Page 392 of Scars of Fate

Roth hesitated.

“The pilot isn’t cleared for this operation.”

“Neither is the city Minser may be about to kill.”

Roth made the call.

Lucas stood at the river’s edge, staring toward the mountains.

He hadn’t moved since Minser disconnected.

His shoulders were rigid.

His hands remained at his sides.

Too still.

I knew that stillness.

I had watched him wear it through funerals, deployments, and every terrible moment when the world demanded something from him that no person should have been asked to give.

The difference was that I understood it now.

Lucas wasn’t calm.

He was containing the storm.

I moved beside him.

“You aren’t going alone.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No.”

He turned toward me.

“You’re injured.”

“I can walk.”

“You can barely stand.”

“That’s an exaggeration.”

Blood had begun to seep through the bandage around my thigh, but I wasn’t going to point that out.

His silver eyes dropped toward it anyway.

“You’re staying with Adam.”

“Adam is coming.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes. And the answer is still no.”

His jaw tightened.