Sovereign - The Dark Sorcerers: Book 2

Chapter 14: When the Wine Is In, the Wit Is Out

Rowan

"You lied to me."

I stiffened, clutching the glass of wine in my hand as General Waters's voice sounded closer to my ears than I had anticipated. Bringing the glass to my lips, I took a large sip of the sweet, almost purple liquid. "Excuse me, sir?"

The General leaned against the railing of the great balcony, which looked out over the sparkling city below. Peals of laughter drifted through the open doors behind us, but I was in no mood for a welcome party. Neither was my superior. "You said that your feelings for Kenna Rivers are purely platonic."

"I did, sir."

"You may think me an old fool, Rowan, but don't be mistaken. Every day, I work my ass off to ensure that our prestigious military academy upholds her well-established reputation, and it has granted me the ability to read other people's non-verbal communication better than most. And I'll be damned if your performance with the King and the Heir this afternoon doesn't stem from a secret romance with a certain Dark Sorceress."

So far for maintaining my infamous poker face. I had lost control, and now I would have to deal with the consequences of my outburst. And if the General had noticed, others surely would have too.

"What do you want me to say, sir?" I said, a hint of anger in my voice.

"I want to hear the truth, soldier."

"Fine." I straightened up, gulping the rest of the wine down. I set the glass down on the railing, so firmly that I thought it would break. It didn't, and I reminded myself to keep my temper in check. "While I accompanied Kenna on her quest, we spent quite some time together. We became friends, and then that friendship turned into something more. She ... In a way, she opened my eyes. She showed me a new vision of the world, another way of life, in which the Dark Sorcerers aren't necessarily the bad guys and the rest of the world not necessarily the good ones." I sighed and gave a longing stare at my empty glass. "She was—is—proven right time and again, and I can no longer ignore that. So no, I'm not going to give up on her because some large egos in fancy clothes tell me to. I'm done twisting the truth in our favor."

The General pressed his lips into a thin line, his fingers drumming on the stone railing while he contemplated my words. Although my stomach was tied in knots, I forced myself to hold his gaze, until he was the one to turn away first. "You know it's forbidden for Academy soldiers to be in a romantic relationship with their target; I think the reason for that is obvious. And Kenna was your target, Rowan. No matter how true your statements may be, you neglected your duty because of your personal feelings."

"I don't regret it."

He blinked, taken aback. "I hope you're right about her. Because if you're not, I'll be compelled to send away my best soldier." I clenched my jaw, and he put a hand on my shoulder. "You could've had any woman in the world, but you had to pick her. Now you must be prepared to bear the consequences of that choice."

I shrugged off his hand. Staring off into the distance, to the black sky above our heads, I tried not to wince when pain pierced my heart like the sharpest of knives. "We don't choose who we fall in love with, General. I would've spared myself a lot of heartbreak if it had been that simple."

"I know," he sighed, the strength leaving his voice until it was but a weak whisper. "I understand that better than anyone else." Upon seeing my curious glance, he gave me a wry smile. "I made the same ... mistake as you once. A Siren named Nyah, wanted for a countess's alleged murder. She had killed the woman over a feud involving the Count, or that's what the rumors claimed happened. Turned out Nyah's mother was actually the Count's childhood love and the Count's loveless, arranged marriage had driven him back into her arms. The Countess found out and tried to have the other woman killed. Nyah reacted on instinct, protecting her mother at all cost—literally."