“You saved my life; I’m in your debt,” Angelo told her as he helped ease her to the ground.
Brandt swayed on his feet when he saw the smear of red on the wall where she’d slid down to sit.
“Were you shot? Sera, focus on me,” Brandt ordered.
Ash made his way over, shoving others from his path.
“Yes, I think I was. If the burning throb and loss of blood means anything,” she slurred a bit.
“Medic! We’ve got a soldier down here.” Ash stood to look and direct the medic over to Sera.
The medic opened Sera’s uniform jacket, and the snowy white shirt beneath bloomed a flower of blood over the left side of her chest and shoulder.
Brandt tried to keep it together, tried to keep in mind that he and Ash had been wounded before, and chances were one of them would be again in the future. But she was his wife, his woman, and the idea of her being killed suddenly became so real to him he saw little white lights in his vision.
Ash squeezed his shoulder, both of them wincing when the medic ripped the shirt off and began working on Sera.
“The bullet went straight through. Looks like some muscles were damaged. There’s a helicopter landing on the grounds right now, and we’ll get you to the military hospital right away.” The medic spoke to her calmly, and she nodded.
“You two go on. Make sure they all get into custody and on their way,” Sera managed to say.
Brandt looked at her like she’d gone insane, and Ash tsked. “I’m the one who hit his head, but you’re the one talking crazy. We’re not leaving you. When you’re finished, we have a press conference to do.”
“This is stupid. If I wasn’t your wife, you’d both go.” She made a soft noise of pain when the medic carefully laid her on a stretcher. Nausea swamped Brandt.
“I don’t give a fuck what you think. Frankly, I don’t care what we’d do if it weren’t you sporting a hole in your chest. The fact is, you are.” Brant followed the stretcher. “You can fight with me later. For now, I’m saying what goes, because you’re too weak to stop me.”
Ash stopped at the doorway for a moment and gave orders to the investigative team.
“I’ll be sure nothing gets removed,” his father assured him. “This will be difficult to weather. Tough times ahead for the Family. If you married, came back, and took a more active part in Family governance, things might be easier.”
“I really can’t believe you’re bringing that up right now. She just saved your life! You still think she’s unworthy of me?” Ash felt the last bit of love and respect he had for his father drain away.
“She’s clearly a courageous young woman who did her job. Her job of serving and protecting. I think she’s unfit for marriage to anyone of your rank. But that fool Pela solved the problem. You can have her and a wife. She’s got a husband. Are you telling me you’re accepting of sharing her with another man? You have a duty. Especially now.” His father crossed his arms over his chest.
“My place is with Sera. It always will be. I’m doing my duty every day by serving in the corps. I did my duty when I married Kira. You have your first and third sons in political union s. The Pelas won’t want to cause a stir with Kira under suspicion. You may as well know now, they’re doing a press conference with the three of us when Sera is finished at the hospital. The new face of Family responsibility.”
His father nodded. “That should help. You could do both.” He exhaled sharply when Ash snorted. “I misjudged you, Ash. I apologize for that. I’m proud to know you did your duty. I know the cost was great. Even if you refuse to marry now, I’ve been guilty of thinking you an irresponsible wastrel. I was wrong.”
“Thank you.” It meant something to have his father say that, even with the qualifiers. “I have to run to catch up before the helo takes off. I’ll be in touch. My men are here; stay out of their way, and make sure everyone answers questions, or they’ll be taken into custody.”
His mother just looked at him through sad eyes as he ran past on his way to the woman who loved him no matter what.
Chapter 31
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Ash eyed her carefully.
“I told you at least five times, Ash, I’m fine. All I have to do is stand next to you two and look like the nice, token, unranked officer. It’s not like I need much stamina for that.”
“You were just shot two hours ago, Sera.” Brandt paced, looking edgy and slightly feral. Both men hovered over her, asking how she felt every few moments. They’d badgered the doctor so severely they’d been banished from the room where she’d been stitched up.
Really, for two warriors who’d seen their share of blood and wounds, they acted as if it were extraordinary she was able to stand.
Not that she’d admit it, but she did feel dizzy and very tired. But all she had to do was stand there and look responsible. Even Kira could manage that. Maybe.
The nurse finished tightening the sling holding her shoulder and arm still and assisted her into a makeshift uniform shirt. The jacket would have to be draped over her left arm, and they’d call it done.
“Come on, you two, let’s get this over with. I want to get something to eat, and then I want to pass out for many hours.”
Brandt stepped before her, cupping her cheeks gently. “I could have lost you today. You don’t know what it was like. The blood on your shirt, the look on your face. My heart stopped. I don’t know what I would do if you didn’t exist in my life every day.”
She swallowed hard, choking on emotion. “Not right now, please. I need to hold it together, and there’s been a lot today. I’m just barely—” She clamped her lips together to hold back the sob that threatened.
He kissed her softly. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to upset you. Later. We will go home, and you can let it all go. For now, Subcommander, let’s go.”
Ash shoved Brandt aside with a snort. “I’m not done. I’m having you brought to the dais in a wheelchair. Don’t argue, it’s useless. As you and Brandt frequently forget, I’m the ranking officer on this team. You can stand once you get there but not until then. We’ll be sitting at a table instead of standing throughout the press conference as well.”
Sera wanted to be mad, but all she felt was relief. He’d taken care of her, and she needed it.
“Yes, sir. Pardon my lack of a salute, but the dressing is so tight both my arms have limited movement.” She winked, and he kissed the tip of her nose.
Sera mentally thanked Ash myriad times for taking care to have all the attendees of the press conference sit. As she sat on the raised dais as the crowd pelted question after question at Ash and Comandante Ellis, she knew she’d have passed out if she’d had to stand for so long.
To say the Federation-Aligned Universes reacted with shock to the revelations that Families had cooperated with the Imperialists in the bombings and murders of Federation citizens was an understatement.
Several near riots had been quelled across the ’Verses in the hours since the news had broken, and it promised to continue to be a dangerous situation.
The populace, for the most part anyway, had trusted the Families to run the ’Verses and protect its citizens. That they’d taken that trust and betrayed it in such a heinous manner was not only shocking on a personal level but simply unbelievable.
There had been a lot of anger from the people, from the media, from the other Families, and all rightfully so. But through it all, Ash and Brandt had stood as what it meant to truly be a ranking Family member. They stood for what was right and what was just. Sera was so proud of them both as they handled the animosity and grief from the assembled press conference with humility and accountability.
The only notice that’d been taken of her had been when she’d been held up by the comandante as an example of what a citizen could achieve with dedication and hard work. The way the comandante spoke, Sera got the distinct feeling the Federation would make her their official “unranked citizen,” at least until this all calmed down. Goody.
Thank the gods, their relationship hadn’t come up at all. It would, she knew that, but it would at least happen when she wasn’t nearly falling over after being shot.
Sera saw her parents in the crowd at the press conference and kept her gaze on them, willing them to understand she was happy at last.
Comandante Ellis closed the conference by conferring a commendation on the three of them and explaining that the members of the conspiracy would be put on trial in Ravena once they’d had a chance to procure a defense team. The Federation employees and military corps members who’d been implicated had been arrested. Several had confessed and were providing evidence to the Federation.
The supreme leader of the Imperialists disavowed any involvement with the plan, branding the charges as false and—what may be true—as instigated by rogue elements. Sera found the entire event totally ridiculous, but she’d not failed to notice the difference in the way Ash and Brandt both held themselves. She supposed years of playing a part would take a toll on them.
Brandt watched her sleep as he sat in a chair near the bed, pretending to read. After the press conference he and Ash had wanted to get her straight back home, but instead they’d dealt with her parents.