Praetorian Rising, стр. 65

flap of his hands, he ushered them as a unit into a private room just off the main floor of headquarters, and they followed in silence. Phillip glared at her as they crowded into the small quarters, shut off from the buzz and panic of operations. Camille felt her mouth go dry at his direction attention. He didn't press Camille for a response. He appeared aware that she was still processing what had just occurred. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words sat heavily against her tongue. Was she okay? Her physical well-being wasn't the issue, yet it was impossible to explain what she was feeling. Camille's eyes glistened at the memory that had crashed to the forefront of her mind in the absence of Metus: a woman's face framed in a curling wave of chestnut locks, her dark skin bleached of its natural sunny glow. A river of tears tracked down the woman's cheeks, and Camille knew who she'd been—Charlie was the spitting image of her. The realization of it made Camille's stomach turn over in disgust.

Theo stepped forward to respond to the General. "Chimera. At least thirty of them."

"What were you doing so far outside of Romeo Village?" Vesyon asked sharply, his eyes swimming with hints of black as he surveyed the trio. With arms crossed, his fists buried beneath his fur cloak, Vesyon radiated fury, and she felt a prickling sense of infuriation at his attitude.

"It wasn't my idea to train her, Captain."

Camille blanched at Theo's tone but felt the words had been well deserved. It had been Vesyon's idea for them to train.

Vesyon didn't acknowledge Theo's jab as his eyes returned to their usual steel hue. "You were outside the main gates. Why?"

Taking an almost imperceptibly small step toward Charlie, Theo eyes never left Vesyon's face. "We were told it would be safe."

"By whom?" Vesyon challenged, his sharp stare flicking from Theo's flat, expressionless face to Charlie's downcast eyes.

"Charlie?" Theo said softly, taking another small step toward her.

She glanced up to her father, eyes pleading before they snapped to Vesyon's and finally landed on Theo. "Acher told me it'd be ok," Charlie squeaked out before shifting her line of sight to Vesyon. "He told me it would be the best place to train well outside the Asperian line of sight."

Theo snorted audibly; his icy irises bitterly sharp at the mention of Acher. "Remote and difficult to call for help, more like." His attention shifted over to Vesyon's grave expression. "How'd you know we needed back up?"

"The guard on duty rang the alarm. He'd received word of an incoming surge from our scouts along the Romeo border," Vesyon said.

"Wait a minute, back up. You said Acher, my First Lieutenant,told you to go outside the main gate and thus beyond our protection?" Phillip asked skeptically, glancing from Charlie to Theo.

Theo's eyes narrowed at Phillip. "Yes, he did. And if that's a surprise to you, sir, we have even bigger problems." His tone was clipped, challenging Phillip to admit what he knew.

"What are you implying, soldier?"

"A little convenient, don't you think? Acher saw us arrive with Camille, and less than two days later the King Regent is on our doorstep." Theo took several steps toward the General, his tone low and direct. "Was Acher's request that we train so far away in line with your orders?"

The implication was clear, and Phillip's hickory eyes widened from the impact of Theo's word before slicing into mere slits of cinnamon and fire. Camille could see his fists clenching at his sides, obviously more than perturbed with Theo's direct accusation. "I'd be careful who you accuse of treachery, soldier. I don't take slander lightly."

The room sparked with anger, wrapping a tight vice around its inhabitants, inducing a tremulous silence. Vesyon pushed his way between the quarreling men, breaking the tension with a wave of his arms. "At ease, both of you." He glanced once at Phillip before swinging around to stare at Theo.  "We need to work together instead of slinging unfounded accusations back and forth. And we need to find the Lieutenant."

Theo nodded once but kept his attention on Phillip's face. "Where is the slimy bastard?"

"I'll give you one guess," Phillip replied gravely, his expression turning sour with absolute disgust. It was the only signal Camille needed as proof of Phillip's innocence. Acher had been running on his own, and the blatant misconduct of his position was apparently a knife in the General's gut.

"The vault," Theo and Vesyon echoed.

"If he doesn't show face, we have our traitor, Captain." Phillip moved from the room without another word, heading straight for a trio of soldiers to send word for his Second Lieutenant.

Turning away from the crowded room, Camille mindlessly watched the bustle within central control. The mad dash of a Village under imminent attack swelled like a bubble of worry in her chest. She shuddered inwardly as Metus's words slithered through the inner lining of her thoughts: you think you're the only reason I'm here?

"The King Regent isn't here for me," Camille said bluntly, the words bursting from her lips in sharp demand of attention. Vesyon, Theo, and Charlie whirled to face her. "He was quite surprised to see me."

Theo appeared sheepish for a moment, caught in the act of deception. Charlie's face went blank, but Vesyon's didn't; his expression remained cool and collected, his stern stature unwaveringly calm.

Camille's lips quirked upward in response, a humorless action bringing no light or laughter to her fierce glare. "Thought so," she said, confirming her suspicions. "He suggested I leave within the next two hours. That doesn't sound like someone who's actively seeking my capture," she growled, aiming her bitterness at Vesyon, fire practically spitting from her eyes.

"No, you're correct," he replied with stoic simplicity, crossing his arms defiantly across his chest.

"The High King didn't send his Royal Air Fleet to collect me. He didn't even know I was here! He's after something else. Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"When would he have time