“Elevate her legs,” Cresil ordered the red Impure-Daemon helping him sit up. The blue Impure-Daemon opened his mouth to protest, but Red shook her head and pointed to Cresil’s bat tattoo. Blue nodded and complied with Cresil’s order, elevating Keshiema’s legs. “Report to Merihim, assets secured, pickup at Shadow Lake Infirmary.”

  “There’ll be no need for that.” Merihim’s soft but powerful voice floated through the air, bringing with it a wave of nausea to all alert individuals

  “Sir!” All three Impure-Daemons saluted. Cresil winced from the effort, but otherwise maintained his composure.

  “At ease.” Merihim knelt down and checked Keshiema’s vitals, confirming her heart rate and blood pressure had stabilized. “You two!” He summoned Red and Blue, “Take her to the infirmary.” Blue hoisted Keshiema onto his back and the pair marched off. “Uvall.” He answered Cresil’s question before he could ask.

  “I’m sorry, sir,” Cresil started, but Merihim raised a hand to cut him off.

  “You’re alive, as is everyone in your squad. Vetting Grendel was my responsibility.” He glanced over to the human onlookers, still curiously hovering nearby. “Our horses need food, water, and rest. By morning, I want them ready to travel to Saint Lucifer’s. I will need a carriage prepared as well.”

  Cresil was passing in and out of consciousness, though he managed to stay upright. Merihim helped him to his feet, catching sight of his silver scars in the process. In his younger years, he would have been blinded with rage that someone would dare use silver against one of his men. Now, with the kind of wisdom that comes with experience and age, he managed to stay levelheaded. It would take decades, perhaps even centuries, for those scars to heal. His skin ached, remembering the pain all too well. “I want my soldiers treated quickly and treated well. An extra stipend will be sent next month as payment.”

  ***

  Keshiema awoke in a tiny, familiar exam room. The thick odor of disinfectant permeated the room, worsening her headache and nausea. A lead weight rested in her stomach, goosebumps covered her skin, fog clouded her mind. She sat up too quickly and swayed from a sudden dizzy spell. After regaining her balance, she looked around the room.

  “Five,” she said, trying to focus on taking deep, calming breaths. “I see my weapons." Her heart pounded in her ears. "Ration bars," her skin tingled. "My canteen," a disorienting pressure rested behind her eyes. "bedding, and sterile bandages…” She took a deep breath between every observation.

  “Four. I hear…Merihim?” His sudden presence took her mind off the anxiety. Putting her weapons away and filling her canteen at the sink, she concentrated on the conversation in the next room. Between thin walls and her acute hearing, she heard him fairly clearly.

  “What’s more important is that you tell me why you brought Keshiema back here.” Merihim’s words made her heart sink and her breath catch. What reason would Merihim have to think Cresil would know her past? 'He knows how much I care about cresil,' she tried to reason. 'So it would make sense to think Cress knows where I'm from. But he doesn't..."

  “Back, sir? She’s never left campus. She hasn’t even been to a farm since…” He paused. “Wreck ah! Adavara?”

  “Yes. By any chance, did you come in from the west?” Her stomach twisted in knots. She tried desperately to tell herself nothing was amiss. Merihim was just scolding one of his men over a misunderstanding.

  “Rue.” Cresil affirmed bitterly. She took a few almost-expired ration bars from the countertop basket and put them in her cargo pocket.

  “Then I imagine you passed her old home on the way.” She could picture Cresil hanging his head in shame. tiptoeing towards the door, she reached out for the handle. She had every intention of going to comfort him, even if it meant being dragged back to the Academy by Merihim and needing to find another escape.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Her hand froze on the knob when Merihim continued. “When I ordered you to guard her, that meant learning everything you could about her past. It’s been ten years. How did you miss that? It was even in the file I gave you!”

  ‘Ordered to guard me?' her heart nearly stopped. 'Ten years?' Her breath caught in her throat. 'So…it’s all been a lie…I really was just a burden to him.’ She shrank back from the door, knocking over the supply cart. The jagged edge of the old metal cart sliced her hand; the loud crash and sudden pain brought her to her senses. She hurried out of the room before anyone could investigate. Her heart raced as Cresil called her name.

  She tried to sprint, but she had no aura to spare. Tears welled in her eyes as she breathlessly jogged down the street, her lungs screaming for her to stop. But still, she ran on, her sides splitting, her heart aching, telling herself how stupid she had been to believe he thought of her as a friend. Her legs carried her down that winding stretch of asphalt until at last she reached the edge of the city proper.

  ***

  A loud crash interrupted Cresil and Merihim’s conversation. It came from the next room over; Keshiema’s room. Fighting the heated blanket, Cresil jumped from his bed and ran to the door. He entered the hallway just in time to see Keshiema running out of the building, leaving a trail of blood behind her. “Keshiema!” He called for her, praying she would stop. He knew she must have heard their conversation. Now he had to wonder if she was running because Merihim might take her back, or if she was hurt by learning their friendship was built on a lie.

  Merihim held Cresil back as he tried to chase after Keshiema. “Let go of me, you fucking bastard!” he screamed. His body ached, the silver scars throbbing with a searing hot pain. 'She's hurt, and weak... I can catch up to her.' He tried to pull free, but Merihim outmatched him even at his strongest.

  “Stand down!” Merihim barked. Cresil’s aura formed around his hands, but Merihim knew his soldier too well to be caught off guard. Twisting Cresil’s arm behind his back, he pinned the Impure to the ground, placing a knee on his back. “Listen!” he growled. “Interfere now, and you’ll only get her and yourself killed.” When Cresil stopped thrashing, Merihim released him. “You’re weak right now, Cresil.” He helped him to his feet. “Whether you want to admit it or not.” Merihim urged Cresil back into his room, sternly pointing at the bed.

  Obeying Merihim, like the loyal dog he was, he sat on the uncomfortable cot. “I know. It’s the whole reason we came here. She wanted to start her search for Ipos this morning. But then we were attacked and… well, I’m sure you’ve noticed.” Cresil laughed bitterly.

  “Silver poisoning is nothing to scoff at. You need a hospital. We leave at dawn for Saint Lucifer’s.” Merihim stomped out of the room, slamming the door as he left.

  ***

  The long tail of his duster flapped in the gentle breeze as Tobias marched through the center street of his freshly repaired village. His soldiers managed to nearly erase all damage caused by the Impure and his mysterious accomplice. A carpenter approached him cautiously, gauging his mood before she spoke. Stopping, he folded his arms and glared at her, telling her with his body language to “make it quick.”

  Straightening her posture, the carpenter spoke quickly and clearly. “Sir, the window panels harvested from Denim must have been too close to the store room and cracked during the attack. We are making due with paper windows for now, but something more permanent will need to be done before the rains come.”

  Tobias hid his frustration under a flimsy fa?ade. “Very well. But the city is too dangerous now. We shall wait a few weeks before we send the scavengers.” Eager to keep her health, the carpenter thanked him before swiftly returning to her workstation.

  Shaking his head, Tobias marched on, continuing his assessment. Hearing nearby laughter, he detoured from the main street and headed towards the small schoolhouse. The teacher smiled happily, watching over the children playing Human, Human, Demon in the large dirt lot next to the school.

  “Miss Penny,” Tobias called out to the teacher before getting close enough to accidentally startle her. “How are the children faring?”

  Penny turned her smile to Tobias, waiting for him to close the gap before answering. “Well enough, sir. None of them seemed particularly phased by the attack. And luckily only the weapons were attacked, not the food cache.”

  Keeping his thoughts to himself, Tobias wondered if luck really played a role, or if the demon planned it.

  “Miss Penny, has Wolf already stopped by today?”

  Embarrassed, Penny turned away to hide her bright red face, “I’m not sure what you mean.”

  Tobias laughed lightly, shaking his head. “Penny, the entire town knows he’s been attempting to court you.”

  “Oh,” Her voice lowered to an almost-whisper. “Well, he hasn’t been by yet. He’s probably still on the morning hunt. Usually, he swings by during the children's lunchtime.”

  “Tell him to come see me after he visits you. I’ll be in the map room. Now, I have a meeting to plan, so please excuse me.”

  Wreck ah! Adavara? = Fuck me! Truly?

  Rue = Yes