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Fade had never been particularly fond of group training sessions. She found them too loud, too exhausting. Still, she couldn’t deny the positive effects they had on her body.
She had always been thinner than she was fit. As a bounty hunter, she had relied far more on her abilities with the Nightmare than on hand-to-hand combat. That choice had led to many nights spent stitching her own wounds, desperately trying to convince herself that things could have been worse.
Now that her physique was becoming more defined, she couldn’t deny that the extra effort was worth it.
Fade paused to take a sip of water while Astra took her place in the sparring match against Harbor. The two of them exchanged punches and kicks so fast that Fade felt her throat go dry again just from watching.
A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth — so subtle that only someone who knew her well would notice.
Then her chest tightened sharply, as if a string had been tied around her heart and yanked hard. A heavy wave of apprehension washed over her, almost anguish. She didn’t need even a second to recognize whose feelings those were.
She turned quickly and spotted Neon. She had been training with Jett since joining the session. They were farther away, so Fade couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Neon’s posture told her everything — things were about to go from bad to worse.
Neon’s lips moved, and Fade imagined it was a Tagalog curse. Her eyes were fixed forward as Reyna approached with sharp, confident strides, carrying herself like she owned the place.
A bitter taste filled Fade’s mouth at the sight of Reyna walking straight up to Neon, ignoring Jett’s attempt to protest. Reyna silenced her with a casual wave of her hand.
Fade couldn’t hear them, but she didn’t need to. The way Neon’s shoulders grew tense, the way that heavy feeling pressed even harder against her own chest — she already knew exactly what was happening. Small sparks danced across Neon’s body.
She didn’t need words to know what Reyna wanted. She was pushing again about the suppressor, trying once more to convince Neon to remove it. To stop holding back her power, despite Neon’s countless refusals.
Neon held Reyna’s gaze for a second before her lips formed another refusal. Reyna’s smile faded, replaced by a cold look of disappointment, as if she were dealing with a stubborn child.
Reyna spoke one last time, and the apprehension in Fade’s chest became unbearable. A knot formed in her throat and her breathing faltered.
Neon’s gaze dropped to the floor, as if something suddenly fascinating had appeared on the concrete.
Reyna walked away toward Gekko, her smile returning like she hadn’t just dropped a crushing weight onto Neon’s shoulders.
Fade and Neon usually stayed out of each other’s conflicts, but this was too much. She was fiercely protective of her girlfriend — and resentful enough to act.
Reyna took one step, then another. On the third, she tripped with a loud, surprised gasp, drawing the attention of several agents. Thankfully her reflexes were sharp and she recovered quickly, avoiding a fall. When she looked down, thin tendrils of Nightmare energy — black and red — were wrapped tightly around her ankles.
Reyna lifted her head, eyes burning with frustration as they found Fade.
Their gazes met. Fade held it without blinking.
She wasn’t afraid of Reyna. She didn’t flinch under that hard stare. Fade knew her own expression was just as cold, and that many curious, tense eyes were now on them, waiting to see if this would escalate.
But Fade had control over her emotions. She could burn with anger at how Reyna had treated Neon, but she wouldn’t cross that line.
Not because she feared Reyna, and certainly not because she doubted she could win — but because she knew Neon would hate it. For her sake alone, Fade pulled her claws back.
She released Reyna from her power and turned back toward Astra and Harbor, determined to vent her irritation into something useful.
—
The book was nearly finished. Fade had devoured it in just a few days. Cypher would certainly be thrilled to hear that she had enjoyed his recommendation.
The door to her room opened and closed quickly. She didn’t lift her eyes from the pages, already knowing who it was. Besides her, only one other person in the Protocol had the code to her room.
And, as expected, she caught a glimpse of blue and yellow hair as Neon climbed onto the bed beside her. The younger woman buried her face in the curve of Fade’s neck and wrapped an arm around her waist. Fade shifted slightly, sliding one arm around Neon’s shoulders and pulling her closer.
For long minutes, neither of them broke the comfortable silence. Their breathing mingled, interrupted only by the soft rustle of pages as Fade turned them.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” Neon murmured, her voice muffled against Fade’s shirt. “Reyna is just as spiteful as she is persistent. You shouldn’t have stepped on her toes.”
Fade closed the book and rested it on her stomach, shrugging lightly.
“I’m not afraid of her. I don’t care.”
“Still, Mahal…” Neon started, but when Fade looked into those mismatched eyes, filled with such intensity, she fell silent.
“She made you feel inferior,” Fade said quietly. “I felt your apprehension. She can’t think she can trample over your choices like that. If I have to use the Nightmare again, I won’t hesitate.”
“She’s training me, Hazal. She wants me to get stronger…”
“There’s a ‘but’ there, isn’t there?” Fade raised an eyebrow.
Neon took a little longer to answer, sighing.
“But she doesn’t understand how important keeping the suppressor is to me. It’s suffocating how she won’t listen.”
Fade nodded and tightened her embrace, pulling Neon even closer.
“You don’t have to do what she wants,” she said, feeling slightly foolish for stating something so obvious. “You’re already strong enough, Aşkım. Reyna can take all that insistence and shove it up her—”
“Hazal!” Neon interrupted, though there was no real scolding in her voice.
She was smiling — small, but genuine. She looked into Fade’s eyes for a second before lowering her head and letting out a soft laugh.
Fade smiled at the feeling of Neon’s chest vibrating against her side. When the laughter faded, Neon rested her head on her shoulder again.
“I have to admit… it was kind of funny watching her trip over your Nightmare.”
“Anytime you need,” Fade replied in a mock-arrogant tone that made Neon giggle again.
“Hazal…” Neon whispered.
“Hm?”
“Thank you… I was… really happy you defended me.”
Fade lifted Neon’s face gently with one hand and kissed her tenderly. She felt her girlfriend relax against her.
“Always, Aşkım.”