Page 119 of Tribute
Anna wanted to look away from the adoration in Kai’s expression, but she made herself watch. This was why she’d done what she’d done. To make sure at least one set of them was happy.
“Where’s Rehz?” Kai asked.
“I don’t know,” Aled answered him quickly. “No one’s seen him since yesterday.”
“Ask Bron.”
“I did. He said Rehz was being treated by the medics for exhaustion and various strains and cuts and that he was sleeping.”
Kai’s sharp gaze cut to Anna. “You’ve seen him, though?”
“I just woke up.” She managed to shrug. “He might have been here when I was out of it, but?—”
“Nope. I’ve been here all day,” Aled said softly. “And before that, you were surrounded by a medical team.”
Kai’s gaze immediately went to Aled’s as if seeking his support. “He’ll be here when he wakes up. I’m sure of it.”
She nodded and leaned back against her pillows. “I think I’m going to take another nap. Thanks so much for sitting with me, Aled.”
He glanced at her and then at Kai. “It’s all going to be okay, Anna Lee. I’m sure of it.”
She smiled as they left together, Kai’s arm around Aled’s good shoulder. She stayed where she was as the bedsheet became transparent with the constant drip of her tears. Rehz was probably just exhausted and sleeping it off. She shouldn’t read anything more into his nonappearance.
Even if he were there, what would he do if she crawled into his lap and fell to pieces?
She couldn’t be strong anymore. Just for once she was going to hide under her covers and pretend that everything would go away.
CHAPTER
SEVEN
“Can you explain your decision-making process again, Anna Lee?”
“Again? Why?”
She glanced across the table at the three men who had been questioning her all morning, and sighed. Bron was also present, standing against the back wall, and had been asked to add his recollections to the interview when necessary. It was supposed to be informal, and these guys weresupposedto be on her side, but it didn’t feel like that. She wondered desperately if her Earth blood was always going to make her different.
The door behind her opened, and Aled and Kai came in to sit beside her. Neither of them was smiling, although Kai did manage to wink at her. Moments later Rehz came in. Her heart rate increased as she drank him in. Two days had passed and he hadn’t been near her. His apparent desertion hurt more than she had anticipated. He looked exhausted and hadn’t shaved. He took a seat at an angle, and she wondered if he’d done that so he didn’t have to look right at her.
“Please.” The leader of the investigation offered her a polite smile. “The other participants expressed a wish to hear your account of events as well.”
She scowled. “They couldn’t just come and see me and ask?” She glanced around the table, feeling the chill of isolation. “I thought they were supposed to be my friends.”
“We asked them not to, Anna Lee. We wished to be the first to hear your account of events. Now we wish you to repeat your story because we are seeking additional testimony from those who were with you.”
“Fine. Aled and I realized at about the same time that there was something going on underneath the safe room. Having had experience of both Palk and theUngrich, we reasoned that theUngrichwere coming up through the floor to find us.”
Aled chimed in. “Yeah, that’s how it went.”
“We pooled our weapons and climbed onto the highest vantage point in the room as the hole in the floor expanded, and we could see theUngrichcoming out of it.” She cleared her throat. “It was at that point that I shot Aled to stop him from being taken by theUngrichor offering to come with me.”
“That’s exactly how it went down,” Aled agreed. “I don’t remember anything much after that.”
“I put several of the small explosives in the pocket of my jacket, and one in my hair, and waited until theUngrichcame and established a mind connection with me.” She gestured at the scarred mass of her throat. “Luckily, it was the same pair I’d met before. They had never lied to me and were familiar with me, so I felt they might be more likely to listen to my requests.”
Rehz hadn’t stopped staring at the table in front of him. A ball of anger settled low in Anna’s gut as she continued.
“I offered them a bargain. Palk for me.”
