“We did?”Her eyes searched his for the truth.
“Yes, we did,” he affirmed.“Veda and Opal.They’re both safe and healthy.Thriving.And loving their magic.”
Thalia swallowed hard and glanced away, the first hint of real emotion in her eyes.“Thank you.”
“I know it doesn’t change things.But you should know, the choice we made mattered.It made a difference.Jaxmade a difference.And the girls know it.They remember.I told them stories about Jax so that they would know their protector.”
“You don’t hesitate before you say her name,” Thalia whispered.“Everyone else does, or they say it with pity, and I hate it.”
“A very wise woman reminded me that loving Jax, and fighting beside her, was your choice.A choice you’d likely make again, even knowing the outcome.I know Jax would too.”His own grief at losing Daya swelled, lending honesty to his words.
Thalia’s eyes blurred with intense emotion as they filled with tears.She reached for his hand and squeezed it.“I would.”
Ryan put his hands on each of their shoulders, joining the three of them.All that was left of Team Onyx.
Connor looked his teammates in the eye in turn.“I need your help.That last attack wasn’t a normal merc team.We were betrayed.We have a traitor in our midst.”
CommanderGalenhadjoinedthem in a secluded room in the family wing of the Rosewood estate for their meeting.The man’s face had hardened with each new revelation about what had occurred since their team had been attacked.Particularly when he described the atrocities that the children had suffered during their captivity.
Morgan pinned Connor with his silent, penetrating gaze when he described the meeting with Devryn, not even blinking when Ryan blew up loudly.
“You let him go on the word of a child?”Ryan asked incredulously.
“Hers and Midnight’s,” Connor admitted.
Ryan’s eyes flashed darkly and his jaw hardened, bitter anger emanating from him at the mention of his lost horse.
“Honestly, I thought there was a possibility he was one of ours at first,” Connor said.“Defected from the teams or something.It’s rare, but it happens.Then, I remembered seeing him with Samir.”
“Still—”
“Ry, it’s Alison.My Alison.She finished raising me after Mom died.Taught me to use a sword.I don’t want to believe any of this!But how can I ignore it?”
Connor sat back in his seat and closed his eyes.He felt like he was breaking a confidence, discussing Alison this way.
“These are serious allegations.We need proof about the extent of Alison Mekray’s betrayal before we accuse her,” Morgan said.“She’s highly connected, both within and outside the military.Assuming she is, in fact, a traitor, she’ll have a plan in place to avoid taking the blame, or in a worst-case scenario, a way to disappear.We start by finding evidence of what Devryn claims.”
“If she betrayed us, I want her dead,” Thalia said quietly.“For Jax and the others she killed by selling us out.”
Connor felt the same, yet he didn’t.He was struggling because of who it was.Wasn’t sure he could stomach killing his own family.Someone he truly loved.
“We need to know who else is involved, and why she’s doing it first.How deep this goes,” he said instead.“Otherwise, everything we’ve given our lives for is at risk.I can’t imagine she’s working alone, not when Commander Varice outright lied to my family about my death.”
“We protect our teams and the refugee program,” Morgan agreed.“But you missed a step.First, we have to clear you with the military.”
“Do you have a plan for my grand return?Because I do not relish the possibility of disappearing into the depths of military headquarters, never to be heard from again.”
His faith in the fidelity of their military had plummeted with all that he’d learned recently.If someone he knew and trusted could murder his team and others… there was no telling what they would do if they suspected he knew more than he should.
Morgan leaned back in his chair and smiled broadly.His usually laughing demeanor had an eerie, predatory gleam to it.“I’m going to walk you straight into the highest command office and get you debriefed and cleared by people I trust.Preferably before Mekray and Varice even realize you’re back.”
“You’re sure that’s the best way?”Ryan asked, worry tensing his voice.“Command held us for days with questions before releasing us.Connor returning from the dead isn’t going to sit well.”
“It’s the only way I can even remotely control, so yes, it is absolutely the best way.I believed Celina would succeed in her mission to bring you home, so I’ve been making preparations.I had no idea the betrayal delved this deep, but I knew something was wrong, the way it was handled.Cass and Celina’s relationship is going to save you, Connor.With the strength and visibility of their friendship, no one will question why Cass led a rescue mission to retrieve you after I was unable to assist Celina when she came to me for help.Especially not when Cat and I made it very clear to certain military personnel that was what happened.”
It was a good story and held an unquestionable core of truth.
Morgan leaned forward and gave him an intense look.“They didn’t just tell your family you were dead, Connor.They actually issued your death certificate.Someone specifically didn’t wantyoucoming back.”
