Page 76 of Stolen Faith
Rowan liked this conversation. It felt familiar, like being back in the service. “Negative. Not that stairwell, but there’s another.” He pointed to the far end of the hall.
“Then we’ll go that way,” Juliette said.
We’ll?
“Ma’am, the safest course is for the four of you to find a secure location. I’ll go and get help.”
“Absolutely not.” It was Izabel, not Juliette, refusing that plan.
Rowan hid his wince. It made sense Izabel didn’t think he could do it. He’d been pretty fucking useless up until now. “I can do it.”
“One person has a better chance of sneaking out than five,” Devon said, watching Juliette.
“No,” Juliette said. “None of us is staying here.”
“There’s an unknown number of hostiles,” Rowan said slowly, not liking to counter a superior officer in a battlefield situation.
“No one gets left behind or forgotten,” Izabel declared.
“Iza, that’s a Disney quote,” Brennon said. “You mean ‘no man left behind.’”
“I know that!” Abruptly, Rowan’s frustration surged up. “I know that because I’m the one they send in to fly through bullets and around buildings to make sure no one is left behind.” Too bad he’d failed at that. The same way he was failing Izabel and Brennon. Rowan shook his head. “I can’t guarantee your safety—”
“I’m not looking for guarantees,” Juliette said. “I know exactly who you are, Sergeant Greene. And you’re the perfect person to guide us, all five of us, out of here.”
Rowan looked to Devon, but he was watching his wife.
“Rowan.” Izabel put her hand on his shoulder. A moment later, Brennon did the same. “You can do this. Just tell us what to do. We’ll follow your commands.”
“We’re safer with you than we are on our own down here,” Brennon said.
They weren’t. Couldn’t they see that? He hadn’t kept them safe so far. How could they trust him?
“Rowan,” Juliette said. “I’m ordering you to do this. If it goes wrong, it’s my fault, not yours.”
“We’ll die with our swords in our hands!” Brennon declared enthusiastically.
Everyone, including Rowan, looked at him.
“Time and place,” Rowan told his fiancé, but oddly he felt better.
Izabel snorted.
“God, I’m good,” Juliette said. When they all looked at her, she smiled. “At picking trinities, I mean. You three are perfect for each other.”
Rowan looked around and realized that, though he didn’t deserve it, these people did trust him. He’d never been the type to believe in second chances, but…
Maybe.
“Okay. Nut to butt,” Rowan said.
Brennon chuckled.
“I mean single file,” Rowan clarified. “Grand Master, you’re behind me, then Devon, then Izabel, then Brennon.”
Brennon stepped behind Izabel, grasping her waist to pull her against him, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Yeah. I figured out nut to butt. Context clues are our friends.”
Devon fell in line behind his wife. He touched her back gently, and Rowan heard Juliette suck in a breath. “I’m going to kill that man,” Devon murmured, clearly only intending for Juliette to hear. “And I’m going to make it hurt.”