"What great irony, from hero to traitor. How does it feel to be exposed, no longer shielded by the identity of Orion Voss? Your planet lies in ruins, and what little remains is now under our control. Your betrayals did nothing to change your planet's fate, only burning bridges." Her voice was hoarse, a discordant melody to Bryce's ears. In the past, they had shared chemistry, often exchanging banter.

Bryce remembered when they visited the north sector for the first time. She was not used to the snow, and on their day off, she begged him to accompany her into town where they sold handmade dolls. All the other troops were sleeping, and he knew that she had asked him last. They were still on relatively unfriendly terms, but she began tolerating him more at this point.

“How could you force a delicate woman like me to walk alone?” Bryce had scoffed. “I didn’t know weapons could feel fear.” If she wanted, she could wipe out a squad without breaking a sweat. She pouted at his comment.

“I will give you one honorary favor.” Bryce grinned, knowing that this was a big deal. She never gave out favors; those dolls must be really important. Suddenly, he remembered his younger sister back home. Julia might want a doll; this isn’t a bad exchange. “Deal.”

She grinned and led the way towards the shop. Fast walking due to her excitement, she slipped and fell on her bottom. Embarrassed, she quickly got up and slipped again. Bryce couldn’t hold back his laughter. “The great ice queen has a weakness—ice. How fitting.”

Slowly, she stood up without saying a word and continued towards the shop. Her ears were bright red, something Bryce hadn’t noticed before. Bryce felt something sprout within him that day; something warm and unfamiliar. He became more aware of her from that point on, and little things she did became endearing, the warmth growing.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Now, that warmth had been extinguished by the revelation of her role in the assault on Brightington, his beloved hometown.

The siege, meticulously timed, brought an end to the war but unveiled Bryce as a spy. His files were seized, leading to his immediate arrest. Bryce hadn't had the chance to check on his family's fate, his thoughts in turmoil. Images flashed of the scene he witnessed on the monitor: women and children running away from the onslaught, their screams piercing through the transmitter. Neighbors and friends shot down, buildings he knew from childhood blown to bits, unrecognizable. The place from his memories was no more; Brightington had fallen.

Behind bars, he remained silent, offering no reaction. The evening light filtered through the misshapen window, casting a gentle glow on Bryce's unruly blonde hair.

"Even with such untamed hair, you look striking. I understand why they sent you to deceive me,” she said, stepping closer, her tone cutting through the silence. The corner of Bryce's mouth twitched. She seemed to have a preconceived notion about his intentions, but he didn't bother to correct her.

“You are such a bad man. Why did I ever let you into my heart?” Her voice quivered, holding back tears. “Maybe if we were born on the same side, our fate would have been different. This may have been naive on my part, but I always imagined you proposing to me at the awards banquet in celebration of the war ending. A silly thought now, I know.” She took another shaky breath and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “We would have a parrot named Groover after that drone you crashed on the first day of training. I do not know why you kept that broken drone in your room for so long, insisting that you could fix that broken hunk of junk. If it were me, I would have tossed it the moment it became defective.”

With a weary sigh, Bryce shifted his weight, facing the shadowed corner of his cell. The heavy chain on his leg scraped against the grimy floor, the metallic rattle echoing in the prison's stillness. Sensing that she would not get a single word out of him, she shook her head solemnly. As her footsteps faded, Bryce gazed at the cracks on the wall, pondering the twists of fate that had led him astray.