Page 32 of Surface Pressure

“Your Highness,” Honour spat the words. She breathed heavily as she stopped mid-circuit in her training and bowed. Soulara floated in front of the general who had been practicing agility moves. The rocks, coral, shells and other debris one might encounter outside the castle were set up in a more rigorous circuit than Soulara had seen before. Honour must have seen Soulara from the corner of her eye, as Soulara had no intentions of interrupting her.

“Honour.” Soulara’s shoulders dropped. Something in her face must have slipped through her mask as Honour dropped her eyes and moved away from the circuit and closer.

“What’s wrong?”

Soulara barked out a bitter laugh.

“Soulara?”

“I’ve accepted my title.”

“What?” The horror that rippled over Honour’s face mirrored her own internal dismay. “Why?”

“He wouldn’t accept the truth, about the humans.”

“Right,” Honour snapped.

“Honour.” Soulara reached out her hand and placed it over Honour’s. It was larger and so much stronger than her own. Everything about Honour spoke of strength. Her broad shoulders, strong arms, and the muscles that remained present down her stomach even when she relaxed.

“You used magic on us. On me.”

“I did.” Soulara nodded, swallowing the guilt and accepting the accusation. “I had two choices. To use it and try to stop the situation getting out of hand, or to allow it to escalate and have her blood on my hands.”

“She has enough of our people’s on hers.”

Soulara closed her eyes and led Honour to the rocks for those waiting to train or there to watch the strength of their forces at work.

“She’s a soldier, and she’s part of the machine. I know that.” Soulara pulled on all of her diplomatic power to word this in ways Honour might understand and accept. “But she doesn’t want to be following orders.”

“But will she follow them?”

“I don’t know, but I do know she’ll help us in any way she can. She already has.”

“Is that really worth anything? Does she have any power to do anything?”

“She’s worth what any life is worth.” Soulara snapped before she reined herself in and softened her tone. “They don’t think she’s important in their world, but she is. And she can help us learn more about what we are up against.”

“All right.” Honour’s lips quirked in a way Soulara didn’t like.

“What?”

“She’s important to you.” Honour’s quirk slipped into a smile, and Soulara’s heart lightened at finally seeing her friend, instead of only the general.

“All life is important,” Soulara repeated.

“All right, you aren’t there yet. But I’ll try to understand. I’ll try to remember she didn’t directly kill our people.”

“We will avenge them,” Soulara vowed. “And stop those who are directly responsible.”

“Are you’re leading this battle?” Honour pursed her lips, and Soulara saw the moment her friend resigned herself to the fact that she would no longer be in charge of her troops.

“No.”

“No?”

“We’ll do this together.”

“That’s not how it’s done.”

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