Page 127 of Once the Skies Fade

Her eyes squeezed shut, her shaky fingers pressing hard into her temples. I wished I could take back the word, go back in time and keep my stars-damned mouth shut, anything to fix this. But being strung up in these iron cuffs limited my ability to do anything useful.

“Calla, it’s probably not…that. I shouldn’t have even?—”

“No.” She started to shake her head again, her hands falling away as she slid her eyes open and lifted them to mine. The space between her brow crinkled adorably, countered by the pained fear gazing back at me. She whispered again. “We couldn’t be. Could we? Is that why…”

Her voice fell away once more behind a shaky hand I wished I could hold if only to reassure her everything was fine.

“It’s probably not true, but…” I started, not quite sure what I was doing.

“There’s one way to know for sure,” she mused quietly. Her expression hardened with dark determination.

“It’s probably not,” I repeated, my words losing what little confidence they’d held earlier.

She took slow, cautious steps toward me, stopping an arm’s length away. Her eyes held mine captive as she lifted her hands to my jaw. Her fingers brushed past my ears and sank into my hair. I wet my lips and let her guide my face lower until our breaths mingled in the small space between us.

What did the bond feel like? My mind went blank trying to remember if Connor had ever described how it felt when it had formed. Calla sighed, her breath warming my lips, and I had to fight every screaming urge to shift forward and kiss her myself,to prove this ridiculous notion false. Before she could move any closer, though, the iron door behind her flew open, slamming loudly against the wall.

Isa stormed inside.

“Your Majesty,” she said in a reprimanding tone. I winced as Calla shoved my face away from her and dropped her hands, twisting around to face the general.

“What is it, Isa?” she asked in a shaky voice, running her palms against the folds of her dress as if trying to wipe any memory of my skin from them.

“The Assembly needs to see you. I tried to persuade them to wait, but they insisted. They’re in the meeting room waiting for you.”

Calla was nodding hastily, speeding out of the door without a single look my way. I expected Isa to follow her, but she turned toward me, strolling over with her hand resting on the pommel of her sword.

“General,” she said. “I know what’s been going on between you two.”

I lifted my brows. “Could you fill me in, because apparently I don’t.”

She didn’t seem at all amused, though I wasn’t joking. I couldn’t explain it any more than I could understand it.

“I can’t watch her get hurt again,” Isa said.

“Is this to be one of thoseif you hurt her, I’ll kill youlectures then?”

A soft smile graced her lips. “Perhaps, but I don’t think you need it. If you hurt her, she’ll likely kill you herself.”

“Fair point. So what are you here to discuss then?”

“I know you, general,” she said, shifting her weight but keeping her eyes locked on mine. “You’re a male of integrity, honor, loyalty. I was there at the battle when your friend fell to that Shadow Keeper. I was just a young soldier at the time.While it wasn’t the bloodiest death I witnessed, it was one of the hardest, because of how it pained you and your prince.”

Swallowing hard, I ignored the image that flashed in my head as I noted, “Yet you let your queen use the same power to cut down innocent?—”

Her sharp stare stayed my tongue mid-sentence.

“They’re not truly innocent though, are they?” She angled her head at me. “The queen passed a law with strict consequences, and they still chose to disobey. Whether we understand the reason for her exiling them matters little. They knew the consequences, and they defied her regardless.”

“So you condone what she’s done?”

Isa was quiet for a moment, her eyes boring into mine as if trying to detect any ill-will behind my question.

“I think she does what she has to, as queen. Mercy has its place, yes, but when so many are vying to steal her crown, she can’t afford to appear weak. Those who blatantly defy the law are more likely to pose a threat of rebellion in the future. And you know better than most how dangerous a rebellion can be.”

She wasn’t wrong. Lieke had defied Emeryn’s laws and almost ended up dead because of it. Not everyone had the benefit of a crown prince to rescue them. I shook away the memories and focused back on Isa.

“What was your question then, general? Or did you just come to flatter me and my honorable heart?”

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