SLADE
In just a week, the wholebase has been saturated with the smell of shit and leather. The underground pipework has gotten clogged from overuse, so new latrines had to be dug. The rationing has been a nightmare to regulate too. There are still some soldiers sleeping in tents, even with the base putting up new buildings as quickly as we can make them, and there are nearly two hundred soldiers that Hojat and the other army menders are treating for travel wounds and sicknesses.
Morale hasn’t been the greatest. Not with the reduced food. Not with the tight living quarters and the fact that no one’s going to be dismissed to return home any time soon.
Queen Kaila and the other monarchs want to be difficult. Want to spread this narrative of Auren being a villain. Of me harboring a traitor. Of making Midas into some kind of martyr.
It’s all fucking noise.
But they can spread their sounds as much as they want. The queen may be a master of words, but I’m an expert at ignoring the clamor. I’m not the type of male to be swayed by sensationalized commotion meant to sway a populace.
Rot is silent.
So they can be as vociferous as they want, but at the end of the day, I will lay them to silent waste if I need to.
Across from me, Ryatt finishes up his reports. Things have been strained between us, but for all his bluster, he’s been carrying out every order. He looks wrecked though, eyes red from lack of sleep, his frown more pronounced than usual. His hair is still sweaty from wearing his helmet outside while he got updates from the list of volunteers who’d agreed to leave Brackhill to go and source more food.
So he might not agree with my decision, but he’s doing what needs to be done. When push comes to shove, he always does.
Aside from him, Osrik is the only other one sitting in this meeting. Judd and Lu left a week ago. Lu flew to Sixth Kingdom to get me a better handle on what’s happening there, and Judd has gone to First Kingdom.
“...And we’ve got forty more going up to the plot of land Barley suggested,” Ryatt finishes.
“How soon are they estimated to arrive?”
“I signed them off on a timberwing rotation. They’re taking them ten at a time—half of our Perch, not counting our own beasts. Once they return, we’ll switch them out, sending the next ten, and so on, giving the timbers plenty of time to rest before the next batch.”
“Good.”
“But it’s not enough,” Ryatt warns.
I nod my head, because that’s true. Or it would be, except... “First Kingdom took the deal.”
His eyes go wide. “They did?”
“Just got the reply from Judd,” I explain, patting the letter in my pocket. “The King of First agreed to reroute his ships going to port at Second and instead head for ours. Once there, we’ll get our supplies of food, and he’ll get a fuck ton of oil at averygood price.”
Ryatt lets out a weighted exhale. “Well, finally some good fucking news.”
Nodding, I say, “We needed it.”
“It certainly helps our food supply, but we still have problems,” he cautions. “The army is grumbling more than normal. We’re lucky we’ve always trained them to stand up to harsh conditions, but even they’re taking a morale hit with all of this shit.”
“I know.”
Ryatt shoots a look at Osrik across from him before returning back to me. “They deserve better than this,” he says, leaning forward so that his metal chest plate clinks against the table. “They got dragged across the fucking continent for show, dragged back, and now they have to prepare for yetanotherwar that you might instigate.”
“I’m not instigating it.”
“You know what I mean,” he says, waving me off. “They’re loyal. You know they are. And they’re the strongest, most fierce, and feared army in Orea. But they’re losing faith in their leadership.”
“I know that too,” I say before Os and I share a look. “Which is why I’m going to officially nameyouas the new army commander of Fourth.”
My brother lurches back, shock crossing his face. “What?”
I nod. “It’s already done. I filled out the paperwork, and Os turned it into the lieutenants. You might want to prepare a speech.”
Ryatt looks bewildered. “You can’t be fucking serious.”
