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My stomach twisted into a nasty knot, threatening to vomit bile from the empty pit. I already knew this wasn’t going to be good.

Sasha sat back down, her hair braided and wrapped on her head in a bun.

She wore an elegant, tan colored dress suit with a white blouse.

It was all simple, but the simplicity somehow made it beautiful on her.

I, on the other hand, had little choice.

My attire for the past six months since being kidnapped and joining the rebels had consisted of my cadet uniform—deep tan cargo pants, standard issued black boots, and olive-green t-shirt.

My clothing varied only during training or on missions.

That’s when I wore the skintight black jumpsuit or full combat gear.

But today, it was the t-shirt and cargo pants.

They weren’t flattering. Not even a little bit.

“Sit, child.” Her tone was curt and sharp, and it was clear she wasn’t suggesting I sit.

It was an order. But I really didn’t care about what she wanted.

I was too pissed off. She had been looking for excuses not to fulfill her end of the bargain since she made it with me months ago.

I had been pushing back on her ever since, and she was growing tired of it.

Sasha had a lot of patience, but I suspected the grace she had been giving me was running out.

I couldn’t blame her, though. In truth, Sasha had been good to me.

Real good. For the first time in my life, I was given the power of choice.

I savored real food, discovered a vast new world I never thought existed, and even got my first real kiss.

And when I exercised my own voice, explored my anger, tried on what it felt like to be defiant or say no, I didn’t have to fear being beaten for my insolence.

I was finding that there were more parts to me than I realized.

I wasn’t just a scared little girl anymore who was always hurt and lonely.

There was more to me than that. I had anger and jealousy and hate and friendship and love and hope .

Yes, Sasha had been good to me. The Dissenters had been good to me. And they had done so much more than just save my life—they gave me my life. Because what I was doing before, how I was living in Telvia…I knew now that wasn’t living.

But Sasha was another politician. And even though she had been good to me, I was struggling to trust her, to believe everything she told me was the truth.

I had spent my entire life being controlled, blindly following orders, and accepting everything my father ever told me without question, and it cost me greatly.

I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.

I couldn’t afford to. Because this time, my brother’s life hung in the balance of it all.

So even though I truly respected her and everything she was trying to do for the people of Telvia, I remained standing.

Not out of disrespect, but as a reminder that I wasn’t going to back down from this.

I wasn’t going to give up on saving my brother.

His life mattered, and he was worth fighting for.

She narrowed her eyes at me, and the gesture sent a cool tremor through me.

“Very well. If you wish to remain standing, that is your choice.” She reached for the remote Giza had left on the table, clicked a few buttons, and the light in the room turned on while the projector clicked off.

I blinked several times, my eyes trying to adjust to the bright light in the room.

She took a deep breath, folding her hands on the table before setting her gaze on me.

“Now, I understand wanting to save your brother, and I can understand your frustration with me, but you must be reasonable.”

I squared my shoulders. “Is it so unreasonable for me to expect someone to follow through on their promises?”

“I have been doing everything in my power—”

“No, you haven’t, Sasha,” I snapped. “You threw me on a farm with no information on what you were planning or trying to do. Then you summon me here and tell me that there’s no supporting information about my brother’s location, only a rumor.

You give me some excuse about how we can’t risk breaking into Admin, and then you do everything you can to prevent me from going on that mission.

” I lifted my hand, counting down each item.

“I had to gather my own team, gather my own intel, secure my own transport, and everything else. You did nothing . And now, you’re looking for the first excuse you can find to try and bail out of saving him.

So, forgive me if I’m having a hard time believing you and your perception of doing everything you can .

” I exhaled sharply, feeling my frustration rise, my anger bubbling over.

Sasha sat quietly, her tongue running over her teeth and then clucking in her mouth before she finally spoke. “I can see how my actions appear to you. I understand.” She cleared her throat softly.

“You can?”

“Yes. Perhaps it’s time I should explain that rescuing Jacob is not a priority for this rebellion.” I opened my mouth to speak, but she held her hand out to silence me. “Let me finish, child.”

I snapped it closed.

“The Dissenters stand in a precarious situation. The attack at our camp was a serious blow, and it left us with little resources. Thankfully, the North has been a generous ally, and they have been supplementing us ever since the attack.” She took a deep breath before looking at me.

“How much do you know about the Civil Wars?”

I considered the question. “I know a little…mostly what they taught us in the academy.”

“Ah yes…the Telvian version of history. Then you know some, but not all. Perhaps it is time for you to learn a little more to gain a better understanding of what we are doing here.”

My curiosity piqued. I really knew nothing about the wars, only that they happened. But Sasha’s comment about the Telvian version of history made me wonder if the story I knew was the real story at all, or if it was another form of deception thrown on the Telvian people to keep them loyal to Raúl.

“I recommend you sit for this part, child. The history of the UFA is not a pretty one.”