Silver couldn’t refute the latter. She had spied on StoneWater. She’d even done a little industrial espionage when her family and the clan had been up for the same contract. StoneWater’s espionage had been better; it had taken her three months to work out how they’d done it—by buying a young employee of the company a beer or seven and getting the inside data on the deal.

Bears.

“Did you discover anything interesting during your hypothetical spying?” she said as she began the process of connecting the devices to the Mercant satellite. The first thing that would download after connection was a “clean sweep” virus that would return the devices to factory settings, ensuring she began with a clean slate.

“You have a lot of gray suits.” Valentin got up, began to fit in the second part of the new lock. “Light gray, dark gray, blackish gray, gray-gray, gray with fine pinstripes, gray so pale it’s nearly white . . .” A shake of his head, his hair all tumbled black strands. “I never knew there were so many types of gray before you.”

Satellite connection made, Silver watched the clean-sweep icon come on. “Gray is a very versatile shade.”

“I’m no fashion critic, Starlight. My style is ‘it’s clean, put it on.’”

And yet he had a presence that dwarfed other men’s.

“But,” he added, “when Nova saw our hypothetical spy file on you, she said you should try sapphire blue and emerald green and deep pink. She says ‘winter’ shades would suit you, whatever that means.”

He put something between his teeth as he carefully positioned part of the lock. “I’d be happy with anything other than gray,” he said from around the object. “Makes it hard to see you in the rain.”

Silver found herself responding to the sly challenge. “I’ll wear a shade of your choice . . .” She waited just long enough for him to turn toward her in open interest. “If you start wearing three-piece suits.”

Valentin’s scowl was all heavy eyebrows and dark eyes. “I do have a suit, you know. My sisters got it for me for my high school graduation.”

“Of course you have only one suit, and it’s ten years old.” He never turned up to meetings looking as if he’d made an effort. Part tactics, she thought, and part . . . because bears.

“How are my bears treating you?” he asked a minute later, his back to her once more.

It was a very broad back. Silver wondered what it would look like if he took off his T-shirt. She’d never been near anyone who was built with that much muscle. “Very well,” she said around the problematic thoughts, “but I won’t be staying here as long as my grandmother indicated.”

Chapter 12

Repeat after me: I will never trust a bear who promises to show me a good time.

—Selenka Durev to BlackEdge juveniles

VALENTIN DIDN’T REPLY at once, his attention on the handheld drill he was using to finish fastening the bolt to her door. Turning afterward, he thrust back his hair with an absent hand, said, “Can’t say I’m shocked. Ena’s protective of you, but you’re not the kind to hide away and let your elder take the risks.”

It was an astute breakdown of her nature. “I need to recover to full strength, but that should only take another day or two. After which, I’ll return to hunt down the individual who attempted to poison me.”

“You think they’ll show their hand.” Leaning back against the now fully functional door, Valentin shook his head. “Your family is known for being sneaky, yes? Cat sneaky.”

“Cat sneaky” was not a term she’d ever heard applied to the Mercants, but it was strangely apt. “Your point?”

“My point is that if I’m right about the sneaky, and your babushka is right about this being an inside job, then the coward responsible will go quiet when he or she realizes the poison failed.” His voice dropped into a deeper register. “They’ll just wait for another chance, even if it takes weeks or months. Poisoners are patient.”

Silver took in that stubbled chin, the messy hair, the corded muscle of his folded arms, and knew none of it was as important as his brain. “You’re understanding the subtleties of the attempt on my life very well for a self-confessed rowdy bear who rammed my door open.”

“Huh, fancy that.” He attempted to look innocent.

“Don’t give up your day job for the stage,” she advised.

Laughing, all teeth and a charismatic power that hit her with psychic force, he dropped the terrible act. “You going to listen to me, moyo solnyshko?”

“Since I’ve already come to the same conclusion, yes.” Silver compartmentalized the reaction she’d just had to Valentin; she’d deal with that later, when he wasn’t in front of her inciting further perplexing responses by using endearments that made no sense. She wasn’t sunshine. She was ice-cold. “I’ll have to action my hunt in a way that doesn’t nudge the poisoner into heading underground.”

It didn’t surprise her that her newly downloaded messages were devoid of any updates from her grandmother.

“Ena going it alone?”

Silver was also no longer surprised by his perceptiveness. “She’s used to bearing the weight alone.” None of Ena’s three children had the drive or the ability to steer the family.

“Zoya was like that,” Valentin said. “Even her seconds had to work to gain her trust.” His hair fell over his forehead again. “Your grandmother’s reverted because you’re hurt. She’ll settle down once she sees you healthy and strong again.”

If Ena didn’t, Silver would force the issue.

Valentin nodded at her nest of devices. “Anything urgent?”

“No, it’s under control. Lenik has been taking over many of my duties with Kaleb as EmNet demands more of my time.” There was no reason to conceal that fact when Anastasia had been dealing with Lenik on various matters of late.

“He’s not as good as you.”

“He’s excellent.” She’d trained him herself and knew that he was highly capable; his only issue was a lack of confidence. “You’re just not used to him yet.”

“Didn’t say Lenik wasn’t good at his job.” Valentin walked forward, engaging her attention despite her order to herself to not be distracted by the bear in her room. “Just said he isn’t as good as you.” Leaning down, he grabbed her organizer and phone away from her before she could move.

Her computer was next.

“You’re going to tell me to rest,” Silver predicted, coating her voice with frost. “You should probably know I’m an adult and have been for some time. I do not need to be tucked into bed.”

Laughing with an openness that said he wasn’t the least chilled by her tone, Valentin put the tech on the bedstand. “Oh, trust me, Starlight—I’ve noticed you’re an adult.” He ran his eyes down her face, over her upper half, and to the legs still concealed under the blanket, and made a return journey as slowly. “I’ve noticed a lot.”

Silver tried to ignore the visceral impact of his scrutiny as she ran her own eyes up and down his body. “I’ve noticed you have more holes in your garments than cloth.”

“I like the airflow.” Not the least abashed, the bear who’d been provoking her for months affected a put-upon look. “I took your tech because I wanted to invite you for a walk. That’s what civilized hosts do.”