“If you have kept us under surveillance, you know.”
“Ulio arrived before you rose to the platform.”
“But I was…” He’d been rescuing Starr. “I was captured by Representative Rikoy then. I was not there.”
“The truth.”
“That is the truth!”
The blade hovered above his cock.
Gailen arched away. “I do not know this warrior. Have I seen him? Describe him.”
The general’s eyes made slits. “You would know.”
“How?”
The blade rested against his male sac.
Bitterness welled in Gailen. He wanted to snap, This, again? He had endured torture in Aiycaya, but it was worse now, crueler because he had met Starr.
You should say what you think, Gailen.
No. He needed to return whole and help her become strong so that they could begin their family together. If the general unmanned him here, in addition to the pain and loss, he would be too weak. He’d be attacked by predators and sharks. And that assumed the general let him go with his life.
He could not antagonize this male.
Being once more in this position, desperately trying to placate someone who was implacable, made his guts burn, but he had to endure. “No warrior by that name has joined Atlantis.”
“By that name?”
“King Kadir welcomes any warrior who asks to join Atlantis. He does not require proof of their standing in their home city.”
General Giru glanced behind him at Viren.
The heavily tattooed warrior nodded. A silent answer to a silent question.
General Giru returned to Gailen and lifted the blade to his jugular. “Should we go together to Atlantis? Perhaps your king will tell the truth if you truly have any value to him.”
Being unmanned in front of the king would be even worse. It would agonize everyone and damage Atlantis.
“And when that warrior Ulio is not in Atlantis, what will you do? Accuse King Kadir of lying?”
“If I find out that any of you are lying, I will—”
“You will what?” Gailen lifted his bound hands, the impossible fury building, an unstoppable force. “Break my thumbs again, like the warrior who brought me to you? Cut them off? Beat me, unman me, leave my body for the sharks? Leave my bride with no husband when our race is so desperate for young fry?”
The general moved his lips to the side, clearly irritated by Gailen’s outburst. “You chose to rebel against the All-Council.”
“And you choose to serve them even when it dooms our race.”
“That is my duty.”
“That is your excuse!” Bitterness flowed through him like a raging current. “You know why the kings gather here. And you choose to murder the warriors trying to save our race because ‘it is your duty.’ Someday, King Kadir will rule, and you will obey him. And on that day, you will look at me and shrug. You will forget your devastation and feel smug because you claim to have honor.”
“I do not claim to have honor,” General Giru growled. “But I will follow my duty into death. Or worse.”
“That is how you are smug. You know what the All-Council has done. What you have done for them.”
He lowered his chin with haunted eyes. Each word vibrated like chips of ice. “I followed orders.”
“Orders that threaten brides and young fry. Exactly who the All-Council is supposed to protect.”
“They… I will never feel proud of the… It was necessary to stop Kadir’s vision before rebellion consumed the ocean.”
“Rebellion has already consumed the ocean.”
“The head of the All-Council, Sirak, explained…” He glanced back at Viren and hardened. “I obeyed orders.”
“Why?”
“One dishonorable act can stop something worse.”
“What is worse than hurting brides? Will you obey an order to kill Queen Nora?”
His grip on his trident tightened. “That will never happen.”
“The All-Council attacked our queens. Why not yours?”
“General Giru!” One of the warriors darted to them. “Atlanteans are coming.”
General Giru tore his gaze from Gailen. “How many?”
“Five warriors, two queens, one young fry.”
“Move the army. I will meet you at the rendezvous point.”
All but Viren swam hard.
Distant souls moved swiftly toward them.
The general pointed his trident at Gailen. “Every day I wish I was not cursed by my improper connection to a modern bride. I would cut out my own heart to serve the All-Council.”
“How honorable,” Gailen sneered.
“I sacrificed honor long ago, before I became a general. So do not say that I will feel smug when this battle is over. I know what the All-Council has done, and what I must do. We will destroy whatever we must to preserve our race.”
“To preserve the All-Council, you mean.”
“It is the same thing.”
“If the All-Council acts without honor, then what are you