Page 64 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

She pursed her lips, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "Yeah, I did, and I meant it. He's a jerk." Then she shrugged, the casualness of the gesture undermined by the intensity in her eyes. "On the other hand, maybe I should give him a fair chance. If he doesn't work for me, I can move on to someone else, right?"

Din had been devastated when Fenella chose Max over him all those years ago. Would reconnecting with her now be a gift, or a cruel reopening of old wounds?

Did he even deserve a second chance after the way he'd acted?

The truth was that it wasn't Max's call.

It was up to Fenella and Din to sort out their issues and decide how to move forward.

Back then, she had been just another human girl, someone Din shouldn't have developed any deep feelings for, but now she was an immortal female, and there weren't many of those around. Din had an advantage, so to speak, and if he was enough of an idiot to give it up because he was still too sore to accept a truce and a second chance half a century later, then he didn't deserve her.

"I'll tell you what," Max said. "I'll send the bastard a message, and if he doesn't respond, you can do it using someone else's phone." A new thought occurred to him. "I think we should get you a phone of your own and Kyra should get one too."

"That would be much appreciated. Not that I have anyone I want to call, but having a phone these days is like having a window into the world." She lifted her hand and wiggled her fingers. "All the information you want at your fingertips. I find it exhilarating." She glanced toward the group of women stillhuddled together. "What about the girls? Shouldn't they get phones? What teenager these days can survive without one?"

It was a fair point, but it also raised a security concern. "You're right. We can give them phones with no outside communication capabilities. We can't have them calling their mothers and telling them where they are."

Fenella tilted her head. "Why? You said that the Doomer who caught me was acting on his own initiative, and now that you have him in your dungeon, the girls are no longer in danger. Well, except from their own families, but that's another story." She shook her head. "Most Iranians I've met are not like that, but I guess there are enough crazy fanatics out there that kiss the ground the Mullahs walk on. Literally."

He dipped his head and whispered in her ear. "The Doomers are still looking for more of Kyra's family members. We can't let them know where they are."

Understanding dawned in Fenella's eyes. "Right. That would be bad."

"Very bad," Max agreed. "We need to keep communication locked down until we can secure the rest of the family. Then they can talk all they want."

"How are you going to do that?"

"We are going back to Iran," Max said.

Across the room, the group hug was beginning to break apart. The women were wiping away tears and attempting watery smiles. Kyra looked both emotionally wrung out and somehow lighter, as if a burden she'd been carrying had been lifted.

Her eyes found Max's across the room, and when she smiled at him, he felt the tension ease in his chest.

"You've got it so bad, Maxi boy," Fenella murmured, amusement in her voice.

Max didn't bother denying it. "Yeah, I do."

"Good for you." There was no bitterness in her tone, just a weary acceptance. "She seems like she could handle you."

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not difficult."

She snorted. "Right. Whatever."

He still didn't understand what she meant by that. He was an easygoing guy. If anything, the question was whether he could handle this highly-strung rebel who struggled to rely on anyone but herself.

Fenella's expression softened. "That's actually kind of sweet, in a pathetic sort of way."

He hadn't realized that he'd spoken out loud. "Thanks. I think."

They shared a brief smile, and he realized that their awkwardness was mostly gone. They might become friends.

"About Din," he said, returning to their earlier conversation. "Give him a chance. Everyone is an asshole sometimes, including me. Or especially me."

"We were all young. Well, you two weren't actually young, but I was. I made choices based on limited information and even more limited experience." She shrugged. "Besides, if I'd ended up with him back then, I might have missed out on all the experiences I had. I'm not sorry for picking you." She gave hima coquettish smile. "You were much more fun than Din. I hope he's loosened up during the last fifty years."

Max stifled a wince. As far as he knew, Din still had a stick up his butt.

She chuckled. "Given your expression, the answer is no, but I'm curious anyway. I'll give him a tiny little chance."

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