I pulled in a breath. Released it. And said nothing.
“Guards talk, Rezor. Did you know that? They talk to each other. They talk to the people. They talk to us.” She turned to face me, and the hurt in her eyes cut deeper than any blade. “My crew was here, wasn’t it? Zara was here. Right outside the valley. And you didn’t tell me.”
“I was informed of a convoy,” I said, crossing my arms. “I needed to verify who they were and what they wanted.”
“Verify what? That they were actually my people and not some elaborate trick?” She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You met them. You saw them. And you sent them away without even letting me speak to them.”
I inclined my head. “We do not allow outsiders into the valley.”
“They aren’t outsiders. They’re my people.” She moved toward me, her eyes blazing. “Were you afraid I’d leave? Were you afraid I’d choose them over you?”
“Yes.” The admission burst out of me. “Yes, I was afraid. I’m terrified, Cleo. Because I know you don’t want to stay. Ican feel you pulling away from me every cycle that passes.”
“So your solution was to deny me the choice entirely? To keep my crew away and hope I’d…what? Just forget about them? Accept my place here like a good little mate?”
“I was trying to protect you—”
“I don’t need your protection! I need my freedom!” She was shouting now, all that control shattered. “I need the right to make my own choices about my own life!”
“And I need to keep you safe,” I replied. “I need to know that the people claiming to be your crew actually are. I need to speak with Vikkat privately, to verify their identities before I risk bringing strangers into the valley. Before I risk everything on word alone.”
“You could have asked me. You could have brought me with you to meet them.”
“And if they’d tried to take you? If it had been a trap?”
“Then I would have dealt with it! I’m not helpless, Rezor. I’m not some fragile thing that needs to be locked away for her own good.”
“You are precious to me.” My voice broke on the words. “More precious than anything in this valley. More precious than my own life. And yes, that makes me want to protect you. Even from choices that might hurt you.”
“Choices that might hurtyou, you mean.” She shook her head. “This wasn’t about my safety. This was about not wanting to lose me.”
“No. This planet has seen more blood spilled and species lost than I care to think about.” I moved closer, though she retreated a step. “Protecting this valley and every living thingin it is not only my duty, it’s in my bones. It’s who I am. I know no other way.”
“So you aren’t worried that I’ll leave?” she asked.
“Of course, I am,” I burst out. “You’ve given me your body but not your heart. You share my bed but not my quarters. You help my people but won’t commit to being one of them. And now your crew is here, offering you a way back to the stars. Back to the life you had before. How could that not worry me?”
Tears were streaming down her face now. “Rezor, if you loved me, you’d give me the information I need and let me choose. Instead, you’re hiding things from me. Making decisions for me.”
It was not as simple as she was making it out to be, and I had not even told her of what I’d gotten from the meeting before the convoy arrived. “The council—”
“Fuckthe council. Why didn’t you invite them in? Why didn’t you at least let metalkto Zara?”
And clearly now was not the time to have a calm, balanced conversation about it. A pounding ache took up residence behind my temples. She wasn’t even wrong. In retrospect, I should have allowed Cleo to speak with Zara, but at the time, IthoughtI was doing the right thing. Handling it as a cautious and strong leader should. The way my father would have. I thought about the thousands of sun-cycles of isolation. The generations of my people living behind these mountains, protected from the world outside. The fear that had been bred into us, the certainty that opening our borders meant death.
And something in me snapped.
“You ask too much, mate.” The words came out harsh, angry. “Upending our entire way of life. Demanding changes to customs that have been in place since the time of my ancestors. My clan has survived this long because we kept the outside world away. Because we trusted no one. And you want me to throw all of that aside on faith? On the word of strangers who might be exactly who they claim—or might be enemies who would infiltrate and destroy our home?”
She stared at me, and I saw the moment something broke between us. Some fragile thread of hope that had been holding us together.
“They will return,” I said, forcing my voice to steady. “Zara promised as much. And when they do, with proof of who they are, with resources that verify their story, you may do what you like. You can leave with them. You can stay. The choice will be yours.”
Her voice was calm. Deadly calm. “It better be.”
CHAPTER 15
Cleo
