Harlow joined her beside the bassinet, his hand finding its way to the blanket. “That’s an easy thing to fix.”
Kira nodded, swallowing down her grief.
Nearly a hundred years but she could still feel the hole Harding and Liliana had left. If that didn’t say all she needed to know about how amazing these two people had been, she didn’t know what would.
“It’s ironic then that I may not get the chance,” Kira confessed.
Who knew what tomorrow would bring or if she’d even be alive to see it?
Kira set the blanket down, smoothing it flat as she straightened. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to be the person you need me to be.”
Roake’s heir. Harding’s daughter.
Wasn’t it strange? Kira had spent so much time fighting Roake’s hold over her and now she didn’t want to go.
She would have given a lot to stay—but not Jin.
He was her line in the sand. Ancient Greeks would have labeled him her soul mate. Not in the romantic sense, of course. Once, the word soul mate had quite literally meant, the other half of a person’s soul. That was what Jin was for her. Her soul mate.
She’d sacrifice anything for him. Even her place in Roake.
“Child, I’ve never expected more of you than what you were willing to give.” A hand cupped the back of her head as Harlow pulled her into his embrace. “Your ship has been prepared and is ready to depart should you choose.”
Kira lifted her head to look up at Harlow. This was a gift. An unexpected and dangerous one.
His enemies could use this against him. Claim his actions constituted treason.
By now, he had to know she wouldn’t go quietly. She’d try to take Jin with her and in so doing leave the aftermath firmly in his and Roake’s laps.
Harlow’s gaze was calm. “If you run, they’ll hunt you. Eventually, they’ll catch you. A soul bound isn’t something they’ll allow to run loose.”
“I don’t know about that. I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”
“You’ll have to face this eventually. It’s better to do that now when you still have some leverage.”
His hold on her shifted to touch the new marking on her forearm, his meaning clear.
Kira didn’t say anything as he stepped back, heading for the door.
“My name,” Kira started as he stepped out of the room
Harlow stopped and looked back at her.
“What name did they give me?” Kira asked.
“Layana. It means protector in our language.”
Then he was gone.
“It is a beautiful name,” Kira whispered, alone again.
“Does she realize the consequences will fall to you if she runs?” Caius asked.
The commander eyed those entering the audience chamber, an irritated sentry whose presence managed to warn off all those who thought of disturbing his Overlord.
As a commander and having taken a pod of his own, there was no need for Caius to act the part of an oshota any longer. Yet every time he was home, that was exactly the role he designated for himself every chance he got.
Outsiders saw it as a sign of respect, but Harlow leaned more toward it allowing Caius privacy to nag. Like now.
