The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 406

But as he remembered everything that had happened lately, a flicker of sorrow crossed his eyes.

If anyone else had asked, he might have tried to keep it together. But with Citrine standing in front of him, he felt an inexplicable urge to open up.

"One of my teammates was killed recently. The whole squad's been in a bad place. We completely fell apart during the last drill."

Citrine flinched at the word "killed," a shadow of grief passing through her gaze as well.

In the military, there's nothing more painful-or more terrifying-than losing a comrade.

She pressed her lips together and said earnestly, "The first lesson any real soldier learns is to accept death. Losing a teammate is devastating, but what's worse is not being able to face that reality."

"If you stay trapped in your grief, refusing to accept it, all that's waiting for you are more defeats and more fallen friends."

sensed a composure in her that felt almost inhuman, as if she'd looked

but I just can't," Hastings admitted, biting his

"Losing a teammate shakes you, makes you doubt yourself. That's when you have to ask: can you conquer your fear? Do you really want to be a true soldier- someone

dislike Hastings, but she couldn't deny his talent. With the right

heroes like that, Citrine was always

to separate her feelings for the nation from her opinions about

her words, but then his eyes lit up with sudden clarity. She'd cut right to the heart of the matter. "You're right. After we lost him, morale plummeted.

need to face

to do now," he said, his voice trembling with excitement, as if a weight had been lifted

understood, Citrine allowed herself a small smile. Maybe all her effort to talk sense into him hadn't been wasted

grinned, her words warm but firm. "Keep at it. You're a good soldier, and you've got what it takes to be a great leader one day. Don't let setbacks like this drag you

but he'd never seen

himself a