Page 33

Nadia

My dad looks up from his desk where he’s setting up the video call, his eyes moving quickly between Cole and me. “Nadia,” he murmurs, dropping his gaze to the keyboard, clearly hiding a smirk. “Good morning. To you as well, Cole.”

“Good morning, sir,” Cole says, taking me by the elbow and giving me a little tug so that I follow him.

As we move to stand behind my father, another man comes in – one I’ve seen frequently around camp, especially as he organizes the delivery of more and more patients.

He stops at the entrance, narrowing his eyes at me with a frown.

“Captain Stanzor,” Cole says, nodding to the chair in front of him, which is empty and clearly reserved for this relative stranger. “Good morning.”

Stanzor slowly crosses as dad presses the button to connect the video call. The Captain takes his seat, glancing up at me, his confusion obvious. “Are we inviting civilians to secret meetings now?”

“Nurse Amir’s presence is necessary,” Cole murmurs, keeping his eyes on the screen.

“Amir,” Stanzor huffs, glancing over at my dad, clearly making the connection. Dad doesn’t bother looking at him. I fold my hands behind my back, feeling quite…

Well, smug. Yes. I feel quite smug and pleased.

The video flicks on, focusing on the handsome faces of the King and the High Chancellor of Clythera. They smile to see us.

“Good morning,” Ethan Kincaid says, leaning forward slightly, his eyes moving over us. I note the way he frowns when he notices my presence, but beyond a single look, he doesn’t acknowledge me. “Good to see you all. Cole, everything’s all right?”

“Yes,” Cole says, leaning forward to smile at his father. I look between them, noting again – as everyone in the Kingdom has – the nearly uncanny resemblance between these two. God, Cole could be his father’s twin if the King were thirty years younger. Or twenty. Ethan Kincaid has aged…very well.

“Is that your daughter, Adam?”

The Chancellor’s voice brings my eyes back to the screen.

“Yes, Nadia is here as well,” dad says, his voice perfectly dry. Remembering that I’ve been instructed not to speak, I just smile and raise my hand in a little wave.

The Chancellor smirks and looks at the King. “Is that the one you were telling me about?”

“No,” the King growls, dry. I go a bit still, wondering…what on earth that could mean.

“All right,” dad says with a sigh, patting the papers in front of him, clearly ready to move on from the subject of me. “Let’s get this started.”

I listen carefully as the professionals talk, dad giving the King and the Chancellor some fascinating statistics on the patients that we’ve treated so far.

I also get updates on many of them – information on their hospital stays, their movements after.

My heart warms to hear about the many people who have been moved into rehabilitative care and the even larger numbers who have already been rehomed.

It all just makes me feel…really good. We’re the front line of this sort of treatment, of course, and don’t always get to hear about where the people we help end up. I glance at Cole, who likewise listens closely, observing the pleasure on his face regarding the good news.

“And what about on your end?” Stanzor asks with a frown. “Are things going to be quiet here for a little bit? Can I send my men back to civilization?”

“Not wise, unfortunately,” Ethan says, pursing his lips for a moment. “We’ve had updates. Keep your men prepared, Stanzor – perhaps requisition more transports, if you need them, that can go longer distances.”

“What’s happening?” dad asks, sharp.

Ethan moves his eyes over all of us, taking a deep breath.

“We’re all aware this information is classified,” he murmurs, clearly for my sake.

I stand straighter. “But we’ve…located what we believe to be the bulk of the Children of Solace living in a set of caves a few miles to the south and west of the original location. ”

“You’re kidding,” Cole breathes, obviously thrilled.

“Your information was very helpful, son,” the King says, smiling at his kid.

Cole beams. “Who knew news about cows would be the thing that helped us narrow our search? But when we told Jude’s young advisor about the need for pastureland as well as secrecy, he knew immediately the few spots they could have relocated to.

One of them shows heat signatures of many living persons. ”

I bite my lip, so incredibly pleased that Shayne’s insights led to this – and so fast . Inwardly, I pray that Cole will let me find a way to tell her how helpful she was without breaking any secrecy.

“That’s amazing,” Cole murmurs, standing straighter.

“Cows?” Stanzor asks, turning to look up at Cole, confused.

Cole shrugs, revealing nothing.

The King leans forward, explaining the plan for the next few days. I don’t understand much of the military jargon, but it becomes apparent that they’ll be doing reconnaissance for a few days before they enact a big strike.

“We’re not going to make the same mistake this time,” the King says, glancing at his Chancellor, who nods.

“We’re going to take our time to plan out all angles and truly strike with a dual goal of capturing Slaken and ensuring that anyone he’s holding captive gets to safety. Which is where you all come in.”

“And the human population?” Cole asks, his voice low, arms crossed over his chest.

The King refocuses on his son. “We haven’t located them specifically. But if and when we do, their care will be part of our top priority.”

Cole nods, accepting it. My heart tenses with pride. Good. Good. Those poor people need and deserve everything this military can give them.

“And you’ll bring them here?”

I gasp as soon as the words leave my mouth, smacking my hand over my lips, suddenly so angry at myself for slipping. I look immediately at Cole, who gives me a punishing little glare – both of us aware that I broke one of the cardinal rules.

I shake my head at Cole in apology, but he just turns back to the screen at the sound of his father’s voice.

“Yes,” Ethan says, nodding seriously to all of us.

“We’ll expect to send a great number of refugees as well as Children of Solace members – combative and not – toward you.

General Amir, if we can get you some expected numbers, can you start to think of ways to sort this out?

I’m aware that you have one medical tent right now and it…

might not be best practice to mix populations, though we’ll want everyone who needs aid seen. ”

“Right,” my dad murmurs, nodding quickly to the King before starting to take some notes. “Yes, get me some numbers. I’ll see what I can do.”

I exhale slowly, glancing at Cole, who focuses on the screen, his face quite grave.

And as much as it surprises me to ever be in line emotionally with Cole Kincaid, I find that my expression falls along the same lines. Because it seems like things are…about to get quite serious here, aren’t they? Even more serious than they’ve already been.

After the meeting wraps up, Cole and I make our way to the breakfast tent, both of us quietly turning over our thoughts as we go. My eyebrows lift as we step inside because it’s quite empty. Apparently, our dawn meeting happened even before breakfast was laid out.

I frown up at Cole as we step over to the food line together. “How did you get coffee if the breakfast tent wasn’t even open yet?” I glance down at my empty mug for emphasis.

He shrugs, picking up a tray. “The cooks like me.”

I raise an eyebrow at him, placing my mug on a tray and picking it up, following him to the hot food bar. “Are the cooks women ?”

He just glances at me, a sly little smile on his lips. I roll my eyes and snatch up a plate of waffles, covering them with syrup before moving to the coffee station and filling my mug. We move to the table next, and I curse as I look back, realizing that I forgot cutlery –

But before I can move there’s the tinkling sound of metal. I just barely catch the sight of Cole’s hand moving away from my tray and the cutlery quietly sitting there.

I scowl and plunk myself down in my chair. “Thank you,” I grumble, bitter about the fact that I am grateful and he’s so damned thoughtful sometimes.

“You’re welcome,” Cole murmurs, digging into his mountain of food. I watch him as he begins to consume like…seven waffles, half of me wondering how the hell a single person – no matter how gigantic – can eat that much and still have a pile of bacon sitting on the other side of the plate.

The other half of me that’s not pondering the massive amount Cole needs to eat to maintain his musculature is busy just… loathing myself.

The feeling nips at me so much that I can’t even think about food right now. I huff and lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

“I don’t want to do this anymore, Cole.”

His fork stops halfway to his mouth, three triangles of waffle still stabbed on the end. “Do…what?”

“This!” I say, gesturing vaguely between us. “I don’t want to be…mad all the time! Hate you so much! It’s exhausting!”

Cole’s mouth works as he quietly sets his fork down and takes a deep breath, turning to me. “All right,” he says, looking me over. “How can I help you with that mission, Nadia?”

I narrow my eyes and impulsively kick his chair, which just makes him grin. “Stop being so smug, to begin with.”

He tries to rearrange his face into less smug lines and fails. I groan, putting my elbows on the table and my face in my hands.

“Nadia, seriously,” Cole says, more gently now. I feel him lean towards me. “Why do you hate me so much? I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was exhausting. I kind of figured you got some kind of…weird power trip from it.”

“I don’t! I’m nice.”

“Okay,” he says, his voice very dry.

I slip my hands down and glare at him. “I am .”

He nods, face impassive. “But seriously, Nadia – why do you hate me so much?”

I drop my hands and glare at him. “Why are you messing with me?”

“I’m not!”

“You know why I don’t like you, Cole!”

He presses a hand to his heart and shakes his head at me. “I’ve been wracking my brain , Nadia, since –“

His words falter and he reconsiders telling me when, precisely, he started reconsidering our relationship as an angry blush rises to my cheeks.

“I don’t know, Nadia. Please tell me.”

“Because, Cole! Because you broke my damn arm!”