The next two days passed in a flash. I stayed sedentary hoping it would quicken my recovery. It did. The bruising on my ribs had disappeared along with the cracks in my skeleton. I had the doc confirm it for me just to make sure. He’d been impressed by my remarkable ability to recover, said it wasn’t quite like any other humans he’d seen, blessed or not.

  Then again he probably hadn’t spent too much time with unsung. And I wasn’t even entirely human anymore.

  It had bothered me at first — turning into something else. But being twenty percent nameless kin hadn’t affected me in the slightest. Not that I could tell at the very least. I saw better, and I was stronger, quicker too. But it was pretty much impossible to surmise whether or not that had to do with my metamorphosis into a new species. Of course I hadn’t told him about my special circumstances. I wasn’t naive enough to think that what I was experiencing was something normal for blessed. My circumstances would remain a secret. Ending up as some experiment subject was the last thing I wanted.

  With my injuries healed, I found myself without a good reason to laze around. Yet at the same time I wasn’t allowed to help fortify the compound. It had come a long way in the last two days, it was practically finished.

  And so, I found myself bored to death, lying in my bottom bunk and staring at the pale fabric of the upper mattress. It was stained—I would rather not know by what—and always empty. Although I’d found a new friend in Gabi, she was always busy, as was the professor and his assistant. It didn’t seem fit to bother them just so I could ease my boredom.

  I rolled to my side and looked at the others. It was only the early afternoon, but the beds were far from empty. Toiling for days to restructure the compound had taken a toll on civilians and military alike. A quiet murmur filled the tent. Every now and then a crackle signalled that another mosquito met their maker at the hands of a bug zapper. They were placed by the tent doors and windows and killed with startling efficiency. I’d have to get one of those when I finally made it back home. The summers were usually a time of bug bites and itchiness.

  Metal clattered as a civilian placed her gun against a bed frame and sat down on the creaking bunk.

  Even the mundane people were forced to wield guns and help patrol the perimeter. There was always a soldier to accompany them, just to make sure things went according to protocol. They couldn’t fight for shit, but anyone could use a gun to a sufficient degree of efficiency.

  When Nyla first explained that the mundane would be allowed to wield guns there had been some push-back. Mostly from the civilians. I found it odd that they didn’t feel a compulsion to take the matter of their safety into their own hands. I mean, surely a gun would help them feel safer. No, they said that they never signed up to fight. They were happy enough to enjoy the fruits of the fighters and support them from a safe distance. Cowards. I sighed at myself for just thinking it. They were just scared. At least they’d come around eventually.

  A young man leaned out from the bunk above the woman’s and whispered to her. I could probably make out what—if I wanted to. Usually the mundanes – as I’d started calling them – spoke of completely uninteresting things like the weather, work, food. Things that helped them feel at ease.

  The woman glanced at me. A look of displeasure spread across her face when our eyes met. I rolled mine and got out of the bunk. I only needed to endure them for a short while longer. Gerrard said that he’d have the first emitter ready to go by evening. A few hours now at most. I was rearing to go. Partly because I wanted to try out Stoneflow. Mostly though, it seemed that sitting still had started to feel like the plague to me. I had felt it when I was in Nyla’s custody as well. After months of constant fighting and adventure it was hard to go back to normality.

  I strode out of the tent. The smouldering sun had begun to set and painted distant dunes red like blood. Fresh air filled my lungs. Nighttime had become my favourite time of day, ironically enough. It was still a few hours away, but I could practically taste the crisp air already.

  A soldier standing watch on an elevated platform, a no-name grunt, nodded in a stiff greeting but made no effort to speak. Over the last few days, Daryl had infected the minds of most in the compound. Those who didn’t already have a good impression toward me, probably never would. To most, I was the devil. And the reason that Julia couldn’t walk.

  She’d been popular among soldiers and civilians alike. Even those who weren’t interested in her good looks and quirky personality enjoyed the ’will they won’t they’ she had going with Daryl. The group’s favourite non-couple. One of the few remaining windows to normalcy.

  I’d seen it coming from a mile away.

  I walked away from the central tent where Nyla and Quinn were no doubt making plans. They almost never left each other’s side. Not even when they went to bed. I figured there was something there, but hadn’t yet mustered up the courage to ask. Nor did I know if I ever would.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  If Nyla got the wrong impression, she’d pummel me. No doubt about it. And if Quinn got the wrong impression and told Nyla, the result would be the same.

  In any case I didn’t care too much. If they found comfort in one another then that was all good. Lord knows comfort was a rarity.

  I climbed into the watchtower furthest from all of our buildings. The soldier inside flashed an apathetic expression.

  “Are you here to relieve me of watch?”

  I wasn’t, but it was a rare opportunity for some sort of privacy.

  “Yep.”

  He looked around to see if anyone was watching then shook his head with a sigh. I could see at that moment that he knew that wasn’t the reason I was there for. No wonder. I’d been exempt from watch all this time, there was no reason for me to start just like that. I grinned abashedly, and to my relief he climbed down without arguing.

  When he’d walked out of sight I plopped down on the foldable chair and gazed out at the flaming horizon. It had been quiet all this time, it would be no different tonight. I placed my feet on the railing and leaned back in the chair, summoning the corroded pocket watch to my hands. I used the hem of my shirt to polish the back of its brass surface until I could just about make out my reflection.

  “Been a while,” I said.

  Sera smiled back. “What is on your mind?”

  I smiled. “Nothing. Just thought I’d watch the sun set.”

  Sera spent her entire life in the Layered empire. She never saw the sun. Hell. I didn’t even know if the Forgotten lands had a sun. I had never been to the surface yet. She scoffed in derision at me. Probably judging how I chose to spend my last few days. She hadn’t liked that I allowed myself to be held captive either. It was a sight she was too used to seeing, and her deal with me was one made for her to see the world.

  Hopefully this would change her mind.

  She’d seen the sunset many times already, but always through my eyes. There was never an opportunity for her to see it with her own form.

  “Can you feel heat?” I asked and revelled in the last warmth of the sun. During the days it was excruciatingly dry. Most probably felt the same about the evenings. But not me. The evenings were almost perfect. Warm enough that you could walk in underwear without being cold, but not warm enough that you needed to.

  “Why?”

  “Just thought it’d be nice is all.”

  I peeked through half shut eyelids at my reflection and had to stifle a smile at the sight of her mimicking me. Her pale skin looked healthy in the red glow of evening. And the faintest hint of a smile made the corners of her mouth curl up.

  There were still many things I wanted to speak with her about. Still, we spent the evening in silence until a confused soldier came to relieve me of my watch. Just like I’d predicted it had been a quiet night without any monsters. Well, except for myself and Sera.

  The night sky was clear. Yet even with powerful lights lighting up our surroundings I could see a thick tapestry of stars above. You’d never be able to see something like it in the big city. I wasn’t quite sure why. Maybe it had something to do with gasses, or just the abundance of artificial light.

  I’m sure Sera would like to see it for herself one day too. But that day was not today.

  “Cal!” Quinn shouted.

  I shivered at the sternness of her voice. If they’d found out that I disobeyed the order to rest I’m sure there would be hell to pay. Nyla was unusually petty for an officer, she held grudges and went to great lengths to plot revenge. While she couldn’t actively hurt me, or anyone else for that matter, she had a way of coming up with punishments that made my skin crawl.

  “Yeah?” I asked and turned to face her. She was alone. Thank god.

  “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!”

  I shrugged. “Just hanging around. Watched the sunset over by the west wall.”

  “Oh well that’s just great. I’m glad you’re enjoying your vacation.” Her words dripped with sarcasm.

  “Hey, you’re the ones who told me to rest.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Smartass. The time for rest is over.”

  “Huh? Gerrard did it?”

  She grinned. “He did, the brilliant bastard.”

  “When do we leave?”

  “Twenty fucking minutes ago.”

  “Ah.”

  “Yeah, ah. You’ve got about five minutes to pack before Nyla restructures your face.”

  I smirked. “Only need one.”

  Without a word of goodbye I rushed to the dormitory tent. I almost knocked over doc when I hurried inside. He cursed wildly at me, not caring that I was unsung, or that I had a reputation of violence.

  I liked him for that particular lack of care. He didn’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thought. And he didn’t have to. If people wanted patching up when they got hurt they just had to come to terms with the fact that their medic was a foul-mouthed blessed who refused to use his blessing.

  I grabbed my sleeping bag and what few items I had that weren’t accolades, slinging them over my shoulder and hurrying back outside. “Sorry,” I said and smiled at the old man when I passed.

  He grumbled something under his breath and quickly got over the slight. “Good luck,” he said as I exited.

  The others said nothing, but I could feel the quiet weight of their expectations settle on my shoulders.

  They scorned me; but relied on me.

  If I was a better man I would forgive them. But I was only human, like them. The fear fuelled cowardice I could stomach, but not this.

  I was glad to leave it behind.

  Nyla and Quinn stood in front of the two scientists and the mechanic. The men polished a large box of black steel with short antennas poking out. The emitter, I assumed. It didn’t look like much, but it would make a world of difference for us. We hoped.

  I wanted to get a better look at it, but didn’t dare. Nyla’s foot bounced up and down in place as she watched me approach.

  “You’re late.”

  I could have argued that they never gave me a time to adhere to. Of course I didn’t. Doing so was a fool’s errand. And I didn’t fancy myself much of a fool.

  “Sorry,” I said with a rare sincerity.

  She shook her head and gestured at me to load my stuff into a car. Deciding which was easy, the doors were wide open in welcome.

  I helped the two men load the contraption onto the back of the car. Gerrard explained that even while travelling it would let us maintain contact with Nyla and the others. A real handy tool. And as we managed to install more our area of coverage would grow. Hopefully enough that it could pierce through the veil.

  A slap sent a jolt of pain through my back. I turned with knitted brows to face Gabi’s wide smile, she waved her hand through the air. “Take good care of me.”