Page 120 of Scarlet Wars
James kept his focus fixed on Sean. “If Caden Colt was supposedly aiding the Chiefs in Asia… Where the hell was he when Emma was taken by Crown’s Offensives and brought to Coastal?”
Sean stilled completely. Even Jackson, normally unreadable, looked away like the floor had suddenly become very interesting.
“James,” I said quietly. “Caden was at my parents’ house. He abducted me and brought me to a sterile room at Coastal. He’s then maimed my arm to analyze my translation. I know thisbecause when I woke up from their sedation, that was the first time he and I met.”
James shook his head. “I believeyou.Which means Caden wasnotin Asia with the Chiefs. Which means he’s lying about it.”
“He’snotlying about helping the Chiefs,” Sean snapped back, his tone edged with warning.
“Well, he’s not lying about Coastal either,” I added, my countenance hardening.
James let out a scoff that scraped like gravel. “You two are so blinded by him. He’s lying to both of you, and you need to stop being so damn gullible.”
Oh, dude.Wrongthing to say.
“You mean like I was withyou?”
Yup. I went there. Again. Couldn’t help myself.
Sean winced, eyes darting between us like he wanted to intervene but knew better.
James’s jaw flexed so hard I thought it might crack, his fists balling tight at his sides. “Lash out at me all you want,” he said finally, “He’s still lying to you.”
The silence that followed was deafening.
My pulse thundered, my throat dry, but I didn’t let it show. “I need some air,” I muttered instead, and pushed to my feet. My chair scraped harshly against the floor, the sound uncomfortable.
Sean started to say something, but I cut him off with a sharp shake of my head. “Don’t.”
Without another word, I strode out, the door slamming shut behind me.
One of thehills at Kanata C had a beautiful view of the surrounding icefields, their jagged white edges glowing faintly under the dim afternoon light. It was quiet up here—isolated in a way that made thinking both easier and harder.
I translated a warm blanket and sat on the frozen ground, pulling it tight around me as I replayed the last twenty minutes in my mind.
Obviously, James would’ve jumped at any chance to cast doubt on Caden.
And I trusted Caden. I did.
But something about the way Sean had reacted—too defensive—and the way Jackson had gone completely still, avoiding eye contact like he’d heard something he shouldn’t have... It rubbed me the wrong way. Scraped at the back of my mind like a splinter I couldn’t reach.
I stared out at the horizon, the snow-slick world stretched endlessly in front of me and felt the now-familiar doubt in my chest.
I had no idea when Caden would be back from Sisu—the Scandinavian Collective out in Greenland—and the uncertainty gnawed at me until I gave in and nexed him.
Me:When are you back?
The reply came seconds later.
Him:Tonight
Just one word. No punctuation. No warmth.
Fair enough. Considering I’d ignored him for the better part of almost three weeks, he was well within his right to keep it cold.
I heard the crunch of leaves behind me, boots against dry earth, knowing without a doubt who’d be there if I turned around.
“If you’re coming to explain what happened at Coastal,” I mumbled, “I’d rather hear it from Caden himself.”
