Page 31 of Ashes of Honor

“How thoughtful,” I said. Picking up the stack of security enhancements to review for the gates, I shuffled them aroundwith dismissal, not bothering to glance back up. “Thank you for the information. I’ll take this to the general.”

“That’s it?” Jessa asked as she rose back to her feet. She tucked her hands into the back pockets of her trousers. They were stained with dirt from The Gardens. The only place she was currently trusted. Amaia needed the extra hands, anyway.

“Did you expect more?”

“No, I just thought?—”

“What? That you could help us?” I chuckled. Rude as it may be, I didn’t have any patience left in me today to care. “A spy is a spy, Jessa. We appreciate all the ways you have helped, but there is no room for anyone on our team who isn’t Compound first.Youare Reina first. Here or not, you will never be Compound first. My general allows for second chances, I do not.”

Jessa may have told Reina she had spied for Ronan out of necessity, but we would never be able to prove that as fact. Facts were what I lived by. Facts were what I could trust. And the fact was, Jessa had only decided to do the right thing out of her love for Reina. That made her a liability. In love was desperation. She would do anything for the relationship, even if that meant spying for Ronan when she claimed she no longer did.

“But Alexiares?—”

“Is not part of this conversation. A conversation that is now very much over.”

The room fell to near silence. The only sound was the critters I now called on to help clear the room. Jessa stood still as a statue, her face hard, taking me in. Another moment passed, and she nodded once in acceptance. “If you need me, you know where she keeps me.”

“Better than where Amaia would.” With that, the door latched shut.

Amaia

Ididn’t want to get comfortable. Something about being with Alexiares made me religious. I found myself praying every night and rising sun to be lucky enough to spend what time I had left in this life with him by my side.

There were times when I worried about what little humanity I had left. Around him, I didn’t feel any of that. I felt normal, okay,safe. I didn’t have to project false confidence or apologize for making the tough choices and tucking my empathy to the side. With him, there was security that I would never become the villain in at least one set of eyes.

Fire crackled against the wood inside the fireplace. The room was warm in both the sweet, subtle scent of ashen wood and heat that radiated from within. I teased the flames with my magic and they pulsated to my will. Alexiares trailed his fingers along the side of my arm as I leaned into him.

Suckerpunch slept lazily underneath the couch, ignoring the sensation of my combat boots stuck under his wide body. His soft snores deepened the comfort I had finally settled into, in what was once Prescott’s. I reached down, rubbing Harley’s long snout as she whined for the nonexistent leftovers inside our bowls. We’d ditched The Kitchens for our favorite little spot in Entertainment Square. Chili and smoothies weren’t exactly on the menu, but the owner had been working her ass off to grow what she could. Small portions of creative delicacies were now the staple of her spot. She offered them at a fair cost a few times a week and had sent a message earlier demanding I stop through. She’d saved some for us, insisting that I deserved a decent meal too.

This was the quiet before the storm.

Tomorrow I’d meet with Ronan. I wasn’t quite sure what I hoped to accomplish anymore. Ronan, if nothing else, was predictably unpredictable. What was the difference between his emissaries stationing their ass at every council meeting, reporting back on the details of The Compound and a spy? Nothing. Everything.Fuck.

The door opened behind us and I turned my head. Elie and Emma I expected. Two bloodied up small children accompanying them, I did not. The four of them stood there staring at us, not saying a word. I couldn’t even make out their age or gender beneath all their grime and gore.

“Hi?” I greeted them in confusion.

The dogs were on her within seconds. Their interest shifted to our surprise guests, who stood frozen with unease.

“What’s up?” Elie said. Snapping her fingers, she called Harley and Suckerpunch off. They sat instantly, watching as she grabbed the kids’ hands and made a beeline toward the bathroom.

“These miniature people don’t look like ours, Elie.” Alexiares stood from the couch and watched on. He made no move to cut them off yet they stopped in their tracks at his words, regardless. His ink coated arms crossed over his broad chest, dark brows arching in expectation.

“They are now,” Elie said slowly, fixing her tone. “Casey and Hayley.”

Emma’s messy blonde hair was stuck against her sweat beaded face. Her smile was bright and encouraging. “We found them.”

“The weird thing about kids that don’t belong here is that it’s impossible to stumble across them.” I grumbled and paced across the room.

The oldest winced as I dropped to my knees before them. I kept my distance. His eyes held no fear—only a menacing threat. Protective instinct.

“That’s cuz we went outside the walls,” Emma added, doubling over in pain from Elie’s elbow jab to the stomach. “Why’d you dothat? You know, you’re so annoying. I literally helped you after my dad told me I’d be grounded forever if I left again. Gigs up. They aren’t stupid.”

“What?” The words were a near silent growl off my lips. Alexiares closed in behind me, his hand falling on my shoulder in an attempt to calm. I glanced over in warning and it fell.

Elie shrugged, either not reading or caring enough to read the room. “Too many people here. I needed some air.”

“There’s perfectly good air inside The Compound.” Alexiares retorted, his hand running across the top of his recently shaved head.

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