Kel raised a brow. “Are you expecting more drop-bys?”
Dira merely shook her head and turned back to the nearest screen. An ad interrupted the race rerun, full of scripted smiles and vignetted montages. The camera panned to a woman in a black uniform. Her dark hair was bound in a tight bun and her olive skin was eerily flawless.
“Here at the Cendorian Defense Force, we look to the future. Join our research teams, phoenix wranglers, isle ambassadors, or even our sponsored CAPR crews, as we partner with Cendor University and Cristo Industries to fly our nation into its brightest tomorrow.”
As the ad faded to black, bitterness filled Kel’s mouth. Herfather had taught her to loathe the Cendorian government before she could walk. Though she believed in the necessity of phoenix collars, she also knew that most phoenixes were removed from their natural habitat, destroying their chances of reproduction. The government would cage every phoenix in Cendor for CAPR if they could. They’d offered her father dozens of jobs over the years, but he’d never once aligned himself with the council or their allies, like Cristo Industries.
Kel’s focus broke as a creak sounded at her back. Dira’s gaze shifted to the front door, and Kel swiveled.
Coup and his brother, Bekn, paused inside the entrance, the soft dusk light framing their silhouettes. Bekn had changed out of his crew uniform, sporting a gray tee and black trousers. Russet-brown curls a few shades darker than Coup’s fell across his forehead, and his brown eyes scanned the inn. Coup still wore his riding leathers. The gear was half-shrugged off, hanging loose around his waist, revealing a plain black shirt. A smirk pulled up Kel’s lips as she spotted the purple-and-black bruise swelling Coup’s right eye, presumably from one of his disgruntled teammates.
Kel’s smirk vanished as Coup turned toward her and waggled his fingers. He meandered over to their table with Bekn close behind.
“Happy to see me, Varra?” Coup asked, drawing out each syllable.
It wasn’t strange for the brothers to frequent The Ferret. Still, this was thelastthing Kel needed tonight.
She looked pointedly at Coup’s bruised eye. “I hope whoever gave you that made it hurt.”
Coup waved a hand. “Barely felt it.”
“The Star Chasers are lucky we’re not seeking legal recompense for the injury,” Bekn said, inching forward, creating a slight barrier between Kel and Coup.
Dira, Kel and Coup all snorted. Cendor’s council was more likely to implode than to care about punishing violence.
Bekn shook his head. The mitigator was perhaps an inch shorter than his younger brother, with a longer face and lankier build. Still, the family resemblance was strong enough that the media adored them both.
“What are you doing here?” Kel demanded.
Coup’s grin widened.
Dira scrunched her nose. “Okay, don’t bite my head off… but after you took Sav home from the track, I started chatting with Bekn. Turns out, they’re in need of a new team, and—”
Kel interrupted with a barked laugh. She swiveled to face Coup. “The Star Chasers booted you?”
Coup merely pursed his lips. Kel turned to Bekn. “I assume you followed suit and quit?”
Kel knew that Bekn was an ambitious mitigator who followed Coup across teams. And as much as Kel hated to admit it, Coup was a talented rider. Some sycophantic reporters had even labeled him a “prodigy.” But he was also a spectacle, a gamble. His recklessness often attracted the wrong sort of attention, and no team would recruit him unless they were desperate. The Star Chasers were as spoiled as any sponsored team. They wouldn’t want a rider who risked their reputation, and it seemed like Coup’s luck had finally run out. Kel couldn’t believe they’d given him a shot in the first place.
Bekn regarded Kel warily, as if sizing up a phoenix.
Dira’s fingers drummed a fast rhythm against the table. “Theyneed a new team, andweare in need of a new rider. And I know we said we don’t need one, but…” Dira glanced up at Bekn. “A mitigator wouldn’t hurt our odds, either.”
Kel blinked. Her thoughts struggled to wade through disbelieving static, as heavy as the moisture coating the table.
Coup’s smile turned angelic, and something in Kel’s brain snapped.
“You’re not serious,” Kel said, staring at Dira.
Dira twirled a loose curl around her finger. “This whole conversation would’ve gone a lot smoother if Rube hadn’t just announced his departure, but either way, we need new mem—”
“Rube left? Your technician?” Bekn interrupted.
Dira raised a hand. “We’ll find a new technician. There’s plenty of scrappy inventors lurking around who’d take a shitty cut of race winnings.”
Coup inched closer to Kel’s side, his mere presence grating at her nerves.
“No!” she exploded, throwing up her hands. “No.We’re not usingWarren Coupersas a rider.” She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “The stunt he pulled today should make that obvious. One unlucky move and he’d hurt Savita as badly as he’d hurt himself—”
