Aria scowled at him. “What, now you’ve got nothing to say?”

His dark eyebrows lifted. “Actually, I’m interested in hearing your idea of how I should treat people.”

She reeled back, stung, though he hadn’t spoken harshly. If anything, he’d sounded amused.

Loran looked away from her, surveying the activity around the cave.

Aria waited for him to leave. She should leave after a comment like that, but she couldn’t. Something kept her feet planted.

Her gaze fell to the horns on his uniform. She wanted him to be someone different. Someone who would see the scene around her the same way. Someone who never would have left her, or her mother.

Loran’s gray eyes came back to hers, his expression both frustrated and hopeful. It occurred to her that she might be looking at him the same way.

“The Hovers don’t have endless supplies of fuel,” he said. “The Horns are out there—exposed—and the storm in the south is not south anymore. It is bearing down on us. East and north are no better. West is all that’s left. The only way we can go is toward water, but that won’t be an option for much longer.

“My men and I aren’t interested in almost surviving, Aria. We want to live. Perhaps that desire looks like harshness to you, but I would rather be alive and cruel than dead and kind.”

“Did you mean what you said about wanting a chance to know me?”

The question passed through her lips before she knew it. Loran blinked at her, as surprised as she was.

“Yes,” he said.

“Even if you learn that there’s a part of me that hates you?”

He nodded, a smile lighting in his eyes. “I think I’ve glimpsed that part already.”

He was teasing her, letting warmth come through. If she wanted to know him, she’d have to return that warmth. She couldn’t, and she didn’t know why, because she wanted to.

As the seconds passed, the lines around Loran’s eyes deepened with disappointment.

One of his men called to him, drawing his attention away. Loran turned to leave, but then he paused, looking back at her. “You’re assigned to Sable’s Hover—his orders. Nothing I can change, but I tried to put all your friends on the same craft as well.”

Aria watched him walk away, waiting until he was out of hearing range before she let herself say, “Thank you.”

Two hours later, Aria pulled her satchel over one shoulder and Perry’s over the other.