Page 50 of Love, Nemesis
“She kept to herself when she joined the Numbers. We all thought maybe she and Jasper were something. There were a couple of others in their group. Diane, she’s an Hour now, out on the border, and then Rule. He was part of the State’s science division. They were always together.”
“Anything with either of them?” Lethe continued to prod.
“You mean Rule?” Cal asked.
“Sure. Or the other one.”
“Diane? Diane’s a woman,” Cal said, staring at Lethe as if confused by the question.
“You have a lot to learn, kid,” Lethe said, exasperated. “Either of them?”
Cal tilted his head. “Not that I know of, I guess. We really thought she and Jasper would get married or something, but no.”
“You really know a lot about this. Marriage big in the State too, I take it? People in En Sanctus can’t seem to get enough of it. Got to find something else to do without a war going on.”
“Everyone talks about the Numbers,” Cal said before he dropped the leaf on his stomach and reached for another one. “Mainly Hours and what they’re doing, but Ana’s situation two years ago at Dal Hull made her kind of popular for a while.” He proceeded to share the details freely.
“I see,” Lethe muttered. “So, one of the Numbers’ most accomplished Hours dies from doing sloppy work on a high-level mission because he doesn’t activate his Atlas in time and gets crushed in a mine. That doesn’t sound suspicious at all to you?”
“Why are you so curious about—”
“This isn’t a mission, this is death march, and there is no way Ana likes that Jasper is along for it,” Lethe mumbled. “Blood in the water between those two.Finally,” he groaned. “Found it!”
He’d been trying to poke holes in their dynamic for days.
Something about their relationship was completely fabricated despite how close they appeared. Jasper could be a name-brand Statesman, clearly compensating for his Mystic heritage—and that hair.
That’s not real either,he thought. Ana and Jasper were both playing make-believe and it irked him to his core. Ana was trying to keep the peace but—bah, peace.
“I hate it.” He voiced the rest of his thought out loud.
“What are you mumbling about?” Cal asked. “It sounds like a lot of guesswork.”
“Instinct,” Lethe whispered and then let the statement rest for a moment. “I like you, Cal. No secrets.”
“Thanks. I guess. Should that have been a secret?” Cal asked, honestly.
Lethe hesitated, watching Jasper and Ana engage in a conversation near their horses that seemed like it would last several more minutes.
All right, maybe Evira isn’t completely wrong. A little fun won’t hurt anyone,he thought.Even Manaj had to understand. Cal was such an easy target.
“Hmm…I think I’m in love,” Lethe said.
Cal dropped the leaf on his lap. He looked over at Lethe as if unsure about what he’d heard, and what response to give.
“You’re in love? You don’t even know her.”
“Yep,” Lethe said flatly.
The boy kept stumbling over the idea. “She doesn’t even like you, right? I’m pretty sure she really dislikes you.”
“I’m convinced,” Lethe said, eyes narrowing.
Cal continued to watch him as if analyzing him. “Do—” he started and then stopped as if thinking better of his question. “I mean do Riders, I guess…love people like normal?”
Lethe smirked. “What do you mean?”
Cal still stared, seeming uncertain how to explain his next point. His mouth hung slightly agape, like he was waiting for Lethe to reveal suddenly that he was joking. Cal sat up. “I mean…” he scratched his head. “Do you want to bring her flowers or something or…”
