My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 330

Sera

"It isn't a joke."

"Then stop this. Please." Her voice cracked on the second word and she didn't try to hide it. "You can stop it, take any other person and leave him alone please."

"He's useful to me."

"Useful?" She laughed. "Useful how. Tell me exactly how he can be more useful to you than your own men?"

“He’s useful, Mina.”

"For what." Her voice climbed, cracking at the top of it. "For what exactly? He’s not a soldier." She stopped herself starting over more quietly. "Just pick someone else, Fenris."

"No."

"Pick someone else."

"He’s coming with me, Mina."

Mina stood there staring at her brother. I could see the pain in her eyes at the fact that her brother wasn’t listening to her.

Her eyes darted to me, and I could see the plea in her eyes. “Are you allowing this?” She asked.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I couldn’t risk saying something that would only trigger her. So I went quiet making sure I had the right answer. And from where I was standing, I didn’t. At least not for her.

If she realised I wasn’t going to stop Jace from getting taken, then she’d be really mad at me..

“I already tried Mina… Trust me.” That was the only thing I could form… I couldn’t lay out in front of her that I was openly betraying her again for my own selfish reason…

But for what it’s worth, I knew Jace better than she did. And from my interaction with Jace earlier… he likely wasn’t in love with Mina… He wanted power.

Not Mina.

So, what I’m doing is saving Mina from a future heart break. It was better early than later. When she wouldn't be able to help her feelings anymore.

And if Jace’s feelings were actually real, this was one way to prove himself. To Fenris, to Mina, and to Me.

Mina swallowed, looking away from me… Her eyes paced around. I saw the moment her eyes found Jace across the Yard. I saw the longing there… And also the confusion.

She swallowed.

She was crying now, all the frustration and fury demanding an outlet. I could see the need in her eyes to want to hit whatever's making her cry.

"It's not fair. He just got here. We have not been together for that long and you're already —"

"I know."

"Stop saying that." Her voice cracked on the word.

"I will bring him back in one piece, the same way I took him." His thumbs moved once on her shoulders.

Mina held her brother's eyes a long moment. Whatever she'd been hunting for in his face, she didn't find enough of it. Her face closed. She dragged the back of her wrist under her nose, hard, furious at it for running.

She hissed through her teeth, and stamped one bare foot in the snow, a child's stamp that would have been funny on anyone else.

"Fine." Her voice had gone flat. "Fine. Get up. You look stupid down there."

She spun and went for Jace.

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