“Now, Vera,” comes a voice from the doorway, “let’s not exaggerate.”
Lament is leaning against the doorframe, hands at his sides, a loose strand of hair falling into his face. Several of his fingers are bandaged, and there’s a cut above his eyebrow that’s long but too shallow for stitches. He hasn’t changed out of his uniform or showered since returning, so he’s covered faintly in dust. It’s in his hair, all over his clothes and skin. Everywhere but his eyes, which are full of quiet intensity as they come to rest on mine.
I swallow past the sudden dryness in my throat. “You came back.”
He makes a noise that might either be agreement or annoyance.
I try again. “I thought…”You didn’t care enough to bother.But saying that feels like an admission of some kind, so I just shift on the hospital bed and offer a weak, “Thanks.”
He crosses his arms. “We have rules about leaving the helpless to fend for themselves.”
The tender moment—if that’s even what it was—dies a quick death. “I wouldn’t sayhelpless.”
“Would you preferincapable?”
“Because that’s so much better.”
“You have to admit,” he continues with a twitch of his brow, “you’re a bit of a sorry sight.”
“And I’m not even stuffed in a trunk.”
His answering smile is just a tiny bit wicked. “This time.”
Vera makes a whimpering sound. “Oh stars, did my planwork?”
I hate to break up the reunion, Jester says,but Sergeant Forst just sent a message.He holds up his handheld.She’s calling us to her office for a meeting. And she doesn’t seem pleased.
My heart sinks. “I’m guessing that means our secret mission is no longer, um… secret.” Which—given the way it ended—should come as no surprise. I slide off the cot, doing my best not to flash anyone on my way down. This gown has got to go. “Give me a second to change?”
Vera and Jester nod before slipping out of the room. Lament, however, steps fully inside and closes the door.
My pulse is rising again. I hardly know why. “Lament?”
He looks somewhat reluctant. “I have a favor to ask.”
I wait.
“We broke a lot of rules today,” he continues. “The sergeant already knows most of what happened—there was no way to hide where we’d been after I requested the medicraft—and she isn’t happy. But… don’t tell her about the cave raptors.”
I’m surprised for about one point five seconds, until I remember this isn’t the first time Lament has seemingly distanced himself from the Legion. I search his face. “Why?”
He hesitates.
“You want me to lie,” I say, “but you can’t tell me the reason?”
“It’s complicated.”
“I doubt it’sthatcomplicated.”
“You don’t have to lie outright,” Lament explains, neatly dodging the question. “Actually, it’s probably better if you don’t speak at all. It’s only your first day in the Legion. The sergeant won’t hold you accountable for taking a spacecraft without orders. That’ll be on me. I’ll tell Sergeant Forst what she needs to know, and Vera and Jester will corroborate the story like they usually do, and then we’ll get out of there.”
“Wait, wait.” I make aslow downmotion. “You all have done this before?”
He just looks at me.
“Like, how many times?”
Still no answer.
