He blinked away how Kira had looked at him that first night he met her. How her tender touch wandered up his arms and chest. She liked him that night when she had no idea who he was. Their plan wasn't as asinine as Zayne made it sound, but he'd never allow them to belittle Kira like that. Unthinkable. “We have evidence from a lie detector that she doesn't.”
“No, not that she doesn't like you,” Dr. Cooper said. “Only that she thinks you're an asshole.”
“I'm a soldier,” he said. “This is insulting.”
“He's right,” his father said. “It is insulting. My sons will run our military one day. To suggest my own flesh and blood spend the days leading up to his wedding seducing some woman insults me as well.”
His father rarely rebuked or rebuffed the Phaedra.
That fool of a doctor hadn't learned his lesson from the broken collarbone though. He opened his haughty mouth and dared to talk back to the High General of Ciondo. “Is there anything you wouldn't do for your Phaedra? The value of this asset cannot be understated.”
“That's enough.” The Phaedra raised his hand. “Turn it off. We can revisit this if necessary. The Rivens said no. We'll honor their answer for now. But Zayne.” The demanding stare met him. “If she happens to fall for you, don't stop her. Take however much of her heart she'll give you.”
He dipped his head. “Yes, my Phaedra.” Zayne would be the most hateable man in the empire if he needed to keep that from happening. Uncertain of whether to say the next part, he added, “She's not easily fooled. She may be an untrained civilian, but she has a strong will and a keen mind.”
That earned the full attention of his father. “You speak highly of her.”
“I respect her.”
Dr. Cooper sneered. “You're too idealistic to shamelessly manipulate a fellow idealist.”
“Couldn't you play both sides?” The Phaedra watched him with calculating eyes of a chess master playing out an entire game in his head. “If we do release her to return home, and she believes you're the reason for it, that you secretly fought for her, you'll have a permanent bond.”
This was a dangerous but potentially incredible move. Then again, Zayne needed to keep the Phaedra as far from the truth as possible. “Kira is far more likely to respond to that than manipulation of the heart.”
“I agree with Zayne.” Luke studied him. “The story about his reprogramming will help her believe that he's capable of betraying the Phaedra. He's done it once before, after all.”
“Watch yourself,” their father whispered.
Luke huffed. “We could eventually send her home and maintain contact to use her in the territories.”
“This is why I chose Zayne.” The Phaedra gave a proud smile. “It's not just to strengthen your heart, son. I know you can convince her you care for her because you truly do. If she lets you into her heart, you can break her so easily and place me deep within.”
The conversation had started to feel like hope, a way to send Kira home safely. Fear lurched inside of him at the look in the Phaedra's eyes. In a game of strategy, no one could beat him. Trying to save Kira may end up feeding her to the Phaedra.
“As long as we're on this line of thinking, I have a creative suggestion.” Dr. Cooper steepled his fingers. “It'll be a challenge for Zayne to open up to Kira, regardless of his commitment to his Phaedra. We all know him. Why not supply him with some help?”
“Such as?” his father asked.
“Send her to the Riven estate under the care of the mother she never had.” He grinned at his own brilliance. “Kira has longed for a mother her entire life. Who better to fill that hole than Adelle Riven?”
“No.” The answer burst out of Zayne. “Don't involve my mother in this.” Desperate eyes turned to his brother. “She can't stand seeing someone get hurt. You know her.”
The torn look on Luke's face worried Zayne. “I don't like it either. There's a reason she's not involved in operations. She feels so deeply, especially for anyone she takes under her wing.”
Surely Father would shoot down this ridiculous plan. But he was staring at the table. “Adelle is everything Kira needs.”
“Father—”
The Phaedra cut Zayne off, sitting forward with his hands flat on the table. “Can you secure the estate?”
“Yes, easily,” the High General said. “It's already incredibly secure. I often work from home.”
“Isolation is detrimental to a person's mental health, but we can't allow other prisoners around the woman.” Dr. Cooper looked too eager to engage in what surely was another experiment for him. “Kira also thrived having her own belongings in a more comfortable environment. The Riven home will provide us with all we need to take control of her. I believe it's far better than torturing her and her friends in prison. She can sway her mother and may continue to serve as an asset if we send her home.”
Zayne had lost the argument. There was no hope of changing anyone's mind. It might sound easier to get Kira out of his parents' house than the prison, but the United would never engage in any missions at the Riven estate. That violated the rules of engagement that prevented even worse atrocities in this war. This meant Zayne needed to extricate Kira on his own. So, he was starting all over.
And if this ended badly, which it very well might, he wasn't just failing Kira. He'd be failing his mom, one of the only good people in this empire.
