“Detrey,” Linc said, nodding at the door.
“I could stay.”
“Go.”
The bronze-skinned warrior waited for several moments before he reluctantly left.
“Why are you telling me this now?” she demanded, getting up to pace.
“I wanted you to hear it from me first.”
“How long have you known?”
“I was with them when they took her.”
She sucked in a startled breath. “No! Why? I was the one who betrayed you!”
“And she helped you. She corroborated your story, which sealed my fate.”
“You didn’t care about what she did!”
“No, I didn’t. I still don’t.”
“So then why take her?”
“I wanted to know where you were.”
“Did she tell you? The name of the school? Or the planet?”
“No.”
“Of course not. She never would have! She’d have protected me no matter what anyone threatened to do to her. And the same for me. I’d rather die than betray her, too!” She stamped her foot in frustration. “So she wouldn’t talk. Then what happened?”
“I started searching. Tok’s a hunter. He came up with a list of likely planets.”
“And while you searched, where was my sister?”
“I left her on the ship.”
“Why?” she snapped.
“Because before the sentencing, the Canypscan brothers asked her to help clear me. They warned her if she continued to lie, she’d pay for it. She let me be sentenced, and they lost a crew member for seven months.”
“Did you know what they planned to do to her?”
He didn’t answer.
“How could you?” she screamed.
“At the time, I didn’t care about anything other than finding you.”
“I trusted you! You convinced me to trust you.”
“She wasn’t raped. She paid a debt.”
“Of course it was rape! How can you stand there and say that to me?” She grabbed a glass and flung it at him. It hit his chest and bounced off, shattering on the floor. “I hate you! I’ll never forgive you!”
“Watch where you’re walking!”
