Tonas spoke quickly. “Bane, find Anya, bring her to Quarters using any means necessary—now.”
Jonal looked up, brushed tears away from his eyes, and sobbed brokenly, “They can’t take you away. I wouldn’t survive.” He began to shake with the intensity of a man who had endured torture for cycles and finally broke. “I’ve known for cycles that he would strike. I didn’t know where or when. You didn’t see what I saw, the plotting, the envy, and so many near misses during the war, assassins the Elders named friendly fire. I never knew when I went to medical whether I would die of my wounds or by his hand. You thought it was jealousy. It was, but it was also fear.”
Tonas choked back anger and sorrow. “Why didn’t you tell me? There is nothing we can not face together.”
“He was your friend. I did
