Your reputation has been gold among the Darkhavens over there, as well as with the Enforcement Agency. We're going to need someone with a cool head and good instincts to help us gather our own alliances, and at the same time root out any possible alliances of Dragos's among those groups. Any chance you might be willing to leave your nice little love nest here in Newport to do some diplomatic work for us from time to time?"
Reichen glanced down to meet Claire's gaze. They had agreed to make the house in Newport their home, maybe even start a family of their own before too long. He was eager for the life they were planning together, but duty and loyalty to the Order tugged at him, as well. She understood that fact; he saw the acceptance in her eyes. She smiled and gave him a small nod. "At the rate you're going, by next week you'll have grown bored of juggling fire. You'll be looking for new challenges. Maybe we both will be. Maybe there is work enough for both of us with the Order," she said, turning a questioning look on Tegan. The warrior smiled. "We would be honored to count on you both." "I didn't exactly leave Germany on the best terms," Reichen murmured. "The Agency over there may view me as a fugitive, not a friend." "Actually" Tegan said, "for all intents and purposes, you're a dead man. You died last summer, in the fire that destroyed your Darkhaven. Now Roth and everyone in his circle are dead, too. To anyone else, you're a ghost, Reichen.
Which will give you even greater opportunity to get close to our targets over there and shore up covert alliances." "A spy for the Order?" Reichen said, liking the idea already. "I'm not saying it's going to be easy. It's going to be damned hard work at times. And it's going to be deadly dangerous, too." Tegan asked, "You think you can handle that?" Reichen looked to Claire again, feeling stronger than ever when he saw the faith and admiration shining back at him in her soft brown eyes. "Yes," he said. "I think I can handle that." With Claire beside him, loving him--believing in him--he could handle anything at all.
THE END