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the
corner of my eye, I saw his hand tightening into a fist.
    "Listen," I said as I
stepped between them. "We're cooperating as much as we can, but you
can't imprison us. We're not your slave citizens drooling all over
ourselves in your Info rooms while you try to figure everything
out. We're free Auri."
    "You've attacked my men on
more than one occasion. You brought two of the enemy with you and
expect us to feed the crippled one. So please, Little Miss, do not
tell me what I can't do. If the Emperor weren't in the way, I'd
have you skinned alive for all you've done."
    I opened my mouth to
speak, but nothing came out. Lastrini had hinted in the past about
his less-than-positive opinion of us, but this threat was
different. He'd changed. He was a lot bolder now.
    "Consider us warned,"
Cailen said. His hand brushed my lower back, feather light, and
urged me forward.

Chapter Three
    Warned
     
    I picked at my sandwich,
making a nice little mound of shredded crumbs of doom, then tossed
what was left of the crust back on my tray. Cailen sat across from
me, devouring his. Funny how guys could do that. Nothing really
messed with their appetites.
    But I think we were both
ignoring the darkened mood in The Block in our own way. Cailen's
show hadn't gone unnoticed by anyone. I guessed they thought I was
new and therefore some volatility could be expected. Cailen,
though? No leniency for him.
    Or maybe it was my size.
No matter what I did, no one could look past my stilted, diminutive
height, especially when I was at least two feet shorter than
everyone around me.
    I kept my eyes down,
pretending I didn't notice the stares--or the whispers--directed at
us. The whole dining facility was packed with soldiers, not one
chair empty except for the ones at our table. People stood at the
corners with their trays balanced on one hand just to avoid sitting
by us. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and kicked Cailen
under the table so he'd stop eating and actually discuss
this.
    He peered up from his food
with a quirk of a smile on his lips. "Yes?" he said.
    I leaned forward and
whispered, all conspirator-like, "We can't ignore this." I looked
around again at the glares and smirks. "They don't seem very
happy."
    "If you remember, I've
been wanting to leave since I got here. You're the one who wanted
to stay." He pushed his chair back and leaned forward too, our
faces just inches from each other, his breath playing against my
cheeks. "What did you think was going to happen?"
    "I thought they'd at least
realize I'm trying to help."
    He smirked. "You've said
it yourself; the Mamood are here for you. You're not the only one
who's thought that. Honestly, if they find out about the Fae'ri
now, they probably will try to skin us alive."
    I rested my head in my
palm and looked past him. I knew we should have left long ago, but
I couldn't. Not then or now. Couldn't the Soltakians see that my
leaving wouldn't change a thing? Look at what happened the last
time. No one could convince me those Mamood in all their warships
outside the planet's atmosphere hadn't known Manoo had captured me.
And yet they didn't leave.
    I'd already defeated
Manoo. I could save Soltak. They needed me to stay.
    "We can't go. Not
yet."
    "I can't believe you still
want to stay." His hand tightened around his tray. "They don't want
us here."
    "I can't leave." I forced
each word out of my mouth, hoping to make some kind of difference.
Maybe if I said it enough everyone would believe I meant it for the
best. "They need me."
    He pursed his lips and
shook his head, backing away. "You've given your devotion to all
these strangers." He paused before setting his eyes on mine. "You
give everything to them ." He stood up with his tray and half-turned to leave before
he stopped and said, "You know, I got Meir. After everything, I
could see what he meant to you, but you haven't even gone to see
him since you saved his life." Then he shook his head and
left.
    I watched him leave in
stunned