Chapter Twenty-Five
Liria
Liria waited until the gates were closed before she turned to face Rallorival. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could utter a sound, she punched him. The Aethari man staggered back, holding his nose, his eyes wide.
“You fucking idiot!” Liria pointed at him. “That man is the only thing standing between my sister and a Nethren gang rape! You say you care about her, but you nearly killed her.”
Rallorival's hand fell away, and blood flowed freely down his face. “I didn't think about that. I'm sorry. I only want to free her.”
“You never think, do you?” Liria hissed.
“You led a rebellion under another man's name without bothering to ask him if he wanted it! Now, you follow us here and jeopardize the safety of my sister and all of Para with your jealousy! Commander Vor is asking for peace. Do you think if you killed him, the Nethren would still be interested in peace?”
“Nethren will never be interested in peace!” Rallorival growled. “He's a liar. They have ulterior motives.”
“How do you know that? All you have to go on are the lies your people have fed mine! Frankly, I trust him more than you right now.”
“Destra.” Thaxvarien set his hand on her shoulder.
“What? Do you agree with him?” Liria spun to face Thax.
“No, but I'm not about to trust Nethren either, even one who says he wants peace. As you say, that's unusual. So, if he's the only one who wants it, how can he guarantee it?”
Liria grimaced. “He's their commander, not some random soldier. He must be speaking with the backing of his people.”
“That's not a risk we can take.” General Caden joined them, having come from seeing to the released soldiers.
He lifted a hand when Liria started to protest. “I agree with you, Liria.
We need to act on the possibility of peace.
Even if it's a lie. If the Nethren prove to be false, we will force them back below. But if they truly want an end to this war, it could change Para for the better. At the very least, it would save many lives.”
Liria sighed. “So, you're going to speak to the Council?”
“Yes. But we're proceeding with the plan we have. If Chief Jass can converge a device to lower the ward, we will use the escape tunnel to infiltrate the fortress.”
“General, as much as I want to free my sister, I know that peace is more important.”
“We will go in after your sister and the imprisoned soldiers. That's all.”
“We won't be able to free everyone without alerting the Nethren.”
“Maybe not. But we'll get as many out as we can. Once they're safe, we'll be in a better position to negotiate peace.”
“Freeing the soldiers will cause a battle. Peace is harder after a battle. I suggest we free Lena and then ask Commander Vor to give up his hostages as a gesture of goodwill.”
“That monster will not hand over his hostages!” Rallorival said. “He wouldn't even trade Commander Havers for six of their soldiers.”
“He might if we offer him a truce,” the general said. “And you, sir, are not part of Paradefense. You are here on my tolerance. If you act without my permission again, I will have you banned from this operation. Are we clear?”
Rallorival grimaced but nodded.
The general turned to Thaxvarien. “Keep your people in check, or I will, Rennux.”
“Yes, sir.” Thaxvarien inclined his head to the general.
“All right. Let's have some lunch and then meet in my tent in an hour.” General Caden shot a nasty look at Rallorival. “Do not bring him.”
“Yes, sir,” Thaxvarien said again.
As the general walked away, Thax turned to face Rallorival. “Let me make something very clear to you, Rallorival. My sister is off-limits.”
Rallorival opened his mouth.
Thax held up a hand. “I don't want any arguments. Lena is not interested in you. You will leave her alone.”
“You believe that Nethren over me?” Rallorival growled.
“Yes, because I saw your interactions with Lena back in Thennis. She drew away from you. Every time. I saw it, Rallorival. So, unless Lena comes to me and says that she is romantically interested in you, you will stay away from her.”
“I believe she is my destra.”
“That's a load of crap!” Liria shoved Rallorival back a few steps.
“If she were your destra, she wouldn't avoid you.
She'd feel drawn to you. Using a sacred bond as an excuse to harass my sister is disgusting!
What did you think we'd do—tie her down and force her to accept you? You fucking asshole!”
Rallorival's eye twitched, and he drew himself up to his full height. “I am not a liar. I believe we are destined to be together.”
Thax slid between them. “Until Lena shows some interest in you, you will stay away from her, or I will send you back to Icara.”
“You cannot separate me from my destra!”
“She is not your destra until you've claimed her. Have you done that?”
Rallorival looked away.
“No,” Thax went on. “You haven't. Because she's not interested in you. I'm done arguing about this. Your infatuation with my new sister has endangered her and this mission. One more foot out of line, and I'll send you back to Icara myself, Rallorival.”
“Yes, sir.” Rallorival turned and stomped away.
“I knew it was a bad idea to accept a traitor at Middle Ground,” Liria said to her destru as they watched Rallorival leave. She didn't like the idea of Rallorival and Lena together, but Lena with that Nethren would be even worse.
“All are welcome at Middle Ground, Destra.” Thax put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. “I'm hoping to change the Aethari. I can hardly turn away a man who says he's ready to change, no matter what he's done. Our mission is about second chances.”
“Yeah, our mission in Thennis.” Liria looked up at the fortress wall. “But this is another mission entirely.”