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“… Even after all of these innocent people have died?”
“Innocent people die every day, Sophia. Hell, if I hadn’t stolen you, and you had somehow broken free of Retsos’ grip and waged war against me and my allies, innocent people would have died. Maybe not as many, but there are always some civilian casualties in these wars, no matter how much we try to minimize it.”
My fluttering heart becomes heavy at the thought of how many more people have probably died since Leo told me about the library. I don’t want to ask, because I know there’s nothing I can do.
Even if I tried to call on my men to step back, Castor would still be in danger.
I might not be a puppet anymore, but I’m still a prisoner.
“I wish I could be a stronger leader,” I sigh, thinking out loud. “Your men don’t just follow you because they like a fighter, right? They do it because they respect you…”
“I’m sure your men respect you, too. But I think you were right when you said that they wouldn’t trust anything that came out of your mouth while you were still being held by me. Hell, they might even lose respect for you—I mean, who wouldn’t? Especially if they thought their queen was bowing to the enemy.”
“How do we fix that?” I ask, my heavy heart burning for an answer.
“There’s only one way.”
His words are like a jackhammer to my chest. There is only one way, but he wouldn’t dare consider it… would he?
“… You’re going to let me go?” I gasp, unsure about whether I’m excited or utterly devastated by that possibility.
“No.”
Just like that, Leo stomps out any growing conflict rising inside of me.
“So, then there’s no fixing it…” I sigh.
Behind Leo, the patio door opens and two servers appear. One has two plates, filled with the main course. The other clears the appetizers.
The exchange happens quickly enough, and Leo and I wait until we’re alone again before we continue our conversation.
“There is one more possibility,” Leo says.
Neither of us even bother looking down at the steaming salmon that was just laid down on the table. It smells heavenly. But I’m not in the mood to eat anymore.
I’m in the mood to lead. To learn. To listen.
To discover who I’m really sitting across from. I want to know so badly.
Leo could help me become a better leader. Together, maybe we could end this madness.
“What?” I ask, desperate to know.
In response, Leo leans forward, his blue eyes blazing through the candlelight.
“I need you to be honest with me, Sophia.”
“I’m beyond lying to you, Leo,” I gulp, unsure of where this is going.
“Very well,” he nods. “Tell me about Castor Manolas.”
My heart stops. That was the last name I was expecting to hear. Leo has always acted so savagely in response to any mention of my old protector that I’ve learned to stay as far away from that subject as possible.
But there’s no rage or jealousy in Leo’s blazing blue eyes right now. Only curiosity. An intense, calculating curiosity.
“What do you want to know?” I ask, trying to swat back all of the encroaching bad thoughts.
But that proves to be almost impossible.
