In Erisa’s hands was an envelope she was to deliver to the High Commander. She stood at the gates of Se Fina, the place where Schemel spent most of her time. The High Commander did not answer calls or texts from anyone. No officer spoke to her, not even the Seconders. That was why Erisa had become an errand runner that morning.

  She walked across the lawns and between the trees. Groundskeepers greeted her with a gentle wave. They remembered her as a student. Why would they not remember her? She had spent a long time here, coming back year after year until she got it right and became who she was.

  Finding Schemel was easy. The High Commander sat beneath a canopy of trees, surrounded by children. A cloth was spread on the ground with snacks. Schemel wore no uniform. The sight alone deserved a minute of silence. After a moment, Erisa shook off her awe and approached. She did not get far before Schemel’s new dog blocked her path.

  “Ms Zeal,” said Marisa. “I did not expect you here.”

  “I am here to see the High Commander.”

  “I will deliver your package to her. You can leave it with me.”

  “I am here to see the High Commander. The letter is for her.”

  “Renna Sorel is busy at the moment. You have eyes, do you not?”

  “You are not a Firstman. A Firstman’s task is to challenge the High Commander, not to placate them. Renna knows that too. She chose you as a placeholder until she finds someone competent enough to replace Savage. Do not flatter yourself, especially when nothing you do matters.”

  Marisa scoffed, though she was rattled. She turned her nose up and walked away. “Tell me something I have not heard before,” she said.

  “No matter how hard you try to please her, she will never recognise you. Trust me, I know the feeling.”

  The Firstman froze as Erisa passed by. The Green Gaverian moved closer to the picnic. Schemel’s stern side surfaced. She rose and met Erisa before she could reach the children.

  Erisa saluted and offered the letter. Frowning, Schemel took it and tore it open, skimming the contents. “Genevie is in Soden,” she said. “Do you have any eyewitnesses?”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “More than a few hundred, but none are certain. Some recall it as a distant dream. Others insist the sighting is a false memory. One thing is clear. Genevie’s name is being mentioned more often. She is back.”

  “Where was her last sighting?”

  “Donna Maria.”

  Schemel looked over her shoulder at an earthen ascender near the picnic. It was rare to see her show affection for anyone. The time and care she lavished on him felt odd.

  “Soden and Henrikia have enjoyed a good relationship for many years, while our history has rarely been clean, I believed our troubled past was behind us, yet recent offences in the southern city suggest otherwise. The so-called Bannermen have been running rampant in the UCL, kidnapping our earthens and trafficking them south. Despite repeated pleas to the Sodenite government to halt the menace, the Bannermen seem to be growing stronger and more popular.

  “It was especially heartbreaking when the militia attacked Blackwood, a town that chose to remain loyal to its God-given masters. God bless them. The new Bannermen ally, Genevie Aureate, has seized Blackwood, holding the small, helpless village captive and daring us to retaliate.

  “The message is plain. We know what you want, but we will not give it to you. My response goes to President Luis and his administration. Rethink your stance. Do you wish to associate with a criminal and a traitor to oppose the mightiest force the world has ever seen? Capture Genevie or I will treat you as an enemy. Do not take this threat lightly.”

  Why were the councilmen applauding to this speech? Erisa had no answer. These people were on their feet, clapping for the same woman they had condemned only a month ago. Trapped in her seat, swallowed by the noise, she felt utterly alone. It was hard enough for her to form a sound argument against Schemel’s actions, yet watching her steer the nation towards war with the North, West and South seemed anything but wise.

  When the meeting ended, Erisa was the first to leave. On her way out, an old man signalled to her from behind. It was Demettle. He tapped his stick, grinning at the Gaverian. His robe was grey, as grey as his hair, though that did not mean he was close to death. He would likely outlive her. Placing a fatherly hand on her back as they exited the hall, he said, "Someone told me you did not applaud your High Commander. What seems to be the problem?"

  Erisa knew better than to converse with politicians.

  "May I ask you an innocent question, Ms Zeal?"

  "Yes, Sir."

  "What do you think of Schemel? Would you call her a good and strong leader?"

  "As good and strong as any."

  "Hm. And let us suppose she retired tomorrow. Would that upset you?"

  "I would respect her wishes," said Erisa, surprised at how easily the words came. "My loyalty is to the High Commander, not to Renna Sorel."

  "I asked an old friend of hers the same question, and he gave me a similar response." The temptation to ask who it was proved too great. He bared his yellowing teeth in a smile. "Take a guess."

  "Savage," she said.

  Demettle tapped his stick on the ground. "I am not the one who told you this, but Savage has been reading a great deal in a certain library in New Crest. Perhaps, in a hypothetical sense, you might visit him and discuss how to save Henrikia."