signal bursts if the two of you aren’t careful. If other competitors know you’re teaming up, strategies will change. You want to keep the damage control to a minimum. Dinner and your parents are waiting downstairs, but you sit there in bed, the burner phone clutched to your chest, until the ten minutes pass.

you ARE my plan. I’ll call in a few hours.

You descend the marble steps. The hall is silent, except for the occasional clatter of silverware. Dividian butlers move in and out of the dining room. One holds the door open as you approach and offers a wide smile. Mother and Father are already seated at the crystalline dining table. You’re expecting to be scolded, but they both look up with smiles of their own. The table is big enough to seat thirty, but it’s just the three of you tonight. You take your seat across from Mother, who sparkles in her eveningwear. Father’s looking fine, too, in his charcoal suit.

You remember they’re attending a play tonight.

“A little late, Pippa.”

“Sorry, Father. I had an interview arranged. I wanted to watch the responses.”

He nods. “I’m certain Zeta has everything sorted out.”

“She has. All I have to do now is win.”

“That’s the easy part,” he replies with a smile.

Mother’s more sympathetic. “It’s not the easy part. It’s the hardest part, but you think like me and you ride like him. If it wasn’t illegal, I’d throw a few thousand legions down on you.”

Father offers a roguish smile. “Who says I haven’t already done just that?”

You can’t help but smile. You love it when they joke. A butler sets a plate in front of you. Flamed merepeck, encircled by roasted greens and dappled in a boiled rose sauce. It’s the first thing you’ve eaten since breakfast, and gods is it better than the rest of your day. You catch your mother winking at your father. You’ll never get tired of seeing how in love they are.

“Tell me the story of how you met again.”