"The escort vehicle lost control when the car you were riding, slammed at it's side with brute force.
The words were calm.
But Lara noticed the way his fingers tightened around the glass.
"How many survived?" she asked.
Ares didn't answer immediately.
His silence was answer enough.
"The two died when the truck hit the tree beside the road. Asher was gravely injured and survived."
The words hung in the air.
Lara's fingers paused on the rim of her glass.
"He was trapped inside the vehicle," Ares continued quietly. "When rescue teams arrived, he had already lost consciousness. Two broken bones in his leg. A fractured hip. Internal bleeding."
His gaze hardened slightly.
Lara lowered her eyes.
No wonder. Survivor's guilt. Five lives in total were lost.
It was one of the heaviest psychological burdens a soldier could carry.
"He thinks it was his fault," Lara said softly.
The words came out before Lara could stop herself.
For a moment, Ares simply stared at her.
