Until then, nothing would be enough. And she wouldn’t pretend it was. Wouldn’t pretend that running away or fighting back made her more of a woman. That conquering or falling to pieces changed her soul. Whatever she did or didn’t do was enough because she wasn’t the problem. Anyone who judged her only used it to gloss over the abuse. For too long, Miya had as well, because that hurt less than the truth.
Now, it was time for her life to start. Time to leave the rest in the ashes.
CHAPTER 61
Zayne
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
833 P.C. [Post-Collapse]
Zayne checked his phone on the way to Kira's cell, worried that Ashantae hadn't updated in a few hours. The delay from communicating through Reinard slowed the process, but he expected to hear back from her by now.
By the time Zayne heard that Christopher had discovered the king's long-lost daughter, they'd disappeared from the safe house before the helicopter arrived. No one, not even the Phaedra, knew where they went. His tracker wasn't even working. And his squad was discovered dead. Both Christopher and Miya were assumed captured by either the United or another enemy. But Zayne knew the United didn't do this. Major Tyndale was working with Ashantae to locate them.
It didn't make sense why anyone would poison the entire squad except for Christopher. The reports that his father received showed Miya as having gotten involved with him only a few days before at Bale's village. He claimed to have quickly discovered who Miya was. Zayne knew that wasn't true. So did Christopher's squad.
Did the fool think that if he killed his own people and staged a kidnapping, he could rewrite the story to come out on top? Zayne had sabotaged him twice recently and placed his career in jeopardy. If this was his asinine way of trying to save himself, then he was even more foolish than Zayne thought. But then Christopher was a man on the verge of losing everything. A man scorned by a woman he abused.
If Zayne could find any excuse to leave for the territories, he'd travel to help Miya. But it wasn't possible right now. This scenario was even worse than what he imagined when he first wanted her to flee Christopher. Zayne didn't think he'd go off the grid with her.
Ashantae would find them, though. He just hoped it was soon.
He opened the door to Kira, putting it from his mind, because the situation was just as dire for her. Guilt plagued him from compartmentalizing so many crises. It felt wrong to be able to function when much of his world ended with Mom, and when it ended for so many people in Caspador right now.
The only relief in this empire was seeing Kira and that cat she loved. But once Zayne looked up at her, everything slowed.
Pain tensed the fine muscles of Kira's face when she always smiled at him. And her face was swollen.
Swollen?
Fucking swollen?
His vision tunneled on the cut splitting the side of her lip. His mind split with it, ripping the mask he lived with across the seams. Body primed for a fight, he shot swiftly to her side.
Kira's eyes widened with panic.
Wild, uncontrollable flames shot through his veins, but his hand remained steady when he lifted it to her face.
Her voice faltered. “It's okay—”
“Who?” Tenderly, terrified to hurt her, he slid his fingers beneath her chin to lift her face to him, and the sight of her bruised cheek struck him in the gut. Every single muscle in his body snapped rigid and coiled.
Someone hurt her. Kira never hurt a person in her life, but they hurt her. She was gentle and sweet and ferociously good.
Instead of answering him, she shook her head no.
“Tell me. Now.” Rage warred for control of his voice, but the need to be gentle with her quieted his words. His thumb traced her swollen cheek so softly he barely felt her smooth skin. “Who did this to you?”
A throbbing, endless moment swelled and burst between them.
“You can't,” she whispered. “He's dangerous.”
He knew then. Just knew by the look in her eye. Just knowing that motherfucker.
Luke.
