Page 95 of Seasons of War
“You look terrible. Get the doctor for yourself.”
A grin cracked the anger in his expression. “Don’t worry. This is just how I look.”
The chuckle caught in her chest. This would go the captain’s way. Already was.
His stare fell to her swollen wrist, imprinted with the captain’s hand. Anger filled his kind eyes. “Miya—”
“I'll be okay.”
“I'm sorry I held you down. I panicked.”
Pain and fear and bitterness melted with her softening heart. “No. That's not the same thing. I attacked you.”
“If I'd handled it better, you wouldn't have run. I'm no threat to you. I swear it on my life. I won’t tell anyone about you. You have my word.”
Lance was too sweet for war. She had to protect him from the captain, but she couldn't even protect herself. “What if I can’t be your ally? What if I’m your enemy?”
He shrugged. “Guess that’ll be pretty bad for me.”
Miya lacked the energy, but she smacked the side of his head with her good hand. “What’s wrong with you? You’re lucky you haven’t gotten yourself killed thinking like that.”
Lance placed her hand on the bed. “It might take all night to tell you what’s wrong with me.”
Tears threatened. She begged him to see the message she couldn’t speak. Run already. “You’re the biggest fool I know, Lance.”
A lopsided smile lifted one side of his mouth. “That sounds like a serious achievement.”
Fresh anxiety crept over her at the easy way he spoke. “Why didn't you at least tell me you're Bale's bond worker?”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “There's good people back home. Bringing up Bale leads to them.”
That was who he was, too. A good, normal person who should be back home. And she'd manipulated him. Guilt stifled her words. “If you're doing this because—”
“I'm doing this because I can. A man like me doesn’t get too many decisions, so when I do, I make the right one. You’re a good person.”
“I’m not a good person.”
“You'd do the same for me. I believe that.”
“Damn it, Lance.” Miya covered her eyes with her forearm. “You infuriate me.”
“Good. The fury will keep you awake until the doctor comes.” He reached into his nightstand and fetched his handgun. This time, he loaded it and settled on the floor next to the door. “I won’t ask you about it, but I want to listen if you want to tell me.”
Miya pulled the blankets over her head.
She’d been born with everything, and look at her now. For years, Miya had every opportunity to return home but did this instead. She'd left for a reason, and she hated her father too much to live in his palace while his people starved and fell deeper into the Phaedra's oppression. But what kind of person kept fucking people for information when they could return to a literal palace?
Since she wanted to fight the captain and couldn't right now, she fought herself. She recognized that. But it didn't lessen the shame. Miya asked Lance what was wrong with him when she’d never been able to answer that question about herself.
Before, earning the captain's trust gave her a chance at surviving this situation and possibly helping Caspador. That was all it was. Now, things had to be different. Now, she needed to figure out how to save her family. And then, if she could defeat him, she’d finally take off to some place far away from Caspador and never look back.
CHAPTER 25
Kira
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
