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turning back to Lolita.
    The other woman's face was pale, her jaw hanging open. And no wonder–what Ingrid had just done should be impossible.
    "That's... amazing," Lolita breathed.
    "The others who were stung died. Why did I survive?"
    Lolita stretched out her hands, slowly as though she didn't dare actually touch Ingrid, but her fingers closed around Ingrid's, cool and calming. "Probably because you already have magic and it wasn't suddenly and violently thrust into your system."
    Ingrid nodded. That made sense. She felt like she could do anything–destroy a star, create a planet. She was a goddess in her own skin, and if Lolita hadn't been right there, holding her hands, it would have terrified her.
    Her dream came to her mind and she shivered. It had just been hallucinations caused by the venom. And yet, there had been bits and pieces that were from real life. It had all felt so bizarrely real, even as she remembered that the necklace Edan actually gave her did feel a little too snug. She let out a shuddering breath, and shivered again when Lolita stepped away from her.
    Ingrid opened her mouth, to tell her former lover the dream, but Lolita spoke before she did.
    "I know your hunting trip didn't go as you had hoped, but while you were gone, I found an abandoned freighter in orbit. There wasn't any atmosphere onboard, but I was able to use the drones to check their cargo."
    Ingrid's brow furrowed. "What was it carrying?"
    "They were a poaching vessel. There was a good ten tones of manticore venom onboard. I'm sure somebody is going to come looking for it, but I only took a couple gallon's worth." Lolita strode across the room and held out a small vial. It glowed green.
    "Why? I thought that you said…" Ingrid let herself trail off. Was Lolita really suggesting what she thought she was suggesting?
    Lolita winced and put the vial back. "I know what I said, Ingrid. And I can't say that I changed my mind, really. I still think it's suicide to go after Jorgenson, but I did make a promise. I'm going to help you take him down, no matter what it takes."
    "Lolita—"
    "Let me finish. I won't say anything else on the matter. You loved Edan, and you're right. Somebody has to avenge him. It might as well be us. With our position when it comes to Earth government, Harper can say we were acting alone, and the economy of Earth won't be harmed. Not that it would anyway, seeing as it's an empire that controls the system, but…" Lolita shook her head and laughed. "Listen to me babbling on. The point is, I made a promise, and I'm going to keep my word."
    Ingrid sucked her lower lip between her teeth. This wasn't exactly what she had been hoping for when she saw it was Lolita who had rescued her. Could she really use the venom to go after Jorgenson, now that she knew how cruelly it was harvested?
    But revenge was her reason for living. Wasn't it? What would she do if she gave it up?
    She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell Lolita she had changed her mind about going after Jorgenson, but had she really? Or was she just feeling the aftereffects of being on that planet with those poachers? In a few days would she change her mind again?
    "Thank you," she managed to force out.
    Lolita nodded and turned away quickly, going to the pilot's chair. "I'm setting in coordinates to get us to Jorgenson's region of space. I hope you have a plan to get us inside."
    "We can say we're selling manticore venom." Ingrid wandered over to her. But not too close. "How long before we arrive?"
    "Three days."
    Three days. Ingrid took the co-pilot's chair, nodding. Three days was plenty of time to decide what she really wanted to do.

Chapter Nine
     
     
    The vast stretch of space between Neptune and Pluto seemed emptier than any of the other empty spots in the system. Perhaps it was because they were so far from the sun that it was only a bright ball, looking small enough that Ingrid could cup it in her hand.
    That was the worst part