Page 49 of Of Sins and Sacrifice

“But, Major?—”

“This iswar, Lieutenant,” Vitry emphasizes.

“And their jobs are in the kitchen. Surely?—”

“For now,” he states. “The punishment stands. If you have a problem with it, then you two can join them as well.”

“Come on, Vitry.”

“Is that clear, Lieutenants?” His voice booms, brimming with authority.

There’s a pause.

“Is that clear?” he repeats.

“Sir, yes, sir,” the two males say in unison.

“You may leave,” Vitry tells them.

I hold my breath, listening for the sound of their steps. When the sound recedes, I finally relax and move my stiff body around. I held myself so still for a moment that I think I got a cramp in my lower leg.

I stretch my leg out and massage my calf.

Poor humans. Is this what they have to contend with?

I’ve been tired before, when my energy levels were low after too much fighting. But it’s never been like this—a pulsating ache that’s present in my entire body.

“Did you enjoy the food?” the same voice asks. It’s that male. Vitry.

I gasp and pull my leg back.

“I already saw you,” he adds drily.

“It wasn’t me! I didn’t steal the meat!” I cry out.

He chuckles.

“And how do you know it was meat if you did not steal it?”

I blink. Is he going to arrest me? Kick me out? Turn me in and publicly humiliate me?

“How doyouknow it was me who stole it?” I counter as I shuffle back and attempt to make myself smaller.

“There aren’t too many ladies who wear red shoes,” he says, and I hear his steps as he comes closer. “Especially ones with white polka dots on them.”

He stops in front of me.

I’m hiding behind the book—though it’s a measly attempt at hiding.

He looms over me, and once more panic takes hold of me.

What is he going to do? He clearly has a high rank if the other lieutenants deferred to him. He might want to make an exampleout of me in front of everyone—brand me both a thief and a criminal for bringing the little rat inside the kitchen. Then I’ll never get the job. I’ll never get three daily meals again. And I will likely end up sleeping in an abandoned building, perhaps a barn.

All these scenarios are too unappealing to even think about them.

“Nothing to say in your defense?” he asks.

I bite my lip as I slowly lower the book. Maybe I can find a way to appeal to his sensitive side. Perhaps I can bat my lashes as I’ve seen human females do to get what they want.

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