Page 38

“I can train you in combat if you wish.”

“Thanks, but I trained with Vahn on Minerva-6. Got pretty good, too. I think I can handle myself.”

“You trained with Vahn?”

“We had a lot of time to kill. When we weren’t collecting water or setting traps, there wasn’t a lot to do. So sometimes we’d spar.”

“Is that all you did?”

The question was out before Ela could snatch it back. Vannla’s Sword, why was she torturing herself? Ofcoursethat wasn’t all they did. Vahn had practically admitted as such.

Kara narrowed her eyes. Did she know? Had Vahn told her? Surely not. He’d repeatedly told her not to mention theirkalehsh.But the look on Ela’s face…

“You know, don’t you?” she asked flatly. “About me and Vahn.”

“He says you’re hiskalehsha,” the general admitted reluctantly. “That he discovered this while you were stranded together.”

“He shouldn’t have told you.”

“I think he needed to unburden himself.” Ela paused. “Though he seems unsure if you feel the same.”

“Oh.” Kara didn’t know what to say. “It’s… it’s complicated.”

“I see,” Ela said drily. “I was always given to believekalehshwas the simplest, most straight-forward emotion of all. Clearly our philosophers are full ofzift.”

Kara cocked her head.

“It doesn’t disgust you? That Vahn thinks I’m his fated mate?”

Disgust? No. Devastate? Yes.Ela looked at her coldly.

“It is not my place to question the decision of the gods. But be sure that others will. You must not speak of it to anyone. It could be used against him.”

“Yet he trustedyouwith it.” Kara couldn’t help a spark of jealousy.

“The Zhaal has the utmost confidence in me. He knows I would never betray him.”

Because you love him.Kara didn’t say it but the words hung there between them.

Did Vahn know? No. He couldn’t. Or he wouldn’t have admitted his feelings for another woman so blithely.

“Men are idiots,” she muttered to herself and was surprised when Ela nodded.

“Undoubtedly. Now let me get you a direct line to the President’s office. Are you ready to speak to your mother?”

Kara took a deep breath.

“Nope. But if we wait tillthathappens, we’ll be here all week. Let’s do it.”

Fifteen

President Dana Cameron appeared on the screen against the backdrop of her personal study in the New White House many light years away, as clear and sharp as if she was in the next room.

She looked older, thought Kara. Her ivory skin seemed stretched thin across her high cheekbones and her short hair, usually a burnished copper shade, held more strands of grey than she’d ever seen before.

But the imperious tone was exactly the same.

“Kara. You look thin.”