Chapter 42 · My plan is to trust you

He leaned close, his mouth near my ear, his voice barely more than breath.

"My plan is to trust you."

My mentor cocked the crossbow.

"Last chance," she called. "Come out, Vesper. Or Julian dies first."

Julian moved before I could stop him. He stepped from behind the crates, placing himself in the open.

"Take me," he said. "Leave her out of this."

My mentor's expression changed.

Not surprise.

Recognition.

"There you are," she said. "Just like your father. Always offering yourself when someone else holds the knife."

Julian froze.

I stepped out beside him. "Don't."

"You disobeyed a direct order," my mentor said to me. "Again."

"You shot at us first."

"I fired warning bolts."

"One went through my sleeve."

"Then your sleeve should've moved faster."

Julian's shield flared around us, but the gold cracked instantly. He dropped to one knee with a sharp gasp.

I caught his shoulder.

"Stop using it," I said.

"She'll fire."

"She'll fire anyway."

My mentor's eyes dropped to our joined hands. "The contract is stronger than expected."

"You knew about it," I said.

"I knew the League would eventually run out of clean options."

"Who signed the order?"

"Ask your hero.