Right?
CHAPTER
4
We were evacuated from the warehouse before the next group started. Perhaps it was for the best—some of the screams still echoed in my head, as Rohan broke bones in pure frustration.
Mage-killers were molded into stone-cold fighters. Having feelings was a weakness. Even if I had been a foot soldier together with Lionel before, this was completely different. This was to prepare us for the things lingering outside of our borders, within which we had dwelled in safety the last couple of years. Mages showed no mercy to those without magical abilities, and demons… they only knew of bloodlust.
I traveled together with Ashley, Nathanial and two other girls, accompanied by a soldier who showed us to our new base. It was situated further south, closer to the wastelands, where few men lived and demons sought refuge instead. Because of the sandstorms, people rarely ventured here; it was considered suicide, a place bad people were banished to after committing unspeakablecrimes.
“Do you feel discouraged by being in a girl squad?” Ashley smiled daringly at Nathanial, who simply gave her a crooked smile.
“Don’t give him stupid ideas,” one of the other girls snapped, her braided brown hair dancing with each step she took.
“Oh, too late for that,” Nathanial smirked. “I’m all for snuggles.”
“Ugh,” she retched, glaring at him.
“You two know each other?” I asked, glancing back and forth between them.
“I’m his sister, Mey,” she answered, dryly.
“Oh,” Ashley chuckled. “You can snuggle with me instead.”
Mey fell silent, simply staring confused.
“I’m Carolyn Darleton,” the last girl muttered low, her hands fidgeting, while her grey eyes darted between us while hiding behind her dirty blonde hair.
“Nice to meet you,” I nodded, turning my gaze forward. “I’m Ethalyn.”
“We’re a unit now, then?” Mey asked, changing the subject, looking primarily at Ashley, as if she was the one with all the answers.
“You’ll be going to the Blackreach base, where you’ll receive your first mission,” the soldier in front interrupted, uninterested in introducing himself.
“Finally,” Ashley sighed, stretching her arms in the air.
We were walking by foot, through a flourishing forest. I saw no landmarks, no signs or anything—if we didn’t have the soldier guiding us, I would’ve believed us to be lost.
It bothered me that I had no idea where Lionel went. If we were heading to different bases, I had missed my chance to say goodbye…
“Were all of you soldiers… before this?” Carolyn asked, her voice still lowered, maybe she was scared to lure animals to us?
“Yes,” Ashley and I echoed.
“Nate was, not me,” Mey mumbled, almost as if she wanted us to miss it.
“They let people outside of the military take the trials too?” Ashley shot her a questioning glance, evaluating her with her sharp eyes.
“I—” Mey began before she was cut off.
“Guess so,” Nathanial filled in, his voice firm.
I gave them a quick glance. He looked like a soldier for sure, but his sister looked… hopeful, as if she wasn’t aware of the village’s struggles. Perhaps his payment as a soldier had been better than mine and was enough to cover for both of them, sheltering her from reality.
I wasn’t sure if I envied her or felt sorry for the wakeup call she would have to face soon enough.
“How about you?” Ashley shot back at Carolyn, who I had already completely forgotten about.
