Her eyes swam with tears as she finally looked at Ember and Brand. “He fell with his unit about three hours ago.”
Brand stiffened in Ember’s arms.
For a moment, she couldn’t breathe as her entire world collapsed and she understood exactly how Bastien had felt at the moment he learned about his own parents’ deaths. How he’d felt holding his mother’s body in his arms.
No, not entirely. She still had her sisters alive and with her. And she wasn’t being blamed for their deaths. Nor had she watched them die while being held down, unable to protect them.
Given how capable Bastien was as a soldier, that had to have killed him. She couldn’t imagine a worse nightmare for anyone.
Shots rang out.
Brand shot to her feet and drew her weapon. Ember reluctantly left her mother’s body to do the same.
Utter silence descended, making her heart race in fear that Kindel and Ashley might have gone down.
Please God, no.…
She couldn’t handle losing anyone else. Not today. Not like this.
“Em? Cin?”
Her breath came out in an audible gasp as she heard Kindel’s voice just outside their cave. “We’re here. What happened?”
“Tasi. She’s coming in. Don’t shoot at her like we did. She’s kind of pissed about it.”
Cin wiped at her eyes with a nervous laugh as she saw her wife. Ember let out a ragged breath as they embraced and checked each other for injuries. At least one of them had some good news for the day.
“You okay, baby?” Tasi held on to Cin as if terrified of letting her go.
“Yeah. You?”
She nodded. “I was being followed or I’d have been here a lot sooner. I wanted to make sure I didn’t bring more trouble to your door.”
Ember holstered her blaster as raw panic continued to choke her. “Did you take care of it?”
“I did.” Tasi smiled grimly. “Another reason I had to make sure I wasn’t followed. Everything’s secured. Just like you asked.”
Thank the gods. Ember returned to Brand. “So what’s going on at home?”
Tasi winced as she saw their mother’s body on the ground. “You’ve all been accused of treason. If they find you, you’ll be arrested on sight.”
“Alura?” Cin asked before Ember had a chance.
Tasi grew silent.
Ember’s stomach grew tight. “Did they kill her?”
She drew Cin into a hug then whispered in a low tone, “No. She’s giving statements that have indicted the rest of you.”
“How could she?” Brand whispered.
Cin tried to pull away, but Tasi held her fast. “You can’t go after her. She’s being protected. They’re trying to draw you home.”
“Good,” Cin said firmly. “I’m willing to go.”
“But I’m not willing to lose you. Now sit down with your sisters and let’s think this through.”
Ember was amazed when Cin obeyed her without question. Only Tasi could get Cin to listen. Especially in this mood.
