Page 107 of Ashes of Honor

I glanced at her, then at Wrath, fingers twitching before the flag behind us centered me on the mission I was here for. “I wouldn’t be so smug. Mine left for what he believed in, yours left for another woman.”

The surrounding soldiers snickered. Finley’s head snapped around, her glare silencing them instantly. “Got something to say?” she snapped.

They quickly busied themselves, rotating positions as we’d previously discussed, throwing off the otherSeers. Finley’s jaw tightened as she turned back toward me, her irritation simmering beneath the surface.

Finley let out an exaggerated gasp, one hand flying to her chest in mock offense. “Oof. I’m offended.”

“You should be. He upgraded.”

I had little energy to deal with her juvenile antics. It was hard to imagine Alexiares put up with her bullshit for as long as he did.

Her lips twitched in an attempt to fight back a laugh. “Hmm. I feel like I should be upset by that. I mean, you obviously want me to be. Yet oddly—and unsurprisingly—I couldn’t care less. Oh well.”

“You can pretend all you want.” I rolled my eyes and moved to the other side of the fire, dragging Wrath’s pointed edge through the dirt.

“Pretend?” She was swift in her movements. Catlike as she leaned in my ear and I swatted her away, not missing the wild flicker of crazy bitch in her expression.

“It’s an act,” I pushed. “Be the strongest or get left behind kind of thing. I get it. Been there.”

Her expression hardened—the answer in the absence of denial. “I care about the people of St. Cloud,” she said, her voice quieter, to me only, no longer putting on a show for those around us.

“Fooled me,” I muttered.

Finley turned away, her stark blonde hair nearly hiding the clenching of her jaw. A hopeful moment of thinking I’d struck a nerve passed.

“Alexi can spin it however he wants.” Her tone was cold now, threatening. “I’m not much different from that bitch?—”

“Watch it,” I snapped.

“Than Amaia,” she corrected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I put my people first. Always. Life isn’t the same up there. I wouldn’t expect you to get it with your cozy rooms and your little cafés.”

My patience with her was thinning, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Getting too comfortable willalwaysbe a bad thing,” Finley said, meeting my gaze with a fierceness that matched the flames glowing behind her. “The sooner you people understand that, the better.”

I ignored her, watching the others around us watch us as if we were entertainment.

“Brother’s pretty cute though. Oh, come on, don’t pretend you didn’t notice. Far better looking than the other.” Finleyshoved a finger down her throat and gagged. “Not a fan of red-heads.”

“I have an idea. How aboutyoutell us the story on what could make a daughter kill her father?”

“Subtle.” Air passed through her teeth in a huffed scoff. She tossed her chin my direction. “Why don’t you see for yourself?”

I kept my tone even, already bored with the conversation. “That would be a waste of energy on someone who would happily brag, if only asked.”

My eyes narrowed.What an odd gap in greenery, I noted as I stared into the distance. There was a small, face-sized hole about twenty feet out. I shook my head.Nope, I was focusing on channeling any direct attacks to our front door. If there was someone out there waiting for the right moment to capture our flag, I would be the first to know.

“I would never brag about killing someone I love.” Finley’s voice fell to a hush, and I turned to face her.

She seemed … sad? Her shoulders slumped as she brushed her fingers through the dirt, eyes set on the ground.

“You?” I laughed, refusing to waste guilt for the woman who’d spent days torturing,humiliatingus and treating us no better than neglected animals not long ago. “Love? Please, spare me.”

“I loved my father.” Her words were clipped—definite.

“I’m sure he’d appreciate the words more if he were alive.”

I hated to admit it, but seeing her show even a glimpse of anything other than smug indifference made me extremely uncomfortable.

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