In this moment I saw clear as day why my mom grew to hate the man standing in front of me. His skin was ashy and fell in loose folds around his jaw. That, combined with his shock of white hair, made him look like the ultimate villain. Like the kind of man who conjured up demons or ate children alive. Compared to him, Kael looked wounded and hurt, more hero than antihero. He looked no older than eighteen.

“I did what I had to do to help you, all of you.” My dad pointed an accusing finger at Kael. “I watched you pull a body into camp, barely able to walk yourself. I did what I believed to be right, and I have a hell of a lot more experience with this than you do.”

“You were protecting your own position! You didn’t give a fuck about us or our lives! You only cared about your retirement and not jeopardizing your legacy,” Kael snarled at my dad. “Tell your daughter how you used the lives of young men and women to get promotions and medals. Tell her how you constantly threatened us, making sure we never so much as whispered your name. My fucking friend is losing his mind over the guilt and he can’t even talk to anyone about it.” Kael stepped toward my dad. They were now to face-to-face.

“Are you hearing yourself, Martin? You’re a soldier. I’m a soldier. We’ve seen and done things most people can’t dream of. If you’re haunted by what you’ve done, you’re a piss-poor excuse for a man.”

Kael stood silent as my father continued his demeaning rant.

“You know what will really haunt both of you? If he can’t feed his family and has no paycheck, no healthcare, nothing. That’s haunting.” My dad’s thick finger pressed against Kael’s chest. I took a sharp breath, Kael didn’t react. “You really want to get back at me, Martin? Sleeping with my daughter isn’t the way to provoke me.”

Kael didn’t flinch, but my nerves and anger erupted.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I exploded. “You don’t know anything about us or what we’re doing!” My dad had the nerve to slap us both with an accusation that wasn’t even true.

“This is bigger than whatever childish game you two are playing, Karina. This man can’t be trusted. He’s an unreliable liar. He’s put people in danger, real danger—you and your brother should keep your distance.”

My dad’s golf shirt was pulling, untucking from his jeans, and his skin was red, all blotchy. Like a liar, or an innocent man on trial. I couldn’t tell. Like my mom said, there’s always more than one lie for every truth. I looked at Kael again.