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“What the fuck do you want now?” I ask, skipping the formalities of a greeting.
“Straight to business, I see. Very well, then, Captain Lasta, have it your way. Won’t you take a seat?”
He smiles but the outwardly friendly expression is laced with sprinklings of deceit.
This bastard has something up his sleeve, I just know it.
“I’d much prefer to remain standing, thank you very much.”
Selliss sneers at me.
“Come on then, get to it and tell me why you’ve summoned me,” I hiss.
His sneer grows as he takes a seat, interlacing his fingers behind his head as he kicks his boots up on the table between us. I can tell he’s having a good time at my expense and is trying to stretch it out as long as possible. Second by second, I’m losing my patience.
“What do you want, Selliss?”
“What do I want?” he asks, his smile suddenly dropping into a frown. “I want you to come clean, Lasta.”
“Ha! This is about the other day? I thought we were past that. Why waste time dwelling on the past?”
I hope my feigned coolness is something he’s buying, but I barely convince myself.
“Do you honestly think I walked out of our last meeting believing all of your little lies?” he snarls. “You have changed, Captain, and not for the better I’m afraid.”
“I could say the same for you. You’re the one who can’t seem to move on. I already told you everything. There’s nothing more to say on the matter. Farewell.”
My hand lands on the doorknob just as Selliss calls out to me.
“Trust me, you don’t want to do that if Krista’s welfare concerns you.”
I turn around slowly, meeting those perilous eyes of his once more.
“There are no more excuses you can make up for yourselves. The time has come to own up to the complete truth. I figure that’s the least you owe to me as one of your men.”
Fear turns to anger the longer I look at him.
“How dare you, Selliss? After all we’ve been through, this is how you choose to treat me?”
“How dare I? There should be nothing on your mind but the safety and integrity of Lodra! But you go ahead and position some human whore over your own people.”
I rush forward, flipping over the table, which knocks him off balance. Before he has a chance to recover, I grab him by the throat and slam him into the wall, our faces now only inches from each other.
That’s when I realize I’ve practically admitted to it all. The sickest smile spreads across his face.
“You see?” he cackles. “I knew that would get you. If the oh-so-high and gracious Captain of the Royal Guard wasn’t involved romantically with Krista, he wouldn’t have done that.” He leans closer, whispering. “But he did!”
I let him go, running a hand over my head. I have cast myself into a fiery pit of doom all because of blind rage. Selliss pulls himself together behind me.
“I’ve got you where I want you, you lying bastard. Now’s the time when you’re going to be a good boy and listen to me.”
“I can’t believe this,” I mutter.
“Captain Lasta, I like you, I really do. You’re a great leader.”
As he insults me, my mind flashes to Krista, thoughts of anxiety causing my heart to almost burst out from my chest. I’m sweating despite how cold the room is.
“Now then, because of the respect I still hold for you as the Captain, I’m not going to tell anyone that I know of this affair between you two. However, whatever happens after you leave this room will be a direct consequence of what you choose to do next. If the men are going to be led by a human-lover, they deserve to know the truth.”
