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“Something you had to do? Dressing up as a man and stealing the taxes? Don’t you realize your life is in danger?”
“Every moment,” she admitted. “But if I don’t protect those people, who will? It is my duty as Terran’s wife –”
“To behave like a criminal?”
“To take care of the people now.”
“Your duty now is to do as your husband wishes. I’m sure he wouldn’t want you stealing his coin.”
“It’s my coin as well,” Bria argued.
“Tell her,” Harry urged.
Her father’s lips thinned, but he remained silent.
“She has a right to know,” Harry said. “If you don’t, I will.”
“Knowles is going to execute Mary at dusk tomorrow,” her father whispered.
“What?” Bria gasped.
“I heard it when I was looking for you.”
“They’re going to execute an innocent woman!”
“Talk to your husband,” her father suggested.
Bria waved her hand. “He won’t listen to me.”
“You don’t need to take up the sword. There are other ways.”
“There is only one way!”
“Never mind that,” Harry said. “It’s a trap.”
“I know,” Bria said, turning to face him. “But I have to go.”
“You will not go anywhere,” her father ordered.
“Father, Mary will be killed if I don’t go. I can’t allow that. If I’d stayed with Mary in the beginning, maybe she wouldn’t have been taken. But I left her. I ran away.” Bria stood her ground. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
“No, you won’t,” her father said.
Bria didn’t like the tone in his voice. She didn’t like the intolerant look in his eyes. She scowled slightly. “Father, ever since you came back from the war –”
“You will not speak of it,” he commanded, moving his injured hand behind his back with his good one.
“We must speak of it. You hide behind your wounded hand. Instead of conquering it, you let it rule your life. You should be proud of it. You received it fighting for something you believed in. I haven’t seen you fight for something you believed in in a long time.”
“Enough!” her father roared. “I’ve heard enough of your speeches and your schemes. You can do no more for Mary than I can. If Knowles chooses to kill her, you will not interfere. He is your husband. You should obey him instead of fighting him and stealing from him.”
Bria glared at him for a long moment. Hurt and anger welled within her, but she refused to give in to it. “I used to admire you. You used to be strong and brave, a man I wanted to be like. Now all I have for you is pity.” With that, she whirled and stormed from the room.
Harry shifted his gaze to his son.
David Delaney turned away from his father’s piercing gaze, holding his useless arm close to his body. Harry saw the agony on his son’s face. “She’s right, you know,” Harry said gently. “You haven’t been the same since the war.”
David turned his back on Harry and gazed into the dying fire.
