She shook her head. Of course she wanted him to go to training. She gave a short nod. “You’re on.” She propped her right crutch against her side and held out her hand.
Cass took it and gave it a firm shake. “On the count of three. One… Two… Three!”
He took off like a dart, and she swung herself along the sidewalk at a quicker pace than she’d used before. Still, she was slower than him, and after a few minutes, he was out of sight. She was a little concerned she’d underestimated him, but then she remembered his breath at the end of their walk down to the shed. No way he can keep up that pace all the way back to the barracks.
Her suspicions were confirmed about ten minutes later, as she moved in sight of the statue. Bending over and breathing hard, Cass was no longer moving, much less running. He looked as though he might be about to vomit. Clarity was impressed in spite of herself that he’d made it as far as he had at his breakneck pace, though she’d never admit that to him. Maybe he’d do all right in training. As she passed him, he made an effort to move again, but his wheezing lungs didn’t seem to want to cooperate.
She tossed him a smile over her shoulder. “See you bright and early, Perspicacity!”
Chapter 9
When Cass’s alarm went off two hours after he’d collapsed into bed, his first instinct was to turn off the alarm, roll over, and go back to sleep. Then he looked at the hour and groaned. Make that my first five instincts. He didn’t need to get up this early to get to work, but he did if he wanted to make it to his assigned training hour. He had no idea why he’d agreed to get up for Clarity. He’d broken into a building and hacked into order property for her. He didn’t owe her a thing.
He had promised, though, and he never broke a promise. Because I felt bad. Because even though she admitted she’s the only other person in the world who knows what my brother is, I still can’t talk about him, but I still owed her something. He grunted. Plus, I thought there was no way she’d beat me to the barracks on those crutches. A few years ago, when he’d been in school and couldn’t get out of the required physical training, he could have beaten her easily enough. Maybe those warrior types have a point about staying in shape.
He couldn’t believe such a thought had crossed his mind. Must be the sleep deprivation. He pushed himself up, dislodging Meg from her place on his chest. She let out an annoyed meow, then jumped onto the bed and curled back up. Cass had never envied his mechanical cat more. He would have given up free will at that moment if it meant he didn’t have to work out for an hour.
He changed into his issued workout gear and headed out the door, not bothering to spare a glance in the mirror. No doubt he had circles under his eyes and messy hair, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He meant to hurry out the door, but between his minimal sleep and ill-fated run, he suspected he lurched like a zombie. He considered stopping by the cafeteria for coffee but decided he’d most likely end up vomiting it onto the practice field.
By any estimation, he wasn’t pretty or proud by the time he reached his assigned spot, but he didn’t think he deserved the look of pure shock he received from everyone in the training yard. The assorted techs and medics stopped stretching and jogging in place to gape at him, and he could have heard a pin drop, even on the grass-covered field. He expected some kind of instruction---didn’t warriors love to give orders?---but all he got from the man who seemed to be in charge was an open-mouthed stare. He didn’t see Clarity anywhere. Since she was on medical leave until her leg healed, she was no doubt sleeping in.
Guess I’m going to have to do the talking. “Perspicacity Hughes, reporting for training.” When the warrior still didn’t respond, Cass rolled his eyes. “Right, right. I know. I don’t show up for training. Except apparently I do now, so the sooner you tell me where to stand, the sooner we can get this ball rolling, and the sooner I can get out of here.”
The snark seemed to knock the warrior out of his stupor. He moved his eyes rapidly, as if consulting his ocular implant, then pointed at a spot near the back, which seemed random, until he took in the names of the people he knew. Apparently we’re alphabetized. Cute. Cass went to his assigned place and stood stock still, waiting for the torture to begin.
He didn’t have to wait long before the warrior ordered fifty crunches. Cass lay down on the grass and crossed his arms over his chest. He hoped Clarity appreciated this.
Clarity awoke that morning with every intention of going to support Cass in his first day of training. No doubt he would think she was checking to make sure he fulfilled his part of the bargain, but she wanted to encourage him. Strength Duchanan had taken over her duties while she was on medical leave, and she didn’t foresee him having any mercy on Cass. Not for the first time, Clarity cursed her broken leg. She had wanted to get the truants to come to training regularly, so she had planned to go easy on them, at least at first.
She hadn’t gotten enough sleep, but she’d survived on worse. All-night training followed by a day of normal behavior were part of warrior stamina training. She put on her bodysuit and tied her hair up into a ponytail, then headed out of the barracks and down to the training yards. Before she got there, though, a short message from Determination asking her to report to his office popped up on her ocular implant. His communications were always brusque, but since she was supposed to be on medical leave, he couldn’t want anything good. She moved faster on her crutches to get to his office than she had during the race with Cass.
When she got there, the captain was seated at his desk, with Endurance and a high-ranking warrior named Duty Corelius standing behind him. “Sit down, Clarity,” Determination said. “We have a few questions for you.”
“Of course, sir. May I ask what these questions are about?” she asked as she lowered herself into the chair. She had a sinking suspicion she already knew the answer to that question, but playing dumb was her best defense.
“There was a break-in at the motor shed last night,” Determination said. “Endurance noted that he saw you in the area around the time of the crime.”
Clarity’s body wanted to shake, but she allowed only one big toe inside her rubber shoe to move. “I’m sorry, sir, but do you think I had something to do with that?”
All three men laughed as if she’d suggested that incorporeal shadows had done it. “Not at all,” Duty said. “This was clearly a professional job. Our security team picked up the breach, and the expert called in said she only knew of two or three people who could have pulled it off. You were most assuredly not on her list.”
“We wanted to know if you’d seen anything,” Endurance said.
Clarity bristled at their dismissal. She hadn’t committed the crime, to be sure, but she had orchestrated it. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can help you. What was taken, if you don’t mind my asking?”
The men exchanged glances, and Duty shrugged, as if to say there was no harm in telling her. “Nothing appears to be missing after a cursory inspection,” Determination said. “Dependability is going to do a full inventory and let us know later today. Our best guess is some kid snuck in to borrow one of the bikes.”
“If we do find him, I’m not sure if we’ll kick him out or graduate him early,” Duty said. “By all accounts, that was an impressive piece of hacking.”
Clarity gave a wan smile. “Is that all you need me for? I wanted to head down to the training yard.”
Determination frowned. “You’re not training while you’re on medical leave, are you? We can’t afford for you to injure yourself further.”
“Oh, no.” Clarity wished he didn’t sound so annoyed with her about her broken ankle. She wondered if he would be impressed she got Cass Hughes to go to training, but she didn’t want to bring that up. For one thing, he might chastise her for doing her job while on leave. For another, she didn’t want any of the men putting her in the company of an expert hacker. “I just want to watch.”
Duty laughed. “Most of my men would rejoice to injure themselves and get a few days off training. I can tell you’re one to watch, Clarity.”
Clarity felt a glow at the praise, but the feeling wasn’t as bright as it might have been a few days prior. Since she’d seen the inside of the Azure District and heard about Evelyn’s plight, her ambition paled in comparison to her desire to help those people, a desire she knew might cost her position as a paladin. She also couldn’t help but notice Determination didn’t echo Duty’s sentiment, which was only to be expected. He seemed, appropriately, determined to keep her from rising through the ranks. “May I be excused then, gentlemen?” Clarity asked.
Determination nodded, and Clarity didn’t wait for a verbal affirmation. She was up and out of the office as fast as her crutches would allow. The journey to the training yard wasn’t far, but because of her exhaustion, the trip took her longer than it might have had she gotten more than two hours of sleep. By the time she reached the seating area above the yard, the trainees had completed warmups and general fitness training and had moved onto sparring.
Cass was paired up with Zeal, who was beating him handily. As Clarity took a seat, both members of the pair stopped to wave at her. She waved back, and Zeal and Cass side-eyed each other, as if trying to determine who she had greeted. Clarity laughed as Zeal recovered first and took the opportunity to clock Cass in the face.
Cass was doing quite well. No doubt he thought his performance poor, as he was taking quite the pummelling, but considering he hadn’t sparred in three years, he blocked more blows than Clarity would have expected and even landed a punch on occasion. Nonetheless, she couldn’t begrudge him his look of pure relief when Strength called for cool-downs.
When they finished, Zeal, along with Hope, came up to meet Clarity. She half expected Cass to follow, if only to tell her he wouldn’t return, but he sank onto the grass and stared up at her for a moment, then collapsed onto his back.
“Earth to Clarity!” Zeal waved a hand in front of Clarity’s face. Clarity realized she was staring, though she couldn’t have said if she was making sure Cass wasn’t dead or if she was just sleep deprived.
Probably both. She blinked and looked up at her friends. “You couldn’t have gone easy on the poor boy? He’s rusty, you know.”
Zeal rolled her eyes and sat down next to Clarity. “If Strength wanted someone to ‘go easy on the poor boy,’ he should have paired him up with Hope. He knows I’m not the medic with mercy as a virtue.”
“I don’t like hitting people!” Hope said. “You don’t have to make fun! Besides, let’s focus on the far more interesting fact that Clarity is friends with Cass Hughes now. How did you manage that?”
“‘Friends’ is a strong word,” Clarity said, though she wasn’t sure what would be a better word to describe the relationship between two people who had grown closer after committing a crime together. Co-conspirators, perhaps? “I bet him he couldn’t beat me in a race, even with the crutches, and I won.”
“Hm.” Zeal looked doubtful. “You’re on medical leave. You don’t have to do your job. Spending time with someone you don’t like just to get him to go to training sounds like a lot of dedication, even for you.”
“I have to be even more dedicated to my job while I’m on medical leave.” Clarity sounded as tired as she felt. “Enough people already don’t want me here, and I have to do something to prove I belong. Recruitment is the only part of my job I’m allowed to do right now, so I’m going to do it.”
Hope sat down on Clarity’s other side and hugged her around the shoulders. “There’s the Clarity we know and love. I don’t know what makes you so driven. It’s like you won’t rest until you become the first female Grand Conductor.”
“I wouldn’t go that far.” There probably hasn’t been a Grand Conductor in history who broke into the motor shed to hack a bike. “I just want to prove to everyone I earned my place here.”
“You can also do that at the Star Gala in a couple of weeks,” Zeal said in a slow drawl.
Clarity groaned. She had tried to forget about the event, but she knew it wouldn’t do any good. All paladins at the Citadel---with the exception of those fortunate enough to be on guard duty---had to attend. Oftentimes, the paladin Families flew in their distant members for the event, leaving the rest of the paladins to maintain their duties. The whole thing felt like another excuse for the Families to lord their lofty status over people like her, who had to fight tooth and nail for their positions. She didn’t dread it, per se, but she was a person of action, and political galas were places for people of words.
Hope, on the other hand, gave a dreamy sigh. “I’m so excited to get my first custom-made gown!”
“I assume it’s frilly, pink, and covered in lace?” Zeal asked.
“It’s lavender.” Hope stuck her tongue out at Zeal. “I assume yours is red and slinky?”
Zeal gave a feral grin. “You know me too well. What kind of dress did you end up ordering, Clarity?”
“Um…”
“You want to keep it a surprise?” Hope asked.
Zeal looked at Hope as if she were an idiot. “You haven’t ordered it yet, have you?”
“Well, not as such…”
“Clarity!” Hope and Zeal shouted in unison.
“You said you would!” Hope asked. “The gala is in two weeks! If you don’t order soon, you won’t be able to get a custom gown! It may be too late already! You can’t show up in something off the rack! That would be so embarrassing!”
“Forget embarrassing,” Zeal said. “Little Miss Ambition can’t show up looking anything less than stellar if she wants to impress people. Honestly, Clarity. You’ll make bets with Cass Hughes for small victories, but you completely forget the bigger picture.”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter what I wear,” Clarity said. “The Families book the big designers years in advance. They’re going to look better than me no matter what I do.”
“Are you serious?” Hope asked. “I’ve been getting tons of ads in my messages for up-and-coming-designers desperate to design for any paladin. They get to display their work---”
“---not to mention getting their hands on that sweet, sweet cash---” Zeal put in.
“---and you get to support an aspiring artist! That’s why I booked you the spot at Steady Threads the other day!”
Clarity had been getting the ads, and she’d filed them all under “Gala things” to worry about when she had more time. “That just makes it sound like so much pressure.”
“Clarity.” Zeal’s tone was steely. “Look at the pictures in the ads. Find something you like. Get the designer to make you a dress, and do it soon. This is not AI design.”
Clarity sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll do it soon.” As soon as I’ve figured out how to get medication to the Azure District.
Zeal scowled. “Why not today?”
“I have other plans.” Clarity glanced down at the field where Cass had been, but he had left sometime during their conversation.
Zeal followed her gaze. “Plans with your new friend Cass?”
Clarity smiled. “Most assuredly not.”
Cass pulled an ice pack out of the freezer and held it against his face. He was going to have a nasty bruise on his cheekbone before the morning. Apparently Zeal didn’t understand the concept of a friendly spar. He should have known better when even her friend Hope picked a different partner. To think the woman was a medic!
“Let me guess. I should see the other guy.” Tenacity leaned on the doorframe of the office kitchen, looking as casual as Cass had ever seen her. He knew better than to trust that face. His boss usually had a single-minded focus on whatever task she set herself to. The friendly face meant her current goal involved him and she thought niceness would help her get what she wanted.
Considering Tenacity could want any number of things Cass di
dn’t want her to have, he didn’t cut to the chase. “The other guy was actually a woman---Zeal. I went to training this morning.”
Tenacity’s sharp gaze focused on him. “You went to training?” He’d expected her to be surprised---and she was---but she also looked as if his morning activities were an interesting piece in a puzzle she was on the verge of solving. “Funny, a few days ago, you swore you’d never do exactly that. Guess Clarity was more persuasive than you thought.”
Cass caught the faint smile creeping onto his lips before it appeared. He didn’t despise Clarity the way he once had, but he wasn’t certain he liked her yet either. He definitely didn’t want his boss to jump to any conclusions about their potential friendship. “That, or I lost a bet.” Cass brushed past Tenacity and headed for his office.
Tenacity followed. “This bet wouldn’t have anything to do with breaking into the motor shed in the middle of the night, would it?”
Shit. Cass was grateful his back was to her, because he couldn’t stop himself from cringing. “Tenacity, if someone had bet against me finding a hole in the ramshackle security around the Citadel, they would have lost, not me.” Cass entered his office and sat down in his desk chair.
Tenacity leaned against the corner of his desk. “That’s not a no, Cass.”
Cass sighed and looked her in the eye. “No, the bet did not have anything to do with breaking into the motor shed in the middle of the night.” Strictly speaking, true. Though I’m not nearly as bad a liar as Clarity claims to be.
Tenacity didn’t seem mollified. “Because it’s the damnedest thing. I got called in before my alarm this morning to give my technical expertise at a break in down there. The warriors didn’t seem too concerned about it because nothing was missing, but they still wanted to know who could pull off such a thing. I told them I had a short list of names, but I could only think of one. And the only potential witness to the crime? The woman that person managed to lose a bet to last night. Those meathead warriors may not be able to put two and two together, but I can.”
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