Captive: Hopeless

Chapter 77 - Truce

"Why cannot I see my daughter?" Eve demanded.

Thane looked away from the expanse of green grass and flowerbeds among the trees and benches. His eyes rested on a blond-haired boy tossing a ball around with a dog chasing it, then moved on.

Was he ever that carefree and happy? No. His father was not a man for frivolous things, and Thane's childhood memories were of studying, learning, and preparing for his "bright future." Allowing him no real childhood.

"Because she broke the law, nearly killing seven people."

What was the point of him meeting her if he already knew what this was all about? Did he just want to see her? Spend some time in her company, even knowing there was no way to make peace with this woman he had so deeply harmed. How can you be so passionate about someone and still cause them so much harm?

"Human prisons allow family members to come and see the inmates."

The vulnerable set of her lips, the way she kept opening and closing her hands, and the tightness of her shoulders spoke of worry and fear.

"We're not human, and until the council reaches a verdict, she may not have visitors."

"Why? What will it change if I just make sure she's unhurt?"

"Why would she be injured?" he asked, and she frowned thunderously.

"Your track record with your loved ones isn't exactly great," she said, rubbing her temple.

The familiarity of that movement reminded him of a much younger and less jaded version of her. The memory tore his heart because he was responsible for so much of her pain.

"Kay is safe."

"Forgive me for not taking your word for it."

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his dark trousers and turned from her, watching the humans enjoy this sunny spring day with their families. There were no such days in his past, and he envied them.

"Kay may be a princess, but she is not above the law," he reminded.

"Your law Thane. The rules you crafted for the fae outside of human law. Who governs you? Who holds you responsible?"

He stiffened, fighting his instinctive reaction to what was essentially a fair question. In the past, he justified his choices as "doing the right thing for his people." Kay made him see that all decisions had consequences.

Were seedlings, not his people? Did they not have fae DNA even if the strain was dormant? These creations of theirs were not completely human and not Titans. The man Kay had met did not see seedlings as people. Except for Eve—until she declined the invitation to become fae and turned her back on him, as he thought everyone else had. But poor Akira stayed loyal to a man who treated her like she was always one step away from rejecting him as the others did.

"You are right. I have much to answer for," he bit out.

The ache in his soul was greater than when he thought himself betrayed. Guilt hollowed him out, and yet how could he make this up to any of them? "Would it please you if I were in jail and not her? If I suffered as much torture as those my stupidity had condemned?"

"What would be the point? Would your suffering ease any of theirs? Can you give them back the years you and Azera stole from them? Is there a way to undo what was done?"

Thane had forgotten this uncanny insight she possessed.

"I wish it would, and I could," he admitted, more aware of her than ever, even though she looked so different.