Miya swallowed hard. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what, child?”
Sobs built in her chest, but she turned them into flames of fury. “Like you pity me.”
“I’ve never seen a woman so fiercely beat herself into a life that's much too small for her.”
“You’re a piece of work. You play holy man in this basement surrounded by things that make you feel like you hold the world in the palm of your wise hand. What have you done to change anything?”
“Not as much as you attempted to do at one time, I’m afraid.” Hakym watched her. “Is that why you pretend you don't care? You regret trying?”
“We don't know each other. Stop talking like we do.”
“You know, Lance loves me. He loves our people. It might kill him. If you’re afraid of what might happen if he loves you the way he loves us, you should be. And if you’re afraid of what might happen, should you love him too, then I sympathize with you. Our world is much less frightening if you have no one to love. If you pretend not to care.”
Miya scowled. “You are so presumptuous and arrogant.”
“I only want you to know that I see you, and I'm here to serve you. You don’t have to do this alone. We’ll help you.”
“Get Lance away from me. That’s what you can do to help.”
“That may be the one thing I can’t do,” Hakym said.
“That’s how it always is with people like you. You say you can’t do anything. Get your ass upstairs and tell Bale he isn’t coming back with me.”
“You underestimate what Lance is willing to do. He's loyal, and when he decides to stand with someone, he doesn't change his mind.”
“He can stand with you. I’m not taking him.”
“I think he’s already taken.” Hakym raised his brows. “He brought you here into the heart of our village without clearing it with a soul. Not even me. That’s not good for him.”
Miya shook her head. “Why wouldn’t he tell Bale about me?”
“Bale would have said no. Lance forced the situation.”
Pain clenched Miya’s heart. She hadn’t even told him what she needed to meet with Bale about. “Why would he do something as stupid as that?”
“I’m sure that’s something only the two of you could answer.”
Footsteps pounded, and the door swung open. “Bale’s ready for you.”
“It’s about time.” Miya gave Hakym a glance, enough to see the concern. “Unfortunately, I will more than likely see you later, old man.”
“Goodbye, my dear.”
She followed Bale’s officer up the stairs and to the front entrance of the cathedral, where large granite steps gave way to a golden walkway, a token to the Phaedra's tower. Two men dressed in robes pried the massive wooden doors of the cathedral open and stepped aside, leaving the entranceway free. Polished wooden beams ribbed the tall arched ceiling. A center aisle led to an altar with a throne and a chest inlaid with silver. They should sell it to feed their people.
After the extravagant show, Miya expected to see only the finest furnishings in the upper room. Instead, she found a single bookcase beside a desk and pillows lining the window.
Bale waited with his hands on his sides. When the officer closed the door behind them, Miya looked out the corner of her eye to see Lance standing in the light of the window.
“Don’t be rude, Lance.” Bale’s fingers rapped against himself. “Introduce our guest.”
Miya looked into Bale’s eyes, and with the ferocity of a windstorm, the past rushed up from her depths. It should be her mother standing here before him, forcing him to face all that he'd done.
She waltzed a few steps closer. “I'm here on behalf of Rafferty & Company. Let's talk alone.”
“Your boss insults me before making his offer.” Bale rested against his desk with his arms crossed, glaring at Miya over the thick lens of his glasses. “I don’t negotiate with whores. Lance will help you to the closest town. Find your way back to whatever bed you crawled out from.”
