16 Nylah
16-âIâm this close to killing youâTo Eylandrielâs credit, her eyes donât even widen when Nihya pulls the revolver on her.
She doesnât blink when she pushes it against her head, and she doesnât make a peep when Nihya pulls the hammer back.
She doesnât even glare, just looking up into those eyes sheâd fallen in love with so long ago and smiling that irritating little half-smile of hers.
âYes, dear? What is it?â She asks, leaning back in her chair, and Nihyaâs hand shakes, just a bit.
âI,,, Iâve been doing some thinking.â Nihya says, a barely-perceptible quaver in her voice giving away her nerves. âAnd the way I see it, I donât need you anymore.â
Eyla raises an eyebrow, at that, and Nihya swallows.
âYou... you do your work through proxies and dead drops. Always have. And weâre both half-elvish, even people who think they know you wonât know the difference.ââI see.â Eyla says, tilting her head slightly, her grin widening as Nihyaâs gun follows her movement. âYou could impersonate me, sure... Let the legend of the Traitorous Spy die, retire quietly...â She leans forward suddenly, and Nihyaâs gun moves smoothly back, never giving her space. âBut why would you bother?â
âYou...â Nihya shakes her head, glaring. âYou keep getting in my way. The bodyguard, and your machinations, and...â
She pauses, and Eyla smiles.
âAnd being unable to get me out of your head isnât helping, is it?â
Nihya flinches, as viciously as if sheâd pulled a knife on her, and she gives a rough shake of her head. âShut up! Just... be quiet, for Bahumatâs sake. Do you have any idea how close I am to killing you?â
Eyla shakes her head, still smiling warmly.
âNihya, love...â She starts, leaning forward. The gun doesnât move this time, but she doesnât care, just gently taking hold of Nihyaâs hand and kissing between her knuckles. âIâm acutely aware of how much you want to pull that trigger.âNihyaâs hand shakes in hers, and she gently tugs at it, pulling Nihya into her lap and pressing a soft kiss to her neck, a hand reaching up to gently rest on the fastenings of her prosthetic.
Nihya nods, near imperceptibly, and Eyla detaches it, laying the heavy metal arm on the ground and gently massaging Nihyaâs shoulder.
âWe canât.â Nihya says, pulling back... and Eyla shakes her head.Â
âOne kiss, for old timeâs sake?â She whispers, leaning in... and Nihya gives in, nearly bowling them both over with how hard, how hungrily she kisses her.
And they donât stop at one... not that either of them had really expected to.
/
Eventually, Nihya makes her way back to the bar, visibly refreshed, if a bit disheveled.
Ezri gives her a quizzical look at the changed clothes, but says nothing, and Gladness just wordlessly sets out some food for her.
In the morning, she was just thankful that no one had seemed to notice...
But then she looked in the mirror and finally spotted the fruits of Eylaâs labor all over her neck, she let out a stream of curses loud enough to wake everyone in the rung.
And, several rungs away, Eyla smiles.















