Recap
Letting out a sharp sigh, he answered.
"She's going to hate me for this," he muttered, his voice low and edged with guilt.
On the other end, a calm, clipped voice responded to his voice.
"Yeah, I've got her under control for now," Karalana said, pacing slowly. "No, she doesn't know where he is. But she's persistent, and honestly, I don't know how long I can keep this up."
Erica's POV
the Stridha Empire.
In the meantime, my knuckles grew white from the tight hold I had on the steering wheel. I was feeling angry and worried at the same time, and my heart was hammering against my rib cage.
I was not much calmed by the wind that blew through the slightly broken window, cooling my flushed face and delivering the earthy aroma of the evening.
I kept thinking about Benjamin's comments, his voice both calming and enraged. Though it lessened my rage, the memory of his tone—low, vulnerable, almost pleading—could not take away the pain of being excluded.
