Chapter 32

JACKSON

There was an immediate surge of anger and pain down the bond. Then guilt and shame were added on top of that. I did not have to hear her confirmation to know where her mind had gone. Imeela was the next in line. She was the only remaining Precoza. While her people suffered greatly, she was a world away trying to remain hidden.

I understood where those types of thoughts came from, and what spurred them on, because I was a leader as well. That would be where my emotions would be placed. Hers were misplaced because she was only ten when her father forced her and Emilio to flee. Those two fought and survived, barely at times, for all those years. They were not living a life of luxury on a private island. Their lives were worse than typical nomads because they were actively evading bounty hunters at every turn. I did not even want to imagine what the lowest points in her past would be.

“How many chose each option?” she asked him, pushing aside her emotions.

A hiss escaped him becaus