" You chose the dim hope of a traitor’s restoration,” she said, low and quiet, “over the life of a chancellor’s sister.”
“If I had told Ryzek about the drug, we would have been trapped in that amphitheater with no leverage and no hope of escape, and he would have killed your sister anyway,” I said. “I chose the path that guaranteed our survival.”
“Bullshit.” Isae leaned close to my face. “You chose Akos. Don’t pretend it’s any different than it is.”
“Fine,” I said, just as quiet. “It was Akos or you. I chose him. And I don’t regret it.”
It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was certainly true. If simple hatred was what she craved, I would make it easier for her. I was used to being hated, especially by the Thuvhesit.
Isae nodded.
“Isae…,” Cisi began, but Isae was already walking away. She disappeared into the galley, closing the door behind her.
Cisi wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“I can’t believe this. Vas is dead, and Ryzek is alive,” Teka said.
Vas was dead? I looked at Akos, but he was avoiding my eyes.
“Give me a reason not to kill Ryzek right now, Noavek,” Teka said, turning to me. “And if that reason is something about Kereseth, I will hit you.”
“If you kill him, you won’t have my cooperation in whatever plan the renegades concoct next,” I said dully, without looking at her. “If you help me keep him alive, I’ll help you conquer Shotet.”
“Yeah? And what kind of help would you be, exactly?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Teka,” I snapped, finally breaking my spell to glare at her. “Yesterday the renegades were just squatting in a safe house in Voa, clueless, and now, because of me, you’re standing over the unconscious body of Ryzek Noavek with Voa in utter chaos behind you. I think that suggests my capacity to help the renegade cause is considerable, don’t you? "

― Veronica Roth , Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1)