Retribution (Kall Alien Warriors #3) - Sue Lyndon Page 0,8

her execution.

At least she’d managed to exchange a few messages with Betsy recently, thanks to Merokk’s kindness, and she’d been able to send a goodbye letter to her friend as well. She’d sent the farewell note just this morning, trying to keep it as upbeat as possible even though the act of writing it had broken her heart. She’d included all her favorite memories spent with Betsy, to remind her friend of the good times they’d shared—like how they’d instantly bonded as roommates at Harvard after discovering they’d both brought the same brand of coffee ice cream to stock the fridge on move-in day.

What Layla wouldn’t give to go back in time to that day and redo the rest of her life up until this point. God, if only.

The deep rustling sound of the tarp being spread out brought her back to reality, and she shivered at the sight. Once the guards finished spreading the tarp out, they moved to stand along the wall near the podium.

I’m going to die today.

This realization brought more tears to her eyes. She wished she could be brave right now and hold her head high and not shed a single tear, but try as she might, she couldn’t even get her hands to stop shaking.

She still hadn’t fully processed Michael’s death, nor the violent act he’d committed before jumping off that bridge and into the Potomac River. Guilt visited her whenever she thought of that day. She’d suspected he was involved with the rebels and she’d known he hated the Kall, but she had never imagined he might stab an innocent Kall female to death in the streets.

When she’d pictured him helping the rebels, she imagined he would help attack Kall patrols or target other Kall defenses. But even then, she’d had a difficult time picturing him being moved to such violence. Murdering a defenseless Kall female though? It was so cold-blooded that if Merokk hadn’t shown her the surveillance video leading up to the attack, she wouldn’t have believed Michael capable of such dark viciousness.

She wiped at her tears and straightened in her seat, wondering when the hearing would begin. Why hadn’t General Zamek arrived yet? And what would happen to her if the general didn’t show up today? Hope started to push away her fear. Surely, if he wanted to see her suffer for Michael’s crimes, he would be here by now. Maybe Merokk was right—maybe he’d come to his senses and didn’t plan to kill her, and therefore didn’t even wish to show up for today’s hearing.

The murmuring in the courtroom became louder. Occasionally, a nasty remark spoken in Kall reached her ears. While the alien language was difficult for humans to master, she could understand most dialects of it, though she had a hard time speaking some of those dialects. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself, as the murmurings from the courtroom continued to reach her ears.

Stupid rebel female—she deserves to die.

I think the general will kill her quickly—likely with his sword.

Five hundred galactic credits says he’ll torture her first.

I hope General Zamek slices her to pieces.

Layla’s stomach bottomed out. She swallowed hard and clutched the armrests of her chair.

Was this really how it would end?

She’d devoted her life to becoming an expert in Kall culture and had worked to keep peace between Earth and planet Kall during her time as an advisor to President Carson. To think that she would meet her end at the hands of the aliens she’d once admired was more than unsettling. It was heartbreaking.

If only the war had never happened. If only that group of human miners hadn’t caused an explosion on the Kall homeworld and destroyed two mountain towns. That was the incident—the accident—that had led to the quick but brutal war.

If the war hadn’t occurred, her stepson Amos would still be alive, and she and Michael would still be together. He wouldn’t have descended into grief and madness. He wouldn’t have turned scary and abusive, nor would he have killed Shessema, General Zamek’s young wife. Her throat burned.

Heavy footsteps sounded and the murmuring in the courtroom ceased. The sudden silence that descended was thick and ominous. Layla’s heart commenced pounding and she broke out in a cold sweat. She didn’t need to turn around to know the general had arrived. Oh God. Oh God oh God oh God.

I’m going to die today.

She sensed his presence like a force of nature, and she found herself turning to get a look at