Burn (TimeBend Book 2) by Ann Denton

Author:Ann Denton [Denton, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780998543734
Publisher: Le Rue Publishing
Published: 2018-02-15T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-One

Stelle met him at Sonne Pointe. Lowe told her everything. He didn’t hold back the details about the civilians, or his opinion about that part of the operation—not that it mattered.

She took it all in, staring silently at him. When he was done exploding, she gestured for him to sit down.

Lowe sank into the radio control chair at Sonne Pointe, staring at the desk, tracking the marks etched into it.

Stelle didn’t speak for a minute, clearly letting him wind down.

The idea of hurting Senebel civilians still didn’t sit well with him. But I delivered Tier’s message. I did my job.

“I think …” Stelle’s tone was careful and measured. “That it’s time you and I had a talk.”

Mucking hell.

Stelle stayed behind him, giving him space.

So she’s not rushing over saying, yeah killing civilians is bad, Lowe. Let’s forget that part. What did you expect?

“You and I don’t see everything in the world eye to eye. Kind of like you and Tier don’t. But we can still work well together.”

Lowe took a deep breath. “I know.” But where he used to feel a swell of pride in doing his job, there was only emptiness. Am I getting burnt out? Jaded? Or is this the wrong thing to do? Mala and her sweet smile appeared in his thoughts. Is she making me soft? “I told you what I had to. But I don’t have to like it.”

Stelle gave a curt nod. “No. You don’t have to like it. You also don’t have to like the fact that I can see the future. Or parts of it, anyway. But you can supplement it—”

“Wait. What?” Lowe spun around and stood.

Stelle kept her gaze steady. Calm. She lifted a hand. Like she was approaching a skittish horse.

“What the muck did you just say?”

“I can see the future.”

“No.”

“I can.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“You know it’s true.”

Lowe put his hands in his hair. It had to be a joke. Deadwater be damned, she’s playing a joke on me. He started to laugh.

“Don’t.”

He bent over, full-on guffaws shaking his stomach.

“I told you when your parents wouldn’t come back. Do you remember?”

Lowe froze. He looked at Stelle’s eyes. They were dark and deadly serious.

She had told him. Pulled him into her arms one morning and kissed him so hard his lips had chapped. Not that it had bothered him. He’d been a boy. Her little shadow. It was his dream come true. Until his cheeks got wet from her tears. She’d cried.

“I’m so sorry …” she’d whispered. “They’re gone. Your parents—”

Lowe stared at Stelle, standing in front of him. Solemn, serious, her hands clasped in front of her.

“You can’t mean—”

“You know I added faces to the memory wall. You know I hugged the people who wouldn’t come back. You know it’s true.”

Lowe’s mind spun like a lathe, taking memories he had and shaping them into something new. Something twisted. Something sad. This brilliant girl, this girl he’d loved. His first real friend. Slavery must have broken her.

He stared at Stelle, calmly, carefully choosing his words.

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