“I’m not leaving,” Vanessa said. “You leave. You’re interrupting.” “I don’t have time for this,” Elara said. “After I’m done, you can come back and entertain the Preceptor all you want. But right now, I need you to go.” Vanessa swung to him. “Tell her I can stay.” “I already told you to leave,” he said. Vanessa pushed from the wall. “I’m staying.” Playing for keeps. “You’re pissed off, because he doesn’t want you,” Vanessa said. And now she decided to dig a hole. “He wants a woman,” Vanessa said. “Not an iceberg.”
