Page 111 of Commander’s Mate

“That seems like bad military planning.”

“Yes.”

“Degatu would yell.”

“Yes.”

“Would you still do it?”

“Yes.”

I believed him.

That was becoming dangerous.

I wiped my face.

“Your turn. Tell me something embarrassing.”

“I do not understand.”

“Something your family would use against you.”

“No.”

“Coward.”

His eyes flashed.

“I once fell from a roof because my brother told me I could jump to another roof.”

I sat up.

“How old?”

“Eleven.”

“Did you make it?”

“No.”

“How badly hurt?”

“Broken arm.”

I laughed so hard I had to cover my mouth.

“You asked.”

“You, the terrifying Commander General, broke your arm because your brother dared you to jump between roofs.”

“He lied about the distance.”

“That is absolutely the defense of an eleven-year-old.”

“My father said the same.”

For the next hour, we talked about nothing important.