“We didn't fire upon them!Youdid!”
“Those were projectiles, not pulses. Look at the divots in the ground. And why would we try to kill our own people?”
“To end talks of peace,” Vor growled. “You call us monsters, but you're the evil ones. You risked your own just to send us back into the ground. I see they made it without a scratch. How lucky.”
“There will be no peace!” Caden shouted.
“Not through you, General. But we are on the surface now, and this is where we'll stay, peacefully or otherwise!”
The Nethren cheered, but it was a vicious sound full of threat.
Lena remained crouched against the wall, staring up at Vor in horror. What had just happened?
Chapter Thirty-Four
Vor
Lena wept as Vor escorted her back to their quarters. Vor remained calm, but that was only on the outside. Inside, he raged. He had known the Medeans and Aethari wouldn't be swayed easily, but he'd thought that once the truth surfaced, so would his people. He never imagined they'd be cruel enough to fire upon their own people just to make his people look like the monsters they’d been labeled. But what upset him the most was Lena's tears. She has spoken so passionately of him and his people, even after Vor had abducted her. She said she wanted to stay and help them. And they applauded! Those fucking bastards applauded Lena's impassioned speech, only to turn around and destroy what she was trying to build.
They made Lena cry! For that alone, Vor wanted to burn that camp down. But that would only make her cry more.
The fortress echoed with fury, every soldier sharing their anger. Vor guided Lena through the halls, avoiding the stares of Nethren men and women whose new emotions seemed to magnify their rage. He could hear shouts and vicious conversations. That evil act had done its job and turned the hope for peace into dust.
Vor ushered Lena inside their quarters, afraid for her safety. Yes, his soldiers had grown to like her, but after that terrible incident, they wouldn't be thinking clearly. They were no longer the cool-headed warriors they'd once been. Vor locked the door and leaned against it.
“What happened?” Lena wailed. “Did you have them shot?”
Vor gaped at her.
“Did you?!”
“No!” he roared. “How could you ask me that? You know that I only want peace. You've seen how hard I've worked to reach this moment only to have it thrown in my face! Why would I agree to release prisoners only to kill them on their way to freedom?”
“I don't know,” she whispered. “But it makes even less sense for my people to kill them.”
“And that's the beauty of their treachery.” Vor pushed away from the door and stalked to the window. Staring down at the angry groups of soldiers in the courtyard, he grimaced. “Those fucking bastards. They couldn't deny our request for peace outright, not when we were making such an effort. So they made it look as if we're here to fight.”
“That's what you just vowed, Vor!” Lena shrieked. “If it wasn't you, why did you declare war on them?”
“I didn't declare war! I said that we were staying peacefully or otherwise. I could have vowed to destroy them for what they did. Tech knows I want to. But I didn't. I left it in theirhands. Now, if they attack us, they are the ones responsible for continuing this war.”
Lena backed away.
“Don't, Lena!” Vor stomped around the table.
She kept backing up.
He grabbed her hand. “Don't be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. Damn it! Why would I do this? If I wanted to kill your people, I could march those prisoners out onto the wall walk and execute them in front of Paradefense. Now, that would be the act of a monster. An act of war. But to kill four people right after I release them? That makes no sense.”
“No, it doesn't,” she admitted.
Vor sighed, relieved that she was willing to listen. “There's one more thing that speaks to my innocence. Those soldiers are still alive. Not a single one was wounded. How is that possible, Lena? My soldiers had clear shots at them. If I had wanted to kill those people, they'd be dead. Only friendly fire would miss.”
Lena let out a shaking breath. “Then who did it? I don't think it was the general. He looked too shocked.”
“I wasn't paying attention to anyone's expression. I was too busy trying to protect you.” Vor let go of her and went to drop onto the couch. “All of this work. For nothing. Now we are back to being enemies. I was so close!”
Lena sat down beside him. “Vor, I'm so sorry.”
