bChapter /bb71 /b

ra’s POY

“this really happening?” thought to bmyself /bas every pair of eyes in the room turned toward me. The weight of their stares pressed downb, /bbut I didn’t let it show. I wasn’t about to let Dex’s usation tear me apart, not in front of everyone.

I shot him a sharp look, brows furrowing “Rogue’snguage? What are you talking about?” My voice didn’t betray the confusion that twisted inside me, but it was clear I bwasn’t /bbuying it.

Box hesitatedb, /blike he didn’t want to say more, but his words came out anyway. “At first, I wasn’t going to mention it, but now that we’re all airing thing bout/b… Remember that howling we heard? None of bus /bunderstood it. But your guard Jory he did. He understood it perfectly.”

I stared at him, my stomach sinking “So bwhat/b? He helped us. What’s the issue here?”

Bex’s gaze didn’t soften, but his words cut deeper, “it’s strange, isn’t it? A soldier like him knowing the rogue’snguage. And you followed his lead to the creek, down West… How do we know he didn’t lead you into a trap?”

“Yeah, that’s weird,” Theo chimed in. His voice was skeptical, filled with doubt. “And didn’t you get bseparated /bfrom him right aher entering the woods? You were walking right into rogue territoryTM

A wave of heat rushed to my face, my blood boiling, I stood up from my seat, my fist clenching at my sides. “Jory is my most trusted warrior. I won’t let anyone question his loyalty especially not bke /bthis!” The words came out sharp,ced with anger.

Roman scoffed, the sound full of contempt. “Oh, now we can’t question your soldier? bBut /byou have no problem questioning everyone else’s bloyalty/b? Reall nice, Gamma rab” /b

I shot him a re, but Thome’s voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Did you tell Jory about our bn/b, ra?”

froze, my mind bscrambling /bi didn’t want to admit it, but there was no bway /baround it. “I did.” I muttered, looking at the floor. “I told both him band /bVessa They’re both captains in our advance bforce/b.”

Roman’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Well, well, well… Looks like we’ve found our mole

Triss shot him a look, the weight of it silencing him for a moment. But Bee wasn’t done. “So, tell me, Fara What’s bthe /bbackstory on Jary? Where does hee from? bDoes /bhe have family?”

I bit my lip, a knot forming in my throat. I didn’t want to answer, nat because I didn’t trust Jory, but because i wa

wasn’t sure what they’d say ifI did. But they weren’t going to let me off the hook. They were relentless. And there, in the silence, I knew I had no choice but to speak.

“Jory grewup by the border,” I started, my voice steady but quiet. “There was a battle a brutal one. Afterward, he came to us, volunteered to fight. He lost his family in that war. He had nowhere else to go.

“And that’s the story you’re buying?” Theo’s skepticism was palpable. “Did you beven /bdo a background check on him? See it he’s really bone /bof us?”

I felt the tension in my shoulders, but I didn’t back down. “We tried,” bI /bbsaid/bb, /bmy voice strained. “But he lived in the forest with his parents. The rogues destroyed their home. He was just a kid–twelve years old. Do you really think they’d send a child to spy on us?”

Theo was

wasn’t convinced. “It’s possible,” he said, bhis /bvoice rising. “That age’s old enough to carry a weapon. You didn’t raise any suspicions about him?”

“It doesn’t add up,” Roman said, his voice cold, angry. “Jory has been with us all this time, stealing our information, sending it to the rogues. You brought himin, ra. You brought the enemy into our midst.”

I felt a chill creep down my spine. For the first time, doubts began to slither in Could Jory have been hiding something from me? But no, I cou believe it. I wouldn’t believe it.

Tinhaled deeply, forcing the fear out of my chest. “Jory is loyal,” I said, my voice firm, but beneath it, there was the smallest thread of bdoubt /bI couldn’t shake. “Until there’s hard proof, he still has my trust.”

10:59 Wed 30 por cab

Roman’s growl rumbled low, but Triss and Des exchanged looks, their disapproval clear. Then was caught between us, looking from one side to the torn. “We’re back at square one, aren’t we? Alpha Thorne, what do you think?”

Thorne stood, his movements calm, collected. “We need to hear from Jory himself,” bhe /bsaid, voice steady as he walked to the door and called for the soldiers. “Get Jory in here”

The soldier returned momentster, and Jory stood in the doorway, looking bconfused/b. “You wanted to see me?” he asked, his voice t. “What’s going

Triss spoke first, his voice soft but filled with a tension that none of us could ignore. “We need you to be honest with us, Jory. No usations yet, but we need the truth. Did byou /bleak our battle ns to the rogues?”

Jory’s beyes /bwidened, his face going pale. “No! I swear I didn’t!” His voice cracked, full of shock and disbelief. “How could you think that? The rogues killed my parents! They–they cut her open, let her bleed to death. Thate them all His voice shook with raw emotion.

But then Bex pushed. “You speak theirnguage. How do you exin that?”

Jory finched, and I saw the muscles in his jaw tighten. “I grew up by the border. It’s natural,” he said, trying to sound calm, but his voice altered.

Triss wasn’t convinced. “Lots of people grew up by the border. They don’t speak the rogue’s tongue.”

“..I spent years in the forest. Met them more than most, Jory stammered, his eyes wide, his body shaking. “I learned theirnguage… it was the only way to survive”

Roman mmed his hand on the table. “bIt’s /ball too perfect. You’re lying, Jory. We should execute you now send your head to the rogues as a message.”

Jory’s body shook, his hands trembling as he looked at me. His eyes filled with pain. “Gamma rs, please… His voice was barely above a whisper “You believe in me, don’t you? You know me better than anyone. Please… please say something.”

The look on his face–it was all I needed. My heart twisted in my chest. I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t doubt him,

ing his fingers, “I trust you.”

I walked over, taking his hand. “Yeah” I said softly, squeezing his !

Roman’s roar echoed in the room, but i didn’t flinch. Instead, I turned to bface /bthe othersb, /bmy stance solid. “Jory is a victim of the rogues, just like me. I believe in him. Until there’s hard proof, no one is touching him”

Triss let out ba /blong sigh h. “I’m with ra. We can’t let the good suffer because of doubts.

The room fell silent. Theo and bBex /bexchanged looks, but neither of them spoko, Roman, however, was bfurious/b, knocking a chair to the ground with a

burious kick.

Thorne’s voice broke the silence. “ra, take Jory. Let him rest. You both need it. And don’t lose track of him again.”

It was amand, but it was balso /ba warning. Keep him close.

Inodded, my heart heavy. “Come on, bJory/b.” led him out of the room, bhis /bhand gripping mine tightly. We didn’t stop until we reached the edge of bFox /bTown, and as I turned to look at him, I saw the tears streaming down his face, his lip trembling as he fought to hold himself together.

I wiped the tears away with my thumb, trying to lighten the mood. “I didn’t see you cry this hard when I asked byou /bto do a thousand push–ups,” I said,

attempting a joke.

Jory choked on his breath, trying to smile but failing. The caused you u so much trouble, haven’t 17”

“It wasn’t your fault,” I said bgently/b. “As long as byou’re /bhonest with me, I’ll always stand by you. No one will ever hurt you again, I promise.”

Jory shook, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite bread/b. “You believe inane no matter what?

bI /bsmiled, squeezing his hand. “Yeah. Always”

b23 /b

10:53 Wed, 30 Jul G

He hesitated, his voice cracking

there’s something I need to tell you.”

Hroze, “What?”

Jory’s words hit me like a thunderp, turning everything I thought I knew upside down. I’m not who you think tam. I’m… Fm a rogue

?