Redsand Canyon I can hook a trailer on a two-inch hitch

Well, fuck. She caught his tone immediately and stiffened a little again without really realizing it. What was going on that had him responding that way to the joke?

He deflected. Her expression narrowed a little as she visibly considered not letting him out of the explanation. Then she sighed and leaned lightly, pressing her shoulder to his.

Nothing gets past you, does it? Why the fuck did you have to end up smart? Fennec smiled, but it faded as soon as she started to try and put the words together. She still wasn’t sure what she should and shouldn’t tell him.

I’m not a fan of not knowing things. And right now there’s a lot I don’t know. A lot the Imperator isn’t saying. She gave her usual dry huff of laughter, and for some reason the thought she had next reminded her of her mom. I’m not sure why I expected differently, marrying the most emotionally constipated man this side of the mountains at least. But it would be nice if, at some point, someone I married could trust me at least a little.

She paused for a moment, then let out a soft breath. Sorry. As tempted as she had been a number of times, and as honest as she’d been during certain conversations, Fennec really didn’t like speaking negatively of his dad in front of him. The compounding was just the biggest part of the problem. It was too hard not to see the patterns with what was happening.