Ashley scoffed. "What do you think you're doing? You can't even be contemplating a date with him. Are you out of your mind? Alura will kill you!"

"Why did you say yes to going out with that reprobate?" Brandy stood with arms akimbo.

Ember's gaze went back to where Alura sat laughing with their parents, and an image of her in bed with Syrin went through her mind. In that moment, she knew exactly why she'd accepted his invitation.

"Simple. This is war."

CHAPTER 1.

ONE YEAR LATER.

"Are you going to tell Bastien?"

Ember paused at Kindel's question that would have ruined her appet.i.te for the lunch they were supposed to be having had Bastien's father not already done so an hour ago.

Her throat tightened as she blinked back tears she didn't want her sister to see, lest she be motivated to do something that could get them both arrested. "No, definitely not, and the last thing I could ever tell him is that his father's threatening to disinherit him."

"Why not?"

"First, it'd kill him to know that. He loves and respects his father. Second, you know the man. Bas would go off, half-c.o.c.ked and confront his father, then all h.e.l.l would unleash and who knows how that would play out." She envisioned everything from Bastien shooting his father to him eloping with her and then growing to hate her years from now once he realized what all he'd given up to marry her.

No matter the scenario, they all ended with them miserable. And with Bastien hating her for coming between him and his family.

"I don't know what to do."

"Do you love him?"

"More than my life." Ember bit her lip as a single tear slid past her control. Gah! This would be so easy if she was the gold-digging b.i.t.c.h his family thought she was.

Then she could let go and not look back. Or marry him and not give a single s.h.i.t what they thought. Because what his father didn't know was that Bastien had already told her how much money he'd inherit on his wedding day. He didn't need his father's inheritance. Or approval. His grandparents had all left him with a staggering amount of property and creds. The unbelievable ma.s.s of wealth stymied her best mathematical abilities to comprehend.

But the money didn't matter to her any more than it did to Bastien. Since she'd never had that kind of wealth, she couldn't wrap her head around it.

Besides, it was his, not hers. All she cared about was Bastien. Not his t.i.tles. And no amount of cred could replace his thoughtfulness or unique views. The way he could brighten her day by simply entering a room. Make her smile with nothing more than a wink and that devilish grin that made her want to rip his clothes off and hold him for eternity.

How could she give that up?

Angry that she couldn't stop her stupid, useless emotions, she wiped the tear away and drew a ragged breath. "Love can't survive bitterness, zusi. You know that better than anyone."

It was why Kindel was single. The love of her life had given up a command position to stay with her. Three years later, he'd been so angry over it as he never had another opportunity for advancement, that it'd torn their relationship apart. To this day, Justiss wouldn't even look at Kindel.

Ember didn't want that to be Bastien. The thought of his hating her ...

That was the only thing unbearable.

"What am I going to do?"

Kindel took her hand and smiled sadly. "I don't know, Em. I screwed up my life. Last thing I want to do is screw up yours."

She snorted. "Not helpful."

Her link buzzed.

Ember started to ignore it, until she saw Bastien's avatar. That goofy photo he'd made as a joke and programmed into her link a few weeks ago.

This way everyone will know what a total j.a.c.k.-.o.f.f. you date and a reminder to you that no one else will have me and my weirdness. So you never have to worry about me cheating or straying. I know the best when I see it and no one's better than my girl.

Trying not to laugh at the memory, she picked it up and answered.

"Hey, lovely."

Ember scowled as she heard something that sounded like blaster fire in the background. "Where are you?"

"Um ... nowhere. Just wanted to say that I love you."

"Are you under attack?"

He hissed in her ear, then made a noise that sounded like he was straining.

"Bas?"

"Yeah ... sorry. I, uh, I'm having a little trouble hearing you."

Over blaster fire! "Oh my G.o.d! You're in a firefight?"

"Little bit."

"Are you pinned?"

The longest pause of her life crackled in her ear before he finally answered. "Don't worry, Em. I'll be home tonight. Just wanted to hear your voice."

Her heart sank as she saw the news on a nearby monitor. It showed the attack he was in. The royal envoy his father was supposed to be in had come under Eudoran fire. But at the last minute his father had sent Bastien and Quin instead.

At the last minute ...

"Bastien," she breathed. "I love you. No matter what happens, please don't ever forget that."

"I won't." He cut the line.

Ember's hand shook as his father's words echoed in her mind. No ... it wasn't possible.

"Em? What is it?"

Swallowing her panic, she jerked her chin toward the monitor. "That's Bastien in that mess."

Kindel cursed. "You want to scramble?"

Yes, but she had more to think about at the moment and she knew for a fact that Bastien could hold his own. "Kin? Can I ask you something?"

She sat back down with a frown. "Sure."

Ember took a moment to gather her swirling thoughts before she spoke the horror that she struggled to comprehend. "Bastien's father intimated that he'd rather see Bastien dead than married to a pleb." She cut another terrified glance to the monitor. "You don't think he would have done that today on purpose, do you?"

Kindel was now as pale as she was. "Oh G.o.d, Em ... I don't know. I'd like to think no parent could even contemplate such a thing."

"But?"

"They're aristos and not us."

And that was what she was afraid of. His father had warned her that Bastien intended to propose, and that if he did so, there would be consequences most dire. Consequences that would guarantee her no happy ending.

The only way she wouldn't be happy was if something happened to Bastien.

Like death.

She finally breathed again as Bastien and his brother emerged from the building on the monitor. Their clothes were ruffled and Bastien had dirt smeared across one cheek, but his hazel eyes were light as he a.s.sured the reporters they were fine.

This time.

"I can't marry him, Kindel." Not if it meant his life.

"He won't give up without a fight."

"I know," she choked. "But I'd rather he learn to hate me than know that I selfishly cost him his life or his family."

"Em-"

"Don't," she said, cutting Kindel off before she could talk her out of this. "It's what has to be done. Not just for him, but for all of us. At least he gave me a part of himself he's never given anyone else." Something his family couldn't take from her. Especially since they didn't know about it.

Yet even the very thought of being without him tore her apart.

At least he's alive this way.

Better he live with someone else than marry her and die because of it.

That's the lie I'm going to force myself to live with.

"What the minsid h.e.l.l is this?" Bastien stared at the transfer orders on his link in total disbelief.

Blocking his access to the barracks where up until an hour ago he'd lived with Ember, the lance corporal turned bright red as she cleared her throat. The pet.i.te brunette handed him his tactical bag that someone else had packed with his uniforms, Gyron Force axe, and other personal items he didn't want to think about. "Sorry, Captain. Thought you knew. Orders came through first thing this morning while you were out on PT. You've been rea.s.signed to Bletch Division."

You've got to be kidding me ...

Gaping at the bulls.h.i.t, he moved his gaze from her to the two MPs behind her as if she needed backup. Like he'd ever take his frustration out on a lower-ranking soldier.

That wasn't his style. If he was going to a.s.sault anyone, it would be someone who had the authority and means to fight back, and stand a good chance at kicking his a.s.s.

Someone like his sister whom he suspected of having done this s.h.i.t to get even with him for proposing to Ember last night. And why not? Lil had been furious that he'd asked their mother for their grandmother's ring. Furious that he'd dared to even contemplate placing such a precious Kirovarian heirloom on the hand of a lowborn pleb. Lillian had been shrieking at him for days over it.

No doubt, it would thrill Lil to no end when she learned that Ember had coldly refused the ring.

And him.

That she'd left him kneeling in the restaurant like an idiot, begging for one single kind word from her.

I don't need this dritvik right now, Lil.

Bastien was still reeling from Ember's rejection. She hadn't just ripped his heart out. She'd publicly gutted him. Worse, she hadn't even bothered to return to their barracks last night. Rather, she'd gone over to her parents' house and left him alone in their bed to wallow in the misery of knowing he'd screwed up somehow.

He just didn't know what he'd done wrong.

Why he wasn't good enough for her to marry when she was everything to him.

Sick to his stomach, he took his pack from the corporal, knowing he'd have to report for his patrol soon. "Under whose command?"

"Major Cabarro."

Of course. Just as he suspected. "My yokken zusa." The profanity was out of his mouth before he could stop it.

She turned an even brighter shade of pink. "Yes, styrrah."

A tic started in his jaw. If Lil had really done this to get back at him for proposing to Ember last night, he'd murder her for it. In her sleep. So help him!

"Who authorized it?" It better not have been his brother.

Or his uncle.

She stammered a bit before she pulled it up on her own link. "M-m-major Wyldestarrin."

No dritvikken way ... Bastien's breath left him in a rush as his brain struggled to grasp a reality he didn't want to face.

Ember had done this to him. Intentionally. Without a single word. Without mercy or regard? She'd transferred him over to his sister's division when she knew how much he hated being under Lil's thumb. His sister treated him like a socially-stunted toddler and lived to embarra.s.s him in front of everyone. She went out of her way to set him up for ridicule. He'd rather slit his own wrist than be near Lil in uniform.

Or out of uniform, either, for that matter.

d.a.m.n, that was even colder than the way Ember had left him hanging last night after the proposal.

Why not just castrate me and be done with it? Why go to such extremes to punish me?

What the h.e.l.l did I do to you?