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smile. The smile was only offered to Byran. When she turned back to Derrick, Arinna’s expression was serious again. “Nothing else?”
    Derrick shook his head so he didn’t have to clear his throat. Most of what he’d said to Danielle had been rehearsed. The only thing he’d lied about was not caring that his enlistment had cost him a relationship. Though he wouldn’t have chosen differently, it very much stung. Especially that he knew Arinna as someone other than his Commander. But lately he’d been lucky to receive a brusque question or order from her. A sense of humor, even friendship, never surfaced.
    “Well I would have liked it better if she’d simply confessed, but I suppose after time in prison followed by a trial, she wasn’t going to volunteer much,” Byran said.
    “I think she is a little too clever for that,” Arinna said. “The circumstances are too weighted. I’m sure she had some part in the attack. That Danielle and Miralda spoke several times prior is documented. But why Miralda would protect Danielle, I don’t know.” Frustration cracked her erect posture and firm tone, but only a slight degree.
    “If she did,” Byran replied. Derrick fidgeted. “Dammit, speak! You are my Secretary of Defense. When he is in that role, he is not under your orders,” he said to Arinna.
    She held up empty hands. “Of course. We are equals here. He doesn’t need my permission to speak.”
    That made Derrick hesitate. Because he very much felt like he needed permission to speak. “I’m still getting used to this,” he said, eyes sliding from Arinna to Byran. He resisted the strong desire to rub his temples to relieve the ever present headache that being in the same room with Byran and Arinna spawned. “She was trying too hard to charm me. She is guilty of something and frightened. She contacted me because I offered her protection before and she was hoping for it again. She offered to put everything behind us, and mentioned renewing the engagement. If she is that frightened, there is a reason for it. She had a part.”
    Both Byran and Arinna stared at him. He kept his gaze sincere. Arinna had flinched when he’d mentioned renewing the engagement. It was a small reaction and hardly a sign of affection, but it meant she did still care. He didn’t want to smile and have to explain why.
    Byran sighed. “But we can’t prove it. You’ll have her watched?”
    “Of course, but not too closely. She needs the freedom to hang herself, although not enough to cause anyone else harm,” Arinna added when Byran paled.
    “I’ve had enough of this talk today,” Byran said, rubbing his eyes. “Before you go there is one other thing,” he added as Arinna shifted to stand. “I want you both to come to Merimarche for the holidays. It is only a two-week break, but you are my best friends. Please come, Isabella, the kids, we all want you there. I promise it will not all be about this,” Byran said with a wave of his hand around his office.
    “But it will be a bit,” Derrick said, finding humor on the heels of the relief the offer created. Time away from dual roles and Prague in the estate of his friend. “I’d love to come. Thank you.”
    Byran looked expectantly at Arinna. “It isn’t so easy for me. I need to check with Jared. With the coming peace conferenc e— ”
    “It is two weeks, Arinna. You can come. At least Derrick didn’t hedge needing to ask permission when I asked as a friend.”
    Arinna blushed at Byran’s chastisement, then released her breath with a laugh. “I will speak to Jared and arrange it. I’d love to come as well. Thank you for the invitation.”
    Arinna walked out of the room first. Byran’s glance at Derrick renewed his earlier offer for Derrick to stay. It was only Sunday afternoon, but he’d refused on the basis that Byran needed some time with his family. Byran was too focused on issues when Derrick was around. Derrick hoped it meant Byran was less so in his absence.