Lance looked dumbfounded. “Thanks. Be careful.”
Be careful? Miya blinked hard, and then she ran as fast as possible away from him, not wanting to risk him falling on her again and trapping her.
She needed to make an emergency call to Aiden and figure out what just happened.
Somehow, Lance made less sense than ever.
CHAPTER 21
Zayne
The Capital
Kallum, Ciondo
833 P.C. [Post-Collapse]
Acool wind whipped Zayne's uniform jacket while he eased back against the brick face of the apartment complex. He'd just delivered Kira's final letter. Though Zayne planned to leave right away, he recognized the man approaching the mailbox across the street as Elijah from Kira's file. They'd been childhood sweethearts, and when Dr. Cooper brought him up during the interrogation, her heart rate spiked. Though Zayne wouldn't see her for a week while he traveled to the territories, he wanted to tell her that Elijah received the letter once he returned.
The man pulled the envelope from his mailbox and then steadied himself against his building. He slid down the wall, staring at the letter. Even from this distance, Zayne saw the fear and anguish contorting his face. He furiously tore open the letter, breathing hard while he read.
Then Elijah lowered his head against his arms, knees drawn up, so Zayne only saw the top of his wavy dark hair. Whether he believed Kira was safe or not, he must have been relieved seeing her handwriting and devastated that she wasn'tcoming back. Zayne remembered saying goodbye to Nadia and how he felt like she took parts of him with her.
Elijah loved Kira. Zayne recognized it in the broken way he sat slumped against the wall, his body shaking with sobs. It looked like the world just fell apart around him.
Chest heavy, Zayne looked at the man who loved his prisoner one last time and then left for the Rail. He'd make one more miserable stop before traveling with Brock to complete the Phaedra's business. And to sneak in a meeting with trusted allies.
Choosing to stand while on the Rail, Zayne stared out at the familiar neighborhood with the strange feeling that he didn't recognize any of it, even though he did. Multiple contacts had responded agreeing to help break Kira out of prison, but now he had to abandon the entire plan. The weight inside him grew with each passing mile. What would Elijah do if he knew where Kira was? How would he feel?
Zayne couldn't abandon Kira in the Phaedra's captivity. Breaking her out of his parents’ house complicated things, but he'd find a way.
When the train slowed to a stop at his station, he exited by the ice cream shop Edwards always forced Zayne to stop at. Brock needed no convincing, and Zayne always caved. The three of them spent plenty of nights there over the last two years.
The ache in his leg was duller than just a few days ago, but each step without Edwards made it stab. A few blocks away, he climbed up the stairs to a townhouse that must have felt desolate without her.
Zayne withdrew the last letter from his pocket, though Kira didn't pen this one. He straightened and rang the doorbell.
Enough time had passed that Zayne didn't expect an answer until Edward's husband, Jeremy, opened the door. A haggard frown replaced his usual kind smile, and dark circles hung beneath bloodshot eyes.
“I'm sorry for not coming sooner,” Zayne said.
“I don't know what day it is.” Jeremy's voice sounded broken. If Edwards saw him like this, it would destroy her. She'd choose the pain of her gunshot wound a million times over seeing the one she loved devastated.
Pain seared Zayne's chest, imagining them sitting on their couch together, fingers laced and gazes full of admiration. “Edwards—” He cleared his throat. “Sara asked me to give this to you if anythinghappened to her.”
He lifted the letter, but the husband only stared for several seconds. Tears shone in his eyes, and his lips curled back in a grimace.
“Thank you,” Jeremy whispered, seeming afraid to touch it. Finally, he drew it to his chest and then turned away, not speaking for several seconds. Without attempting to say anything more, he raised his hand in farewell and closed the door.
What would Edwards say in this situation? Or Brock? Why didn't Zayne know how to comfort those who suffered?
Before coming, he thought he'd tell Jeremy about Edwards' courage or her leadership or that he'd never known a better soldier. Did he fail by not saying any of that? Or did Jeremy just need time alone with his wife's last words to him?
The cold wind stung his skin. “I'm sorry, Edwards.”
The Territories
Archai, Caspador
