Chapter 14.

Alford could hear the sorrow in Zara’s voice. “Commandant,” she started, “I should have reported to you when Luceron and Seraphine were late for the warrior briefing in the bar area at the hotel the day of the benefit dinner. Seraphine told me it was because of last-minute arrangements and changes with the dinner, and while I wasn’t quite sold on the excuse, I couldn’t argue it.”

Alford let out a frustrated sigh and scrubbed his hand over his face with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel and his eyes on the road.

“You aren’t the only one that missed signs of something aery, Preticus,” he spoke in an assuring tone letting her know he placed no blame on her for this. “I’ve had my suspicions about something being off with them for quite some time; ever since the Ervilan spy was caught trying to sneak into the Milky Way. I should have dug deeper into the spy’s getaway since they were the two who sighted them.

Something changed in both of them after that, but I was cha