"Let’s not worry about Vivian right now," I said, standing up. "We’ve got more immediate problems."

"Like the fact that you’ve been exposed using unregistered abilities on TV?" Cheon suggested.

"Or that Aurora kissed you and ran?" Mera offered.

"Or that Noel wants answers about your real abilities?" Cheon added.

I groaned. "Yes, all of those. Plus I’ve got semifinals for the Battle Trials on Monday, and I need to figure out what to tell Noel about my powers without giving away the whole ’I need to sleep with people to steal their abilities’ thing."

Mera perked up. "You could always just sleep with her too. Solve two problems at once."

"I don’t think that’s a viable solution," Cheon said dryly.

"Why not? It worked for us."

"Because Noel actually hates Rome," Cheon pointed out. "Or at least, she thinks she does."

"Hate sex is still sex," Mera shrugged. "And Rome’s drain works on strong emotions, not just positive ones."

I stared at Mera. "How do you know that?"

"Because you told me yourself that my Essentia was stronger when I was angry at you." She grinned wickedly. "Remember that fight we had?"

I did remember. Mera had been furious about the money and when I’d grabbed her arm to keep her from storming out, the drain had opened like a floodgate. The sex that followed had been... intense.

"Okay, so strong emotions amplify the drain," I conceded. "But that doesn’t mean Noel would sleep with me just because she’s angry."

"You’re missing my point," Mera said, poking me in the chest. "Hate is passion too. If she feels strongly enough to hate you, she feels strongly enough for the drain to work."

I considered this. Noel had been carrying a grudge against me for years, apparently. That level of sustained emotion might indeed create a powerful connection through the drain.

"It’s something to consider," I admitted. "But I doubt she’d let me close enough to find out."

"You’d be surprised what people do when they’re emotional," Cheon said quietly. "Look at me."

Cheon had gone from the uptight class representative who couldn’t stand me to sharing my bed with another woman in less than a week. All because I’d pulled her into a storage room and shown her what the drain felt like.

Could the same approach work on Noel?

"Let’s table the ’seducing Noel’ plan for now," I decided. "First, I need to deal with this news situation. Then I’ll figure out what to tell her about my abilities."

"And Aurora?" Mera prodded.

"I meant what I said. I’m going to be her friend." I couldn’t help the smirk that followed. "And when she realizes friendship isn’t enough, I’ll be there to offer more."

"You’re terrible," Cheon said, but her tone suggested she didn’t entirely disapprove.

"That’s why you like me," I replied, pulling her closer.

"It’s one of many reasons," she admitted, leaning into me.

My phone buzzed with another call. This time it was Usagi, my teammate from the Battle Trials.

"Hey," I answered, putting it on speaker.

"Rome! Have you seen the news?" Usagi’s voice was high and panicked.

"Yeah, I’ve seen it."

"What are we going to do? Noel is freaking out! She says our strategy for the semifinals is compromised because everyone knows about your gravity ability now!"

I sighed. Of course Noel would be worried about tactical advantages rather than my potential legal issues.

"Tell Noel to calm down," I said. "I have other abilities we haven’t shown yet."

"You do?" Usagi sounded surprised. "Like what?"

I glanced at Mera, who was watching with amusement. "Let’s just say I’m full of surprises. We’ll discuss it during our strategy session."

"Okay, if you’re sure..." Usagi still sounded uncertain. "Oh! I almost forgot why I called. Professor Reeves wants to see you in her office Monday morning before the semifinals. Something about your registration status."

Perfect. The fallout was already beginning.

"Thanks for the heads up," I told her. "I’ll be there."

After hanging up, I flopped back onto the couch. "This is getting messier by the minute."

"Welcome to my world," Mera said cheerfully. "I’ve been a visible Root-type my whole life. You get used to the stares."

"This is different," I countered. "People aren’t just staring at me because I look different. They’re questioning whether I should be allowed to have the abilities I’m using."

"Welcome to my world," Cheon echoed Mera, but without the cheer. "Every time I use my ability to analyze others, someone asks if I’m invading their privacy."

"Fair point," I conceded. "I’m new to the ’being different’ party."

"Don’t worry," Mera patted my cheek. "We’ll teach you how to handle it."

My stomach growled, reminding me that I’d never actually gotten to eat lunch thanks to Aurora’s visit and the robbery aftermath.

"First lesson," I said, standing up. "How about we handle dinner? I’m starving."

"What about the news situation?" Cheon asked.

"It’ll still be there after we eat," I replied. "And I think better on a full stomach."

As if on cue, my phone rang again. Unknown number.

"Another reporter?" Mera guessed.

"Probably." I sent it to voicemail. "They can wait too."

I pulled both women up from the couch, one on each arm. Whatever was coming—reporters, NEA investigations, meetings with professors, confrontations with Noel, and whatever game Aurora was playing—I’d handle it. I had to. The system wasn’t giving me a choice.

Six hundred and ninety-four days remaining on my quest timer. Two girlfriends down, five more to go. And now everyone knew I wasn’t just a pretty rich boy with a bad attitude.

"Let’s order something fancy tonight," I decided. "If I’m going to be infamous by Monday morning, I might as well enjoy my last weekend of relative anonymity."

"I vote sushi," Mera said immediately.

"I was thinking steak," Cheon countered.

They looked at each other, then at me, waiting for me to break the tie.

"Both," I declared, pulling out my phone to place the orders. "Why choose when we can have it all?"

Mera laughed, wrapping her arms around my waist from behind as I searched for restaurants. "That should be your life motto."

Maybe she was right. Why settle for either-or when both was an option?

I thought of Aurora’s kiss, of Noel’s suspicions, of Vivian’s strange possessiveness, and of the quest requiring me to collect them all.

Why choose indeed.