Facing Fortune (Guardians of Terath Book 2)

by Zen DiPietro

  “Get what you need?” Élan asked as they rejoined Sim. The experiment wouldn’t have been as interesting for him, since he had no mana sense and saw nothing but some tiny beetles flitting about. Kassimeigh supposed that to him, it had looked like the sparks had performed some novelty trick, forming a dome around Élan and then flying away.

  “I think so.” Kassimeigh thought ahead to her next steps. “I need to talk to Dr. Sparks at the lab and see what he thinks.”

  “I see. Does that mean my gig here will be up soon?”

  “Maybe. Would that be a disappointment or a relief?”

  Élan shrugged. “I’ve enjoyed the time out here, and being useful is great. I do like collecting a regular paycheck, which is a rarity in the bard world. So I’m glad to be here as long as I’m needed. On the other hand, I’m used to coming and going as I please, and won’t mind going back to my regular life.”

  “Fair enough.”

  “Would you like to stay and have some lunch before you go? I think that’s become our ritual, hasn’t it? Besides, Sim and I sometimes get so caught up in our music that we forget to eat at timely intervals.”

  Kassimeigh did need to eat, and sharing lunch wouldn’t delay her much. She could talk to Dr. Sparks afterward.

  “Sure, that would be great. Thanks.”

  The three enjoyed a nice lunch and pleasant conversation. Kassimeigh admired the bards’ naturally outgoing personalities and getting to know them both a bit better. She felt warm with conviviality by the time she took her leave. Kassimeigh wondered if that was how Arc felt by default. She suspected it was.

  After she said her goodbyes, she flew a few miles away, then set the kite down and called up Dr. Sparks. For all of his oddity, Sparks was a brilliant man and quickly caught on to what she was saying. He’d been thinking along similar lines. Her experiment with Élan and the bugs proved extremely useful in furthering the research and experiments he was engineering at the lab.

  With the matter of the sparks left to the scientists, Kassimeigh headed back to the fortress. She’d had time to think about her new place in the world, and she had some business to attend to.

  As soon as she set her kite down at the fortress she went in search of Will. She found him among a large group of men, practicing sword skills. The men formed a circle around him and a young man she didn’t know. They shifted to open up the circle to her, but she didn’t want to interrupt. Instead, she kept her distance and checked her hand comm while she waited.

  A few minutes later, Will approached her, sweaty and smiling.

  “Glad you’re back.”

  She squared off and fixed her eyes on him. “I’m in.”

  “You’re in what?” Will froze with sudden understanding, and a slow grin spread over his face. “You mean you’re in? You’re my first officer, for good, no takebacks?”

  She laughed. “I am.”

  Will let out a whoop and lunged forward, wrapping his arms around her and picking her up to spin her in a circle. “Yes!”

  Kassimeigh laughed, putting her arms around his neck and enjoying the moment. Will suddenly seemed like the young man he’d been when she first met him. It was worth joining the Guard just to see him carefree again. She patted him on the back and he set her on her feet. She didn’t think she’d ever been picked up and swung, and, secretly, she’d found it pretty fun.

  “Kassimeigh Cabalumi reporting for duty, sir.” She grinned.

  “It’s about damn time.” He shifted his attention to the eager troops around them. Though they knew what it all meant, they waited impatiently for their general to announce it officially. “Troops,” he barked authoritatively. “Today marks the day your second in command accepted her position on a permanent basis. From now on, she will be addressed as Commander Kassimeigh Cabalumi, first officer of the Terath Guard.”

  A roaring cheer went up and Kassimeigh began shaking all the hands offered to her. She was surprised by the number of light back slaps she got, as well. She was not accustomed to people feeling free to touch her. She found she liked the fact that the troops felt comfortable enough with her to do so.

  “That’s a pretty long title you gave me,” she remarked to Will as she shook another hand.

  “Just ‘Commander’ will do most of the time,” he agreed.

  “I like it. Actually, I like it a lot.” She couldn’t help responding to his gigantic smile with a grin of her own.

  “Did Arc know about this?”

  “He didn’t tell me when he’d decided to sign on, so apparently we don’t need to do that. Besides, I thought you should be the first to know. Being the boss and all.”

  Will shook his head. “Being your boss? Good luck to me with that. Let’s go tell Arc. Actually, let’s go tell everyone.”

  He tapped a message into his hand comm, and in a few moments a cacophony of notification sounds rang out all around them. Kassimeigh checked her hand comm along with everyone else.

  All members to the primary training ground immediately.

  “We should go,” she announced to Will and the troops. “This sounds serious.”

  Their laughter and high spirits contrasted with the concerned expressions of the troops that joined them at the main training field.

  Will moved behind a small podium, which had been installed for public addresses such as these. Located next to the fortress wall, it served well to bring all their people together in one space.

  When it seemed like everyone had arrived, Will addressed the Guard. “I’m proud of what this outfit has developed into, and is still developing into. We’ve accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. We’re still pioneering our role on Terath, but we’ve already done some good, which is a great way to show that the Guard was a necessary protection.” He surveyed the troops, making eye contact with as many people as he could. “Today, we have become complete. Our acting first lieutenant has accepted a commission to be our permanent first officer. I’ve decided to institute a new title to note her position as the second in command of the Guard. Let’s hear it for Commander Kassimeigh!”

  A roar went up that echoed in her head and resonated through her body, leaving her bones vibrating like tuning forks. Kassimeigh felt wonderfully appreciated and contentedly at home. Feeling this was more Will’s moment than hers, she simply raised her fist and held it there, prompting another roaring cheer, then pointed at Will and let her hand drop.

  A light hum in her chest made her gaze shift leftward to find Arc. He grinned at her so broadly that she had to laugh. She’d had no doubt about his reaction to her decision.

  “To celebrate, the rest of today’s training is cancelled. We’ll pick it up tomorrow. Instead, let’s build up a bonfire, cook some food, and enjoy the day. We work so hard that we don’t do it often enough, but today we’re going to.” Will started to step down from the raised podium, then reconsidered. “Enjoy the fun extra hard, because tomorrow the commander will be kicking your asses to make up for the downtime.”

  There were some groans and some laughs but the overall racket remained celebratory. Kassimeigh gave out many more handshakes and received more slaps on the back than she could count.

  Arc finally crossed the sea of people and pulled her in for a tight hug. “I was hoping you’d make this decision, but I didn’t want to pressure you.”

  “Thank you for remaining impartial.”

  “Oh, I totally wasn’t.”

  “I know. But thank you for trying to give the illusion of remaining impartial.”

  “Least I can do for you, babe.” He made little pointy gestures with his fingers and gave her a sleazy wink that made her roll her eyes and fight a smile. Smiling would only encourage him.

  She lost the battle with her lips, and a rogue smirk prompted him to progress into a mildly disturbing, swaggering walk while wielding the weird, pointy fingers. If anyone could make her laugh, it was this man, but she fought hard to contain it. As if he knew she was on the verge of breaking, he added a sidewa
ys hip-thrusting action that looked utterly ridiculous. She couldn’t help it. She snorted and began to snicker.

  “Ah hah!” Pleased with himself, he ramped up the gyrating and topped it off with some head tossing. He snapped his fingers rhythmically as if making his own music.

  “Oh, gross, stop that! People are looking!” Her legs had begun to weaken under the strength of her laughter.

  “My amazing moves are not gross. Admit it, you’re mesmerized.” He segued into a dance where he punched the air with one fist and then the other.

  “More like horrified! Stop that!” She wrapped her arms around herself as she laughed so hard her belly hurt.

  He laughed with her, then ran his fingers through his hair and stopped in front of her. At least, she hoped he’d stopped. She eyed him warily, still chuckling.

  He held his arms out at his sides in an appeasing pose. “I’ll gladly make myself look like an absolute fool to make you laugh. You don’t do it nearly often enough, and you have the most beautiful laugh.”

  Kassimeigh glanced around. His antics and her reaction had attracted some laughing attention, but since he appeared to be done, people were returning to their own conversations and antics.

  “What made up your mind about joining? It was me, right?” He pretended to preen with self-importance.

  She ignored his posturing and waved a hand at the crowd of Guard members. “I decided that I like being in a place where people miss me when I’m gone, and are willing to campaign for my presence. I like being here. It feels like family. And yes, you’re an important part of that.”

  “What about not committing to something new so quickly?”

  “Well, I figured . . . screw that. I’m home.”

  He laughed. “Luc is going to be sorely disappointed.”

  “Probably. But he can always come visit us here if he wants to. He could even bring some junk for me to work on, if he wanted. And I still have to help figure out the issue with the spark bugs. We have the situation controlled for the moment, but we haven’t found answers or a long-term fix yet.”

  “No doubt Luc would be thrilled with your characterization of his work as ‘junk.’ But you’re right that the hinterlands issue remains a problem. Hopefully all of that gets sorted out soon. Then we’ll have your full attention up here. No more flying around all the time.”

  “Hmm. That would be nice. We just need to find a way to keep Izzy here permanently. It would be great to have all of us together again.”

  “We’ll have to work on that. Have you seen her?” He craned his neck, looking around.

  “Not yet, but I’m sure she’s here somewhere and will find us at some point.”

  “Let’s go inside. I happen to know Justin has some marshmallows stashed away for baking. Let’s go steal them.”

  “Marshmallows? I don’t eat a lot of sweets.”

  “I know, but a bonfire is a complete waste without marshmallow toasting. The sugar caramelizes and gets all crackly on the outside, while the inside gets all warm and gooey. It’s the best. Messy. Melty. Delicious.” Her unimpressed look prompted him to add, “Mmm,” as further proof of his plan’s benefits.

  “All right, I’ll have one. But just one. Apparently, I have some hardcore training to lead tomorrow.”

  The Guard turned out a pretty good party, in spite of its impromptu beginning. Arc appreciated the bonfires crackling in the main training area. The scene struck him as an interesting variation on the bards’ song circle. The bardic gathering had been eclectic, peaceful, and artistic. In contrast, the Guard enjoyed friendly bouts of sparring, off-key songs that shouldn’t be heard by children, tales of daring, and large amounts of food. Instead of music, they created roars of laughter and celebratory shouts.

  He and Kassimeigh entertained a group of several people, which rotated out with new faces at regular intervals. Although he knew she didn’t care for large-scale gatherings in general, she did seem to enjoy herself. His presence was a help, because she could rely on him to keep conversation running smoothly. She held her own, though, laughing and chatting, and listening to suggestions from lower-ranking members of the Guard. She seemed genuinely interested in the opinions of those under her command. Arc could see that Kassimeigh was endearing herself even further with the troops, and he was glad for it.

  Realizing they still hadn’t visited with Izzy, he searched the crowd for her. She stood chatting with Mila, an archer under his command. Mila was a smart young woman with good aim, but she needed to work on her strength to improve her distance. Arc insisted that all of his archers be able to work with heavy longbows, which did not have pulleys to reduce the force needed to draw them back. Of course they also used compound bows, crossbows, and every other sort of bow, as he wanted his archers to be well-rounded in the art. He straightened and pulled himself back to the present, realizing he’d fallen into the trap of getting distracted by archery. A common occurrence. He shifted his attention back to Izzy.

  As if aware of his attention, which she probably was, Izzy shifted slightly and caught his eye. She finished her conversation with Mila, then started moving in his direction. Arc noticed Justin within one group of men she passed. In another, he saw his childhood friends Bran Oswell and Abrom Jacobs. They’d joined the archery squad when the Guard first officially formed, and were thrilled to have Arc with them full-time now. Having old friends interspersed with new ones made the squad and life at the fortress all the more enjoyable for him.

  Finally making her way around the groups of people that separated them, Izzy approached with a smile.

  “Izzy.” Kassimeigh welcomed her friend’s arrival. “There you are. Have you enjoyed the party?”

  “Who likes a fun time more than I do? We should talk to Will about arranging regular events like this.”

  “Where’s Carston?” Arc asked. “I thought you’d be with him.”

  Izzy’s eyes didn’t search the crowd. They became unfocused and thoughtful, then she smiled and tilted her head to the right, without looking. “He’s over there, with Azure.”

  Arc looked, seeing Carston and Azure engaged in what looked like a fun conversation. Something about Carston’s body language caught his attention. “Huh. It kind of looks like he’s . . .” he let the words trail off, not wanting to voice what seemed apparent.

  Izzy shrugged. “He’s hoping.” She smiled.

  “Wait, did you two break up? I’m hoping that’s the case because I really don’t want to have to fight that guy. I’m pretty sure he’d pulp me.” Arc glanced at Kassimeigh, who studied Carston with a calculating look that was far more threatening than his own teasing suggestion.

  Izzy laughed. “Don’t worry, it’s all aboveboard. Completely honorable. We decided we’re better off as friends.”

  “Are you okay with that?” Kassimeigh’s eyes were full of concern. She clearly held back some things she wanted to say, hampered as she was by the public nature of their conversation.

  “Of course. I knew we were done, though I did make him sweat the big breakup scene. That was really fun.”

  “You’ll have to tell us about it later.” Arc knew Izzy’s sense of humor, and was sure it would be a good story.

  “Sure. Meanwhile, congratulations to you both. I’m happy for you, finding a home and a purpose here.”

  “Thank you.” Kassimeigh smiled at her friend. “We’ve been discussing that we need to convince you to accept a permanent position here too. There’s so much you could do for the Guard.”

  To Arc’s surprise, Izzy’s mouth pursed in contemplation. “I’m waiting to hear the proposal. So far you all haven’t offered me a thing.”

  “Really?” Kassimeigh’s voice rose high with delight. “You’d consider it?”

  Izzy shrugged. “I already told Will I would. He threatened to campaign me hard-core, but so far, nothing.” She sniffed theatrically, as though terribly put out.

  “Well paint me yellow and call me Daisy.” Kassimeigh laughed at Arc and Izzy’s
surprised and slightly bemused expressions. “Something my mom used to say. But I’ll give Will a big nudge and make sure he gets to the flattery, bribery, or whatever else it will take. You’d be invaluable as a counselor to the troops, and could administer the psychological tests you’ve been developing with Azure.”

  Izzy tilted her head to the side. “If you’re going to be pulling out colorful expressions, I definitely want to be around to hear that. It doesn’t hurt that the work really interests me, either.”

  “If it’ll tip the scales in our favor, I’ll do my best to say strange things at regular intervals.”

  Izzy grinned wickedly. “Actually, the bigger draw for me is having Will jump through those hoops you suggested. I miss having fun with him.”

  Arc chuckled. “If it would get you on staff, I’m sure he’d all but do acrobatics.”

  Izzy’s eyes sparkled with uncurbed mischief. Arc really, really hoped she signed on with the Guard. She’d definitely keep things interesting.

  The next morning, sunrise came far too early for most troops. A night of high spirits and revelry so often translated to a morning after of pain and misery. Kassimeigh gave the troops a little slack, but not a lot. Better for them to learn that life in the Guard would not flex with their whims. Discipline would be the order of every day.

  Kassimeigh met with Will to discuss her daily duties as commander. They agreed that she’d take over edged-weapon training. She’d also prepare the training schedules and breakout rosters. She needed to become more familiar with their strongest edged-weapons practitioners. She’d instruct them on how to train others, and assign small-group training. She intended to administer a rotating schedule of general conditioning sessions, which particularly pleased her. She was fond of a good, hard run, as well as weightlifting and agility drills. She looked forward to training the troops at the same time she honed her own fitness.

  Additionally, Kassimeigh would assume responsibility for disciplinary action. There hadn’t been many incidents thus far, only a few skirmishes caused by differing opinions and poor decision-making. For his part, Will would handle tactical plans and trainings, such as evacuation drills and emergency preparedness. He would also handle most of the administrative issues, though soon the administrative support staff would carry much of that burden. Of course, he’d lead his share of training classes as well. Overall, this division of labor between them worked well to utilize the best strengths of the two top officers in the Guard. Carston, as the third in command, would handle daily training rosters. Though Arc’s place in the hierarchy was fourth, his specialty in archery would keep him working mainly in that area.