Buried Beneath ch18: Reliance
Normandy, 2185, October 6th 7:12 AM
"Ready to go?" Riley says through the quiet room and causes me to look up, seeing her standing by her bed.
"Yeah," I reply, pushing myself up from the couch. "Let's do it."
I follow her towards the door, but she pauses at her desk. I raise an eyebrow at her, but she just waves me off. So I shrug and leave the room to stand by the elevator.
She steps out of the room a few seconds later. "We have a bit of time. I just need to take care of something before we leave."
I smirk at her. "Let me guess, Liara?"
She rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Vex."
I chuckle as I activate the elevator controls. "I'll take that as a yes."
Riley folds her arms and looks away. "Yeah, yeah."
The elevator arrives, and the door opens to reveal Miranda. Instantly, the atmosphere changes as our eyes meet. The look of fury on her face burns into me. What the hell is happening?
"You!" She snaps before striding forward, and I instinctively take a step back, my back pressing against the wall as she approaches. "I don't know what's gotten into you!"
My voice catches in my throat as I try to stammer a response, but she doesn't give me a chance to speak.
"But, cut it out, because I need your help," Miranda continues, her tone getting softer as she turns to Riley. "And yours, Commander."
"I'll help any way I can," Riley agrees, not even hesitating.
Miranda glances back at me. The anger in her eyes is gone, replaced with hurt and maybe a hint of desperation. What happened to her? Whatever it is, it's serious.
"Whatever you need." I nod. "I'll do it."
She keeps her eyes on mine for a moment before looking away. "Can we speak inside?"
"Sure." Riley gestures to the door.
Miranda sighs before entering. We follow her to the sitting area, where Miranda takes a seat and gestures for us to join her.
Once we do, it's just silence as we wait for her to speak. Miranda puts her hands together, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. I didn't realise something was wrong, but how could I? I've been avoiding her for days.
"I've told you both about my father," Miranda finally says. "Do you remember what I said about him... building a dynasty?" At our nods, she looks down at her hands. "There's another reason I went to Cerberus."
"Go on," Riley urges after a few quiet seconds.
Miranda takes a deep breath. "I have a sister, a twin. My father is still looking for her. Cerberus has been keeping her safe... until now."
"Until now?" I ask.
She nods, looking up at me. "She's been hidden from my father. She's had a completely normal life here on Illium."
Riley leans forward. "So, you think your father found her?"
"Precisely, Commander. My sources indicate he knows that she's on Illium." She runs a hand through her hair. "I've tried to keep her hidden without impacting her life, but I'm out of options."
I want to comfort her, but I know that's not what she needs right now. So, I'll opt for the next best thing. "How can we help?"
Miranda gives me a small smile of appreciation. "I need to relocate my sister's family before it's too late."
Riley raises an eyebrow. "Is her family aware of this?"
Miranda shakes her head. "No, they don't know anything. They're completely uninvolved. Normal."
"Then, how did you get them to agree?" Riley questions.
"I informed Cerberus," Miranda explains. "They came up with a positive reason to move the family."
Riley nods. "Okay, what do we need to do?"
"Cerberus is moving the family today, so I need to be in Nos Astra to make sure none of my father's agents gets too close." Miranda shifts slightly in her seat. "My contact's name is Lanteia. She's meeting me at the Eternity lounge near the Nos Astra docking bay this evening. She'll be expecting us by four." She quickly stands up.
"Wait." Riley glances up at her. "Why did you wait until now to tell us?"
Miranda's eyes flicker to me before falling back on Riley. "I wasn't sure if I could trust you two, but I was running out of time." Ouch. Miranda goes to leave, but stops, turning back to us. "Thank you."
As she leaves the room, Riley turns to me with a questioning look. "What was that about?"
"What do you mean?" I answer, trying to play dumb.
She crosses her arms and gives me a stern look. "Don't give me that. She seemed pretty angry with you."
"Oh, that." I rise to my feet with a stretch. "It's nothing."
Riley gives me an annoyed look. "I hope you aren't fighting again."
"It's not like that." I shrug.
"All right then." She stands, heading up the stairs. She pauses by the door. "I'm meeting up with Liara. Try to be useful today."
"On it," I agree.
Once she leaves, I collapse back onto the couch. I didn't even stop to think how avoiding Miranda would affect her. I'm such an idiot.
Normandy, 2185, October 6th 1:21 PM
The mess hall is empty and I'm almost done cleaning. I'll consider that a job well done. I finish the last plate and set it down. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot Gardner, who's leaning against the countertop.
"Gardner," I announce, gaining his attention. "I'm done."
"Oh, already?" He scans the kitchen with a nod. "Well, thanks for the help, Vex."
I wave a hand. "Don't mention it, I-" Movement catches my eye, and I look over to see Miranda heading for her office. "I'll be going now."
Gardner shrugs. "No problem."
Dashing across the room, I intercept her. "Miranda, wait."
She pauses, looking me over with an irritated look. "Oh, so now you want to talk to me?"
"It's not like that." I don't know what I'm supposed to say to her.
"Like what, Vex?" She sighs, her hand on her hip. "I thought we were-I don't know. Not quite friends, but something more." She thought that?
I take a step forward. "We were-"
"I don't have time for this now, I have too much on my mind." She brushes past me, stopping by her office door. "Just be ready. This is important to me."
I nod. "I will be."
She disappears into her office, leaving me standing alone in the hallway. I need to find a way to make things right with her, and I suppose helping her relocate her sister would be a good start.
Nos Astra, 2185, October 6th 3:36 PM
It seems Miranda booked a private room for this meeting, which makes sense given the circumstances. Inside, an asari, Lanteia, leans against the back wall. As we enter, she straightens up quickly, smoothing out the creases in her dress.
"Miss Lawson," Lanteia greets. "I'm glad you made it. We've had a complication."
Miranda immediately seems concerned. "What happened? Is Oriana all right?" Oriana? She never told us her name.
Lanteia nods. "She's fine." Miranda relaxes. "But... you listed a man named Niket as your trusted source?" Who's Niket?
"I did." Miranda places a hand on her hip.
Lanteia continues, "He contacted me, warning me that your father has sent some Eclipse mercenaries to make a sweep." Why is this the first I'm hearing about him?
Miranda hums. "What else?"
"He suggested that the mercs might be watching for you personally. He's offered to escort Oriana's family to the terminal instead," Lanteia explains. Whoever he is, Miranda obviously trusts him a lot.
"Who's Niket?" I blurt out, quickly covering my mouth. Why don't I know when to shut up?
Miranda turns to me, her eyes narrowing. "He's a friend. He and I go back a long way." Just her friend?
Riley steps forward. "You should have told us about him ahead of time."
Lanteia clears her throat, drawing Miranda's attention back. "Do you want to bring in any of your other Illium contacts, Miss Lawson?"
"No. You and Niket are the only two I trust on this." She glances over at Riley and me. "Besides the Commander and Vex."
Riley puts her hands behind her back. "This is your operation, Miranda. How do you want us to proceed?"
Miranda takes a deep breath. "Lanteia, we'll follow Niket's suggestion. My squad and I will take the skycar and draw their attention."
Lanteia nods. "Understood, Miss Lawson." She excuses herself and hurries out of the room.
"So," I begin, raising an eyebrow. "You want us to get shot down by Eclipse?"
"No." Miranda turns to me. "They won't do that. They won't risk anything that could kill us."
Riley crosses her arms. "Do you want one of us to go with Niket?"
"Niket can take care of himself," Miranda insists. "Besides, any armed backup just draws attention to him."
"Okay." Riley gestures to the door. "Ready when you are."
"Thank you. I appreciate this." Miranda leads the way, and we follow her out the door.
Nos Astra, 2185, October 6th 4:42 PM
Arguably, the back seat of a skycar isn't the best place to be while flying towards possible death. Not that I had much of a choice when Riley called shotgun and Miranda insisted on driving.
"Damn it," Miranda exclaims, her knuckles turning white as she grips the wheel. "Eclipse gunships. They're dropping troops in the cargo areas."
Riley points out the windshield. "Take us down to that cover behind them."
Miranda nods. "Let's hope they really do want to take us alive." She starts to lower the skycar when the mercs open fire.
"I'll take that as a no," I mutter, gripping the seat in front of me as I prepare for impact.
The firing stops, but it's too late. The skycar has already taken too much damage and starts to spiral. Miranda's quick thinking steadies the skycar just enough to crash-land with minimal damage, though the impact still knocks us back and forth. I taste blood, I think I bit my tongue.
We exit the skycar, dusting ourselves off. Ahead, a vanguard with bright tech armour steps forward with two other members. According to my visor, there are eight mercs behind him. Let's hope we can avoid getting shot.
"Since you're not firing yet, I trust you know who I am," Miranda says as she strides forward, stopping just a few feet from the mercs.
"Yeah," the vanguard replies. "They said you'd be in the car. You're the bitch that kidnapped our boss' little girl." That's uncalled for.
"Kidnapped?" Miranda raises an eyebrow. "This doesn't involve you. I suggest you take your men and go."
"Think you've got it all lined up, huh?" He steps closer, scoffing. "Captain Enyala's already moving in on the kid. She knows about Niket. He won't be helping you." So much for Niket's hel-wait, the what?
"Kid?" I ask.
"Miranda." Riley glances at her. "You said she was your twin."
"That what she told you?" The vanguard laughs harshly. "No, this crazy bitch kidnapped our boss' baby daughter. He's been looking for her for more than a decade."
"It's complicated." Miranda turns to us with pleading eyes. "We share the same DNA, just not the same birthday."
The vanguard sneers. "You took a baby from the richest guy in the galaxy, lady. I don't know what your damage is, but you're not getting away with it."
"You're wrong," I step forward. "You're not getting her sister, so you may as well piss off."
Miranda gives me a small, appreciative smile, but the vanguard doesn't seem impressed.
He crosses his arms. "This whole time we've been talking, my men have been lining up shots." He steps forward, getting close to us. "When I say the word, we unleash hell on your squad. So I suggest you walk away nicely unless-"
Riley moves quickly, jabbing him in the throat before grabbing him and snapping his neck. Okay, fuck yeah. Looks like we're going all in.
I pull out my carnifex and scan the area. I spot a crane carrying a tank above the mercs in the back. I start shooting at it as Miranda takes down one of the mercs in front. Riley picks up the vanguard's weapon, taking out the other.
The crane gives out, and the tank drops. We dive behind cover as the explosion sends the mercs flying.
I peek out from behind a shipping container, spotting one last merc still alive. Stepping out, I fire two shots, taking him down before he can react.
"Come on!" Miranda shouts, already moving. "We need to get to Niket."
We head across the cargo area, turning towards the elevator. A merc jumps out from behind a truck, but we're quick to take him out.
Riley reaches the elevator first. "I got it."
"Hang on," Miranda urges, kneeling by the dead merc. "I've got one of their radios. I'll patch us in, see if I can get an idea of what we're up against." She stands up, glancing between us. "Before we go, I think I owe you both an explanation."
"Yeah," I agree. "What was up with that?"
"Oriana is my twin, genetically. But my father... he grew her when I was a teenager." Miranda steps forward, taking a deep breath. "She was meant to replace me. I couldn't let my father do to her what he did to me. So I rescued her. She'll be 19 this year."
Riley folds her arms. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"It didn't seem relevant at the time." Miranda looks down. "There are people who'd use her against me. I'm very protective when it comes to Oriana."
"And you didn't trust us?" I ask.
"That's right, I didn't." She meets my eyes. "But, I wish I did." Okay, I don't want to focus on this anymore.
I nod, stepping towards the elevator. "We should go. I know Eclipse, it won't be long before they get to her."
Miranda hurries up behind me. "Agreed, but I'm a bit worried about what the merc said. If they've got to Niket somehow, this is going to be harder than I'd planned."
Riley opens the elevator. "What's the plan?"
As we enter the elevator, Miranda immediately turns to us. "We'll be moving through conveyor systems. There'll be a lot of movement," she explains. "Finding targets won't be easy. We'll need to stay sharp. And these cargo transports carry hazardous materials, so watch what you shoot at."
I cross my arms. "And you're sure Niket can be trusted?" Because I sure don't think so.
"Absolutely," Miranda reassures me. "Niket is one of my oldest friends. I guess you could say he was my only real friend. He's the only person I didn't cut ties with when I left my father." Yeah, I still don't trust him.
"Could your father be using him?" Riley asks. At least she's on my side.
"I'm sure he's tried, but Niket's one of the few people who understands what my father is really like. I trusted him with my life when I ran from my father." She pauses, looking thoughtful. "He won't betray me now."
Riley nods. "Okay."
The elevator opens, and we step out, walking through a maze of shipping containers. Eventually, we find our way to a conveyor line.
"They're on the far side of the conveyor line. Time your shots!" Miranda calls, heading for cover.
Quickly, we take cover behind crates. Boxes come through the conveyor line every few seconds, not giving us much time to aim. Well, not me, it's more than enough time.
Aiming, I manage to time my shots correctly, taking out enemies between the cargo. Eclipse seems to be having more trouble, making this an easy fight.
Just as the last merc falls, a voice comes through our comms. "This is Enyala! Keep that bitch back! Niket is nearing the transport terminal!" She's mentioning Niket? That seems suspicious.
Miranda hurries out of cover. "We need to move. Now."
Nos Astra, 2185, October 6th 6:13 PM
We manage to fight our way through most of the area, almost getting stopped by Eclipse and their stupid rockets. And knowing Eclipse, there's more to come.
"Divert everyone except my guard from Niket," Enyala orders over the comms. "I'll handle him and the kid personally."
"Damn it!" Miranda yells. "I'm not letting her get Oriana."
Rolling my eyes, I take out one of the last mercs in our current firefight. "Miranda, stay focused!"
We finish off the last of them, and Miranda immediately takes the lead, guiding us through more shipping containers. I don't know about Riley, but I'm worried about her. She's acting irrationally, which is something I'm not used to seeing from her.
As we step out near another conveyor belt, a rocket comes flying towards us. It hits a short fence, blowing it apart. I get behind a truck for cover, I know who my first target is.
Aiming down my scope, I catch sight of the merc with the rocket launcher. I take a deep breath and pull the trigger. Got him. I get back to reload, watching as Miranda lifts one of the mercs with her biotics and throws them into another. Not bad.
The mercs thin out, allowing us to cross the conveyor belt. We take out the last of them and continue through the area, eventually seeing the next elevator in the distance.
EDI's voice comes through our comms. "Eclipse operatives have attempted to delay you by disabling the elevators," EDI explains. "I am overriding their lockdown."
We wait by the elevator as Miranda taps her foot impatiently.
Enyala comes through the comms again. "Niket has reached the terminal." Miranda pauses her tapping. "He'll switch the family over to our transport."
"Niket?" Miranda questions as the elevator door opens. "But-that can't be right."
We step into the elevator, and Riley approaches the controls, activating them.
I lean against the wall, glancing at Miranda. "You okay?"
She nods. "Maybe the captain knows we're listening in and she's feeding misinformation about Niket making a switch. Or maybe it means something else. Niket wouldn't do that." She's in denial.
I sigh, taking a step forward. "Miranda-"
"Damn it!" Miranda activates her omni-tool, pressing it onto the controls. "Why won't this thing go any faster?" She shocks the controls. Okay, that's it.
"Miranda!" I grab her shoulders, turning her to face me. One look at her surprised face causes me to let go. I feel bad, but she needs to hear it. "Why are you looking for explanations when the answer is right in front of you? Niket betrayed you."
"I'm sure my father tried to buy him off." She glares at me. "If he didn't betray me then, why would he now?"
I sigh in frustration. "Look-"
"Vex," Riley interrupts, giving me a look that says 'let me try.'
I know she's right. Miranda will listen to her. I take a step back. "Okay."
Riley crosses her arms, gaining Miranda's attention. "Did Niket know the whole story? Does he know what you did?"
She shakes her head. "No, he just found out about that recently. It was too personal to involve someone else." She looks away. "I never really thought about it, but maybe-no." She turns back, trying to regain her composure. "He'd have to understand why I did it. He knows what I went through."
"He's your friend, Miranda." I shrug. "I hope you're right."
She glances at me. "I am. He wouldn't do this." How can she be so blind? She might think she has an excellent judge of character, but she doesn't, not right now.
Once the elevator opens, we're met with an asari in Eclipse armour sitting on a crate. Enyala, no doubt. Beside her stands another asari holding a datapad, and a man with brown hair and a beard. So, this must be Niket.
They all turn to us, Niket squinting at Miranda. "Miri?"
"This should be fun," Enyala remarks, jumping off the crate and holding up a shotgun.
We all draw our weapons in response, and I notice all the Eclipse mercenaries in the area aiming at us. The asari with the datapad, who appears to be a normal worker, panics and starts running away. Enyala turns, gunning her down. That's unnecessary.
"Niket. You sold me out!" Miranda takes a deep breath, calming herself down. "Why, Niket? You were my friend. You helped me get away from my father."
Niket steps forward. "Yes! Because you wanted to leave. That was your choice! But if I'd known that you'd stolen a baby-"
"I didn't steal her! I rescued her!" Miranda interjects. I've never seen her so emotional before.
"From a life of wealth and happiness?" Niket argues. "You weren't saving her! You were getting back at your father!"
I cross my arms. "Why are you so sure?"
"They told me she kidnapped her baby sister, all those years ago. They said I could help get her back peacefully. No trauma to the family." He gestures to Miranda. "I told them you'd never do that. That they could go to hell. Then you finally told me what you'd done. I called them back that night."
Miranda sighs. "Why didn't you call me, Niket? We've been through a lot. You could've at least let me explain."
"I deserved to know that you'd stolen your sister, Miri." Niket points at her. "I deserved to know you were with Cerberus. But I had to hear it from your father first."
"I don't buy it," I cut in, narrowing my eyes at Niket. Something doesn't add up. Why wouldn't he hear her out? "How much were you paid?"
He stares at me for a moment before lowering his head. "A great deal." I knew it.
"Damn it, Niket!" Miranda shouts. "You were the only one I trusted from that life."
He looks up at Miranda. "He knew you felt that way. That's why he bought me."
"So you just took his credits," she states, stepping back.
Niket scoffs. "Don't get holy with me, Miri. You took his credits for years."
Riley glances at Miranda. "Your father knows about Oriana now. We need a new solution."
Niket shakes his head. "Miranda's father has no information about Oriana. I knew you had spy programs in your father's systems, Miri, so I kept it private. I'm the only one who knows."
"Which means that you're the only loose end." Miranda points her pistol at him. "This isn't how I wanted it to end, Niket." I can't let her do it. "I'm going to miss you-"
Before Miranda can pull the trigger, I grab her arm and force the gun into the air. "Miranda, stop!"
Her eyes snap to mine. "Vex, this has to end here." She struggles against my grip, but I keep her arm still. "My father will keep trying to find Oriana."
"You don't just throw people away," I argue. "You know you'll regret it."
"She's right, Miranda," Riley adds. "Maybe there's another way. Maybe Niket can talk to your father, tell him we got here first."
"I'll-I'll tell him you hid her," Niket agrees. "That I don't know where she is."
"Okay." Miranda breaks eye contact with me, facing Niket as I release her arm. "I never want to see you again, Nik-"
A blast goes off, and Niket falls to the ground. Enyala stands beside him, shotgun raised, a proud grin on her face. "Done."
Miranda lifts Enyala off the ground. "You'll die for that, bitch!" She throws Enyala to the other side of the area and all Eclipse members start shooting at us, forcing us to scatter for cover.
Riley fires at some of the mercs. "Enyala is the top priority, she's dangerous!"
"No arguments there, Riles." I activate my invisibility, quickly darting to new cover. Peering around the crate, I take aim and snipe one of the Eclipse mercs. As I pull my face away from the scope, I see Enyala coming up the side, trying to flank us. "She's on the left side."
Miranda reacts, throwing some biotic bullshit at Enyala, but she deflects it, still coming towards us.
Still invisible, I get past Enyala, taking a shot at her back. The round breaks through her barrier, hitting her. She stumbles forward, giving Miranda an opening to unleash another biotic attack.
Enyala is knocked back, no longer moving. I rush back to cover, deactivating my cloak with a satisfied smile. That bitch deserved it.
The remaining Eclipse don't take long to deal with, allowing us a moment to breathe. Miranda immediately approaches Niket's body, silently taking a moment to say goodbye.
"It's clear, let's move," Riley orders.
Miranda snaps back to reality, quickly getting up. "There could be more Eclipse mercs near the shuttle," Miranda says, catching up to us. "I want to make sure Oriana and her family get on safely."
"Noted," Riley adds, activating the elevator.
Miranda hesitates, staring at the ground. "I can't believe Niket sold me out. I didn't even see it coming." She turns away from us, looking back at Niket.
"Riles, go ahead." I meet her gaze. "We'll catch up."
Riley pauses for a moment before nodding. "Don't be long and stay safe." She enters the elevator, leaving us alone.
I place a hand on Miranda's back. "It's okay, you couldn't have known. It wasn't your fault."
She rubs at her eyes. "But I let it get personal... and I screwed up." She pulls away from me, taking a few steps before turning around. "Why didn't you let me kill him? I could have handled that. But watching him get gunned down by that asari bit-"
Closing the distance, I cut her off with a hug. "You wouldn't have been able to live with yourself. You cared about him."
Miranda sighs, leaning into the embrace as she wraps her arms around me. "You're right. And my father knew it. He used that against me."
I hold her tighter. "I know."
"It's always been like this. My father gave me anything I ever wanted," she murmurs, resting her head against my shoulder. "But there was always a hook, an angle for his long-term plan. I threw away everything he ever gave me when I ran. Except for Niket. Weakness on my part."
I shake my head gently. "It's not weak to care about something."
Reluctantly, she releases me, pulling away. "I-I know."
"Besides," I start with a smile. "You saved Oriana. You still have her."
"My father didn't give her to me. I rescued her." She pauses, returning the smile. "But, yes. You're right. I still have something. Thank you."
Nos Astra, 2185, October 6th 8:21 PM
"No sign of Eclipse. It looks like we're clear," Miranda states as we step through the door to the transportation area.
We split up with Riley to cover more ground. So, I have no idea where she is right now.
I nod. "Yeah, let's get out of here." Glancing across the area, I spot a girl who could easily pass as a young Miranda, standing with two other people. She must be Oriana.
"There she is," Miranda says, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's safe... with her family." She looks down briefly before turning around. "Come on. We should find the Commander."
I cross my arms. "Miranda, just go over there." She clearly wants to.
"Vex, I can't just... do that." She shakes her head. "No, I have to do what's right for her, she deserves a normal life. The less she knows about me, the better."
I shrug. "I think you should. It would be good for both of you."
Miranda sighs. "Vex-"
"No, listen to me for once." I step behind her and place my hands on her shoulders, turning her towards Oriana. "Would it really be so bad for her to know about you? You're her sister, you love her. I don't think that's such a bad thing."
Miranda reaches up and puts a hand over mine as she glances at Oriana. "I guess not."
I can't help but smile. "Go talk to her. I'll find Riley and meet you back on the ship."
She turns around, cupping my face in her hands, her thumb tracing gentle circles on my cheek. Without a word, she leans in, her lips meeting mine in a simple kiss. It's as if she's trying to say something that words can't quite express.
For a moment, I'm lost in the feeling of her lips against mine, the warmth of her touch. And then, just as suddenly as it began, she pulls away.
Miranda smiles before turning her attention back to Oriana. She takes a step forward, pausing briefly to take a deep breath. Steeling herself, she strides over to them.
I smile as I watch her approach. Oriana's parents see her coming, looking utterly shocked. Turning around, I start walking out of the transport area. It's time to go see where Riley wandered off to.
Normandy, 2185, October 6th, 10:16 PM
The elevator door opens on the crew deck, revealing Riley just standing there. I give her a curious glance. "Hey, Riles."
"Heading up?" she asks. "Sorry if I stopped the elevator on you."
Shrugging, I step out. "Nah, I was just going to check up on Miranda."
Riley nods. "I was just talking to her."
I raise an eyebrow. "Oh, yeah?"
"She's doing better," Riley says with a smile. "You must have said the right thing to her."
I rub the back of my neck awkwardly. "I don't know about that."
"Well, I'm heading to bed." Riley steps into the elevator. "Don't be too long."
"I won't," I assure her with a wave.
I watch as the door closes between us before making my way to Miranda's office. Taking a deep breath, I knock on her door. Riley said she was doing better, but I want to check for myself. It's been a big day for her. She lost Niket, but at least she can have a relationship with Oriana now.
"Who is it?" Miranda's voice calls from inside.
"Your favourite person." I smirk to myself.
"Okay," she replies. "Come in, Jack."
I scoff as the door opens. Stepping inside, I notice Miranda is sitting by the window. "Very funny."
"I thought you'd like that." She stands up, walking over to me.
"How do you feel?" I ask, studying her face for any hint of something being wrong.
Miranda smiles at me. "Much better now that Oriana's safe." She crosses her arms, her expression turning serious. "Look Vex, I-thank you. You were right to stop me from-you were right."
Reaching out, I place a hand on her forearm. "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, it won't happen again. You can count on me. I'm here for you."
She glances down at my hand and then meets my eyes. "I know." She leans forward, pressing her lips gently to mine once more. "Thank you."
Thank you for reading.