Page 65 of Ashes of Honor

“Any form of dissent will be crushed before it can spread,” Riley said plainly, his words speaking undeniable truth.

The words that I didn’t want to say myself. Hunter was right—this wasn’t how I wanted to lead, but it was necessary to keep everyone safe. Sacrifices now for survival later. And then, after it was over, everyone could go back to normal. Start over. Try this all again. With new leadership this time, solid people that understood the importance of balance and the value of the softer side of humanity.

“A threat to The Compound is a threat to all,” I added quietly, my voice soft but firm, letting the words settle over the room.

Onecompound,oneunit.

Reina was determined to make her brother understand, her hand fell atop his. “That’s the mindset we all gotta have, Hunter. Last time, people suffered that didn’t need to because others opted out. It’s not gonna work that way this go around.”

“We won’t let it,” Abel said with finality— a promise he’d carry through no matter what. I didn’t need to hear more. He meant it. We all had come to understand the cost of failure, and Abel had no intentions on letting history repeat itself.

Hunter nodded. “Understood.”

“I am merciful within reason,” I said. “So don’t give me an opportunity to show you my wrath.”

Tomoe’s gaze lingered on Hunter, distant and unfocused as if caught between thoughts. Then, her eyes shifted, meeting mine. I offered her a slight nod. She straightened in her chair, her voice steady but tinged with the weight of deeper contemplation. “This goes beyond how we handle this war. We have to consider what the world will look like for us after it’s over. What victory means.”

The room fell silent, every pair of eyes on her now, wavering to me only when I spoke. “I don’t know what that means yet. Hopefully that will be clear to me once meeting with the others, after seeing where their heads are at.”

Riley

Iwas always one to focus on the facts. Use the information before me and respond within reason. Although things were falling into place, things appeared rather bleak for the foreseeable future. Even if everything went according to plan, people would still die, and I could only hope those people weren’t the ones I cared for. Amaia would be front and center of it all. I knew better than to try to convince her otherwise.

Pulling her from danger would be like removing food from a reactive dog. You just didn’t do that shit unless you were okay with getting bit. The energy was heavy everywhere but home.With Amaia granting us an evening of rest, my feet could not carry me there any faster unless I took off in a full sprint.

There was a source of light awaiting me if only I could get there. I gathered my thoughts, then unlocked the door and stepped inside. Yasmin sat on the couch in front of the window overlooking The Pit. We were still adjusting and moving things around to make this place more ours. A home. Amaia had an … eclectic sense of taste. We needed more plants, more decor, and according to Yasmin, a pop of color. Which was easy to fulfill given I was lucky enough to be in love with an artist. Her paintings were beautiful, full hues and shadows I swore my eyes had never seen before.

I locked the door behind me and she glanced up with a small smile. The most beautiful one. Her long, silky brown hair was tinted red in the candle light from the sconces on the wall. She closed the book she was reading and tucked it in between her body and the cushion to her left. The only thing I could think about was showing her how much I missed her throughout the day. Our relationship didn’t have the luxury as some of the others, not that Moe’s was an example of what I wanted to be, but even so, Alexiares and Amaia were able to spend time together via work. While I was rather glad Yasmin wasn’t mixed up in our mess, I still envied the fact that it was easier for them to steal moments to themselves. I had to wait until I got home.IfI made it home at a decent time before Yasmin had fallen asleep—something she was doing a lot more of these days.

She was strict about her sleeping schedule. Routine brought her comfort. It was something we struggled to fall into once moving in together. Structure was a part of my everyday life and I always had to beonwhen I was outside these four walls. I had little interest in bringing that home with me. But for her, I would try. Cupping her face, I squeezed her cheeks then offered her a gentle, lingering kiss. Yasmin kissed me back, but it lacked theusual passion. My keys fell from my pocket, she caught it with her magic, using the air to place it on the shelf next to me with a smug grin.

“You okay?” I asked, settling into the couch at her side and pulling her close. “How were the kids today? I know you said Lilia was still having a hard time.”

She peered up, her hand brushing with a whisper of softness as she traced my jawline. “Yes, my love. Everything is okay.”

“It’s not,” I said, and tucked her hair behind her ear. I lifted her chin gently and offered her some silent encouragement.

We sat in silence for minutes that dragged on far longer than I’d have preferred. Patience was key with Yasmin. She would talk when she was ready to. Pushing her would get the words out, yes, but it wasn’t worth how upset it would make her. And I never wanted to be the reason for her pain.

“I’m pregnant.”

“We’re…” I trailed off, my brain doing its damn best to catch up to my heart, which was already sprinting ahead. “We’re having a baby?” The words felt foreign in my mouth. Too big and too small all at once.

A laugh bubbled up before I could stop it, shaky and raw. “I get to be a dad?” They were words I never thought I’d have the joy of muttering but always hoped to own. I pressed a hand to my face, dragging it down as a grin broke free. “Holy shit, I get to be a dad.”

It wasn’t just joy; it was everything all at once—fear, hope, love, and the kind of happiness that burned, all tangled up together.

Yasmin’s somber expression cracked, then gave way to that brilliant smile of hers. “You get to be the best Baba.” Her voice carried a soft certainty, not a mere fact but a promise.

I kissed her. Once. Twice. Three times. She laughed, trying to pull away, but I wasn’t letting go. Not yet.

“Man, this might be the best day of my life,” I muttered, the weight of it all settling in my chest.

But then she paused, her brow pulling tight, doubt creeping in where happiness had been. “Is this … wrong? In theory, this was a good idea. I mean we talked about the ‘what if’ for months now. That was just a daydream … I didn’t think … What I’m trying to get across is that, now that it’s real, it feels a little crazy. Doesn’t it?”

“No,” I said, dragging the word out. A flicker of doubt flashed in her eyes. My lips twitched, but I didn’t fully let the smirk take over. Instead, I tipped my head and shifted on the couch, watching her, needing to lock this moment in place.

I traced my thumb along her lower lip, my voice low. “With a face like that, you really shouldn’t say things that make me want to lose control.”

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