Soldier at the Door (Book 2 Forest at the Edge series)

by Trish Mercer

  Chapter 4 ~ “Send in our man. Officially.”

  That Weeding Season flew by as fast as bees. But oddly, the days crawled as slowly as slugs.

  “That’s the definition of parenthood,” an old man called to them as he watched, amused, near the pond at the village green one evening. “Everything seems opposite of what it should be.”

  Perrin was chasing yet again after his exploring little girl while Mahrree tried to calm down their fussy two-and-a-half-moons-old son. It seemed the only time they ever saw anyone was in brief encounters like these. Hycymum dropped by frequently, but the volume of her two grandchildren usually sent her home within fifteen minutes, and on Holy Days they visited the Densals in the evening to find out what they missed as they stood outside the congregational meetings bouncing their noisy children.

  That was the extent of their social world.

  Excursions to the large green near the amphitheater were the most entertainment they could handle right now, but getting out as a family a few times a week felt important. The Shins simply didn’t have time to care about politics or the latest debates that went on without them. Someday they would have time again, but for now their goal was to make sure their babies made it to bedtime with fewer bumps than the day before. They had yet to reach it.

  The old man shuffled toward them, but stooped down and caught Jaytsy with unexpected agility as she tried to charge past him. He held her tenderly and continued his slow walk to Perrin who jogged over to retrieve his daughter. The stooped gray man, whose face and hair were probably as dark as the richest soils when he was younger, chuckled as he sat down on the bench next to Mahrree. He wasn’t disturbed at all by Peto’s whining.

  “They amuse you and aggravate you and amaze you,” he said as he stroked Peto’s soft hair. “They grow too fast, then not fast enough, then far away. They won’t talk, then they won’t stop talking, then they won’t talk to you at all. You want them to walk, then you want them to sit down, then they walk away.”

  Perrin sat down next the man, but before he could comment he made the mistake of putting Jaytsy down again. She took off like a bolt of lightning, excitedly yelling “Dog!”—her label for anything that moved.

  With a groan Perrin leaped to his feet to prevent her from grabbing an unsuspecting goose.

  The old man chuckled again and patted Mahrree on the shoulder. “May I try?” He held out his hands for Peto.

  Over her son’s arched and writhing body, Mahrree looked at the sweet expression on the elderly man’s face. “Are you sure?” He seemed sincere, but Peto was far too much to inflict on anyone, especially that old.

  The man didn’t answer but carefully lifted wailing Peto, put him over his shoulder, and patted him rhythmically and more firmly than Mahrree would have dared. By the time Perrin returned with Jaytsy, who had narrowly escaped a pecking death by goslings, Peto was asleep.

  “It takes a grandfather’s touch sometimes,” he explained to the astonished parents.

  Perrin shook his head in admiration. “But unfortunately our children don’t have grandfathers in Edge.”

  The old man’s eyes glistened as he held Perrin’s gaze. “I’m sorry about that. I believe grandfathers can be the most important influence in a child’s life, after mothers and fathers, of course. Sometimes a grandfather can do and say things to a child no one else can. At times a grandfather’s voice will be the only one he ever listens to. But what would I know,” he sighed. “I have no grandchildren in Edge. So I steal others’ grandchildren.” He closed his eyes in contentment as Peto snuggled into his wrinkled neck.

  Mahrree smiled at the lonely grandfather. “Well, you’re welcome to ours any time, especially when they’re crying!”

  Perrin nodded in agreement. “Quite a touch you have there. What’s the secret?”

  The old man opened his eyes and shrugged. “No secret. Simply experience.” He reluctantly handed Peto back to his grateful mother, but not before sniffing in his baby scent. “Beautiful family,” he declared as he stood up.

  He turned and put his hands on Perrin’s and Mahrree’s shoulders. “May the Creator always bless and preserve this family.”

  He smiled at them and slowly shuffled away, missing the perplexed expressions of the parents he just left.

  ---

  Hew Gleace watched the window anxiously from his position behind the desk. He didn’t like sitting there. It wasn’t his desk to claim, but it was his to watch over while its true owner was away. He tried to read the papers resting on it, but couldn’t concentrate.

  He gazed out the window again. Eventually he saw a cloud of dust and the appearance of eight horses and riders.

  Gleace exhaled and got up from his seat. He darted outside just in time to see some of the younger men helping an old man off his horse.

  “Tuma!” Gleace exclaimed when he saw how weary he was. “Are you all right?”

  Tuma Hifadhi smiled. “Of course! Of course. Wonderful excursion. Now, if you could help me sit down on something that’s not moving . . .”

  “Yes, yes,” Gleace said as he led the old man back into the small building. Two younger men guided him to sit down on a cushioned bench.

  Tuma sighed as he put up his feet on the bench. “Much better.”

  To the younger men he said, “Please tell my daughter I’ve returned, so she’ll stop fretting. She’ll inform everyone else.”

  The men nodded and headed out the door.

  Gleace pulled a chair over to sit across from Tuma. “If your wife were still alive—”

  “She’d be as overly worried as my daughter, I know.”

  Gleace shook his head. “So? Did you succeed in your little adventure?”

  “I’m not a rebellious seventeen-year-old, you know,” Hifadhi chuckled.

  “You acted like one, you know. Taking such a risk—”

  “Now you sound like my father!”

  “Well, maybe an eighty-seven-year-old needs to listen to a father!”

  Tuma wiped a tear of laughter from his eyes.

  Gleace smirked. He couldn’t keep up his angry pretense. “So?” he asked again.

  Tuma beamed at him. “I saw him. And her. And their children! I even held both of them.”

  Gleace’s mouth fell open. “Really? But you were there for such a short time—”

  “I knew exactly where to be and what to do.”

  “And you said whatever it was you wanted to say?”

  Tuma smiled and nodded.

  “There were easier ways, you know,” Gleace chided him.

  “But easier is rarely better.”

  Gleace sighed. “I hope you’ve satisfied your curiosity now. And Tuma, I hope you were careful.”

  Hifadhi waved that off. “Of course I was careful. It’s been a few years, but I still know how to cover my tracks. They’ll remember me only as a lonely old man, if they remember me at all. And yes, Hew—I’ve satisfied my curiosity. It’s your curiosity I worry about now.”

  Gleace chuckled and shook his head. “I’m not curious in the least bit. I’m just glad you’re back safely.”

  “So am I,” Tuma admitted and closed his eyes. “And now I have no doubt. I looked into his eyes—it is him. The one we’ve been watching for.”

  Gleace closed his eyes too, absorbing Tuma’s words.

  After a restful moment Tuma Hifadhi whispered, “Hew, send in our man. Officially.”

  ---

  It was almost the end of Weeding Season, Captain Shin noticed as he wrote the date on the document that sat in front of him on his desk. The 90th Day. He had been a father to two small children for three full moons now, and so far they were both still alive. He and Mahrree must be doing something right, he thought proudly to himself.

  He smiled at the anxious young man seated across from him as he put the document into a file. “And now all that’s left to say is, Welcome to Fort Edge,” he said to his newest recruit.

  The thin, sickly pale young ma
n with stringy dirt-colored hair nodded to the captain as he rose from his chair. “I hope I won’t disappoint you, sir,” he said in a shaky voice as he shook the captain’s offered hand.

  “Oh, I’m sure you won’t,” Shin lied genially as he came around the desk and opened the door to his office.

  But he was sure he would. The boy was barely heavy enough to meet the weight requirement, and Perrin could have snapped his spindly arms like kindling with only one hand.

  Then again, if the recruit didn’t pass the next two weeks’ of training, Perrin wouldn’t have to worry about any of that.

  “I understand you’re nervous, but that’s why we prepare you,” he said brightly. “We’ll teach you to not be afraid of your fears.”

  It was always good to practice the words, even if he didn’t think they would apply. He put a comforting hand on the young man’s shoulder and gently directed him out to the large forward office.

  Perrin stopped and looked around the empty tower. “Hmm,” he said. “Neeks was supposed to be here.” He turned to the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. “Ah, Private Zenos. Have you seen Master Sergeant Neeks? I have a new recruit here that needs to be outfitted and given a tour.”

  The next-to-last official recruit—convinced after only three moons of volunteering that soldiering was the life for him for the next two years—nodded as he came to the top of the tower stairs.

  Everything had checked out on Shem Zenos, to Perrin’s surprise. He had no criminal record and he really was twenty years old, according to the piece of parchment Zenos produced last week that was signed by someone named Boskos Zenos. Perrin chose to believe the signature was authentic. Over the last few weeks he’d found himself quite taken with the perennially pleasant young soldier.

  Private Zenos smiled cheerily at his commander. The boy was always beaming, as if he simply couldn’t help himself. “Yes, Captain. The master sergeant was called away unexpectedly. He asked if I’d come up here to make his apologies. He hopes he won’t be too long.”

  Captain Shin sighed at the new recruit. “I don’t want you to sit around wasting time, Private. I could give you the tour, I suppose—”

  “Sir?” interrupted Private Zenos. “If I may, I can give him the tour. I just came off of duty, and I’m sure you have far more pressing matters.”

  The new recruit gave Zenos a scowl that the private ignored.

  Shin smiled. “You haven’t been here that long yourself, Zenos, to know everything about the fort.”

  The young man grinned. “Not officially, sir, but as a volunteer I learned more about this fort than I think you’d want to know!”

  Shin folded his arms. “I have to admit, Zenos, you do have a way of getting around. Private,” he said to the new recruit who glared at Zenos, “don’t trust this man’s innocent face and boyish ways. Private Zenos is the best scout I’ve ever met. He sees things no one else sees, and I swear the forest talks to him.”

  Zenos nodded soberly, but his eyes were twinkling. “Oh, it does sir, it does.”

  Shin shook his head. “Don’t make me regret getting you to sign up officially, Private. It’s talk like that that gets you regular visits with the surgeon.” He tapped his head.

  Zenos chuckled. “Don’t worry—I can’t understand the trees’ language yet. But when I do, then I’ll be sure to schedule an appointment with the surgeon. The tour, sir?”

  The new recruit’s glare hardened to granite.

  Shin didn’t notice. He shrugged and said, “Zenos, our newest private is all yours. Just get him back here so Grandpy can get him outfitted.”

  The new recruit slowly turned to Zenos, his brown eyes boring holes through him.

  Zenos just smiled broader. “Let’s start with the outer perimeter, then work our way in back to the office. I promise, Private, you won’t be disappointed.”

  “Already am,” the new recruit mumbled under his breath as he followed Zenos down the long stairwell to the main receiving area.

  “So,” Zenos said as they exited into the compound of the fort, “this is the fort.”

  “Really?” the recruit said, unimpressed. He also no longer seemed nervous. “I couldn’t have figured that out by myself.”

  Zenos grinned, ignoring the sarcasm. They walked toward the northeast entrance that faced the large fields before the forest. “Over there, where the horses are, are the stables. The smith is right next to it.”

  The recruit merely rolled his eyes at the obvious.

  “Out here, beyond the gates, we have the feed barns to the east.” They marched out of the northeastern gates as Zenos gestured. “Beyond that is the beginning of the canal system that connects to the Edge River. It waters the farms here and extends all the way to the southern reaches of the world.”

  The recruit groaned with annoyance as Zenos blathered on about grasses and trees, and then became irrationally excited when he saw a gopher watching them from the cover of a bush.

  The recruit’s gait slowed slightly, however, as he realized Zenos was heading straight for the forest.

  “And in front of us is the most feared enemy of the Army of Idumea.” Zenos held out his arms wide as he marched straight to the trees.

  “Hey, hey!” called the recruit who stopped suddenly in his tracks.

  Zenos stopped as well, several paces ahead of him and right before the tree line.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  Zenos looked at him innocently. “Why, to show you the fort. In a way, the fort grounds extend all the way to the tree line. You should know it better than anything else here. Why? Are you scared?”

  The recruit folded his twig-like arms. “Of course not! It’s just that I thought the rules were that no soldiers were allowed in the forest.”

  Zenos smiled. “I didn’t say I was giving you a tour of the forest, now did I? I only want to show you some features along the edge of it. Plenty to see. Quite fascinating, really. There’s even a fresh spring where the captain has us water the horses when we’re on patrols. Look down the line and you’ll see three groups of soldiers patrolling along the edge. But if you’re scared, well then—”

  “I’m not scared! How ridiculous.” The recruit walked briskly up to Zenos. “Show me.”

  Zenos grinned and slapped him on the back. “Follow me and I’ll show you what’s called a mud volcano. Right over here. Not too impressive, is it? Just a pile of mud that bubbles every few seconds. Blub, blub, blub, blub. I swear you could keep time by it. Now, follow me down here. About thirty paces away is the fresh spring I was telling you about.”

  Zenos led him down a gentle slope toward a marshy area. “The water is really quite good.” He took a few deliberate steps into the forest by the trickling stream.

  The recruit paused at the edge of the trees, watching.

  The private squatted near the head of the spring, cupped his hand, dipped it in, and took a drink. “I promise, best tasting water you’ll ever drink. Just come try it. This really isn’t off limits. It’s the only part of the forest that isn’t.”

  The recruit sighed and walked easily into the trees and over to Zenos. He squatted by the spring and—

  Several of the trees moved.

  Before he could gasp, a cloth was shoved into his mouth and quickly secured by a cord tied around his head, while his hands were bound behind his back.

  Zenos stood calmly by, watching the forest incapacitate the new soldier.

  The recruit flailed against his attackers as they tied his feet together, but it was useless. His captors, four of them, were far larger and stronger. The young man’s eyes darted around him in a panic and he saw several more hidden men, some even covered in leaves and sticks, surrounding the area.

  Zenos shook his head slowly. “For someone trained to know the forest, I’m a little surprised you were so hesitant to walk in. The captain’s right. The trees do talk to me, and they’ve told me your intentions. I’m sorry about this, really. Understa
nd—I don’t exactly have an aggressive nature. But it seems there’s been a slight communication problem. You see, Shin is mine.” Zenos stepped closer to the shocked young man.

  His reluctance and fear had returned, this time genuinely.

  “And Shin will be mine for quite some time. Your presence is no longer required. I’ll make your apologies to the captain. You were spooked by the noises from the woods and decided to go to someplace like Vines where there are no trees. Don’t worry, soldier, I have things well in control here. I’ll take care of everything, especially Shin. I wish you a good journey.”

  Zenos nodded to the men who picked up the recruit and jogged him deeper into the woods and out of sight. He saluted sloppily to those who remained as they stepped quietly back into the trees and dissolved into them.

  The private took another drink from the spring, wiped his hands on his trousers, and walked back to the fort.

  ---

  “I should be able to figure this out!” Mahrree groaned, but no one would’ve heard her over the wails of her son in the baby sling strapped to her front. She bent over carefully so as to not disturb him further—as if the infant could have been more irritable—and grumbled as she picked up the small new potatoes that rolled on the ground.

  Jaytsy had just thrown them, again, from the miniature wagon she was riding in.

  “I’ve been a mother to two small children for three moons. You think I should know what I’m doing by now!”

  By the glares she was receiving in the market, others were thinking the same thing.

  But she couldn’t figure it out. When was the right time to go to the market when both children were never content at the same time? When Peto was happy with a full belly, Jaytsy was fussy and wanted a nap. When Peto was ready for a nap, Jaytsy was waking up and ready to go for a walk or a ride in the wagon her father made.

  Mahrree could never get the timing right, and she tried a different time every week. Once both children were happy at the same time, but then two days later at the same time of day they were both wailing at the top of their lungs while she tried to haggle over the price of carrots. She was ready to shove one into each crying mouth to see if that would quiet them until she finished at the butcher’s.

  Today she tried going to the market right before Peto’s nap time, hoping he’d be lulled to sleep as Mahrree walked, but once again her plan failed. He was grumpier than ever, and now, moments ago, Jaytsy learned to throw.

  Mahrree was gathering the last of the rolling potatoes when she looked up to see Jaytsy holding a small red projectile in each chubby fist. She cocked her right arm and let fly another potato.

  “No!” Mahrree moaned, but Jaytsy beamed proudly. Mahrree watched as the little potato flew in the opposite direction and landed in the hand of someone wearing a blue uniform.

  “That’s a great arm!” the catcher said encouragingly. “Try the other one now.”

  Mahrree’s mouth dropped open as Jaytsy smiled at the stranger and threw her other potato. Its trajectory wasn’t as impressive, but the young soldier stepped up quickly and caught it before it hit the ground.

  “She must be right-armed,” he chuckled.

  Mahrree still didn’t know how to respond to this soldier encouraging her daughter to throw food.

  “Any more potatoes for me?” he grinned at Jaytsy. She began to look around the wagon, but Mahrree already had the rest in her cotton bag. “Then I’ll give these to your mother,” he said, walking over to Mahrree.

  “Uh, thank you,” she said, surprised as she opened the bag to let him drop in the potatoes. The soldier didn’t even seem to notice Peto’s wailing.

  “Anytime, ma’am,” he tipped his cap. “I’m rather an expert at cleaning up thrown food messes. Was a bit of a rambunctious child myself. You’re Mrs. Shin, aren’t you?”

  “Uh, yes—yes I am.” She evaluated the handsome face that smiled at her. His light brown hair was nearly the same color as hers, and he had big happy sky-blue eyes. Mahrree wondered how old he might be. His looks seemed too boyish to be a soldier, yet his build was surprisingly large and strong. Not as big as Perrin, but then again, no one was as big as Perrin.

  He tipped his cap again. “I’m Private Shem Zenos, ma’am. Just signed up officially with your husband earlier this week.”

  Mahrree smiled. “That’s right.” She lowered her voice, although it wasn’t necessary because no one in the market around them would have heard her over Peto’s continued crying. “You were volunteering for him before. You’re the one who’s spoken to the Guarder.”

  Zenos was surprised. “Uh, yes, ma’am.” He leaned in closer. “I didn’t realize you knew about that.”

  Mahrree shrugged. “I’m probably not like the typical officer’s wife, and I’m very intrigued about Guarders.”

  Zenos looked around quickly, clearly uncomfortable to be discussing Guarders in the market. “How about I help you get home, ma’am? I can pull your daughter in the wagon while you calm down your son.”

  Mahrree was tempted. As much as she wanted him to walk her home so she could ask him some questions, it was far beyond his responsibility as a soldier. “I appreciate that, but it’s not fair of me to ask that.”

  Zenos grinned, and it was almost dazzling. “You didn’t ask it—I offered it!” He bent down and picked up the tongue of the miniature wagon, then took the bag of potatoes out of her hand. Before Mahrree could protest he started pulling Jaytsy along.

  “But Private—”

  “But nothing!” he smiled back to her. “I insist on helping you home.”

  “But you’re doing a terrible job of it,” she told him. “I don’t live east, I live north.”

  The private stopped, blushed, and gestured for her to lead the way.

  Mahrree chuckled and pointed in the correct direction. She took Peto out of the sling and tried holding him in another position. He arched his back uncooperatively.

  The private winced in sympathy as he walked alongside, pulling the wagon. “He looks hungry.”

  Mahrree glanced at him. “And you know this because . . . ?”

  He shrugged. “Because he’s a boy, and boys are always hungry?”

  Mahrree nodded. “I’ll believe that.” She turned Peto so he faced away from her, and instantly he stopped wailing. “Or maybe he wanted to see where he’s going.”

  The soldier nodded back. “Not much fun never knowing where you’re going, is it?”

  Mahrree glanced around to make sure no one was near. They had left the market and were now heading north along the neighborhoods. “Now that he’s quiet, Private, can I ask you some questions?”

  “I suppose so, ma’am.”

  “I want someone else’s opinion. Tell me about Guarders,” she whispered the last word.

  Zenos pursed his lips. “Tell you about Guarders? What do you want to know?”

  “Do you think all the stories about them are true?”

  “Stories?”

  “Yes, stories. My husband’s reluctant to share much with me, probably because I tend to go off a bit at times,” she admitted. “But there are always stories. So are they true?”

  “Which stories?”

  Mahrree grumbled. “How long has my husband been training you?”

  “Ma’am?” he looked at her.

  “Training you to evade questioning by answering every question with another question!”

  Private Zenos smiled bashfully, likely understanding what Mahrree meant by “go off a bit.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t realize I was doing that. Try again. I’ll see if I can give you a better answer.”

  “All right then,” Mahrree said. “How fearsome are Guarders, Private?”

  Zenos thought for a moment. “I’ve only spoken with one, ma’am, and he’s not too fearsome. He’s a little strange, to tell you the truth.”

  Mahrree sighed. “I already know that. Captain Shin told me several weeks ago about some of the odd things
he told you.”

  Zenos nodded. “Although I think planting corn in small hills with a piece of fish, instead of in rows, is worth trying.”

  “Corn?” Mahrree asked. “I didn’t hear about corn. Or fish. I guess what I really want to know is,” she said in a low voice, “can they be negotiated with?”

  He gave her an odd look. “Negotiated with?”

  Mahrree glared at him for his inadequate answer again.

  “Sorry, ma’am.” He cleared his throat. “It’s been my experience you can negotiate with anyone, if you offer the right enticements.”

  “But that’s the key, isn’t it, Private?” she groused. “Knowing what to offer so your opponent capitulates to your will? But if you know nothing of your opponent, then what do you entice them with? Negotiations are useless, then!”

  Zenos smiled and looked at her askance. “Yes, you definitely know more than the average officer’s wife.”

  She didn’t notice him looking at her. “I’ve had to negotiate with my husband on numerous occasions,” she murmured. “So how do we find out what they want?” she wondered, forgetting to keep her voice low. “I mean, it’s too late for me, but not for others—”

  Zenos frowned, trying to understand what she meant by that.

  “—if we can only make it through their lands . . .” She paused, biting her lower lip in thought.

  Zenos glanced at her, waiting for the rest of the sentence so he could figure out what she might be talking about it. He was going to be disappointed.

  When she continued again she had already jumped ahead. “So how do we negotiate with Guarders?”

  Zenos shook his head and shrugged. “I suppose that’s what I’m for, ma’am. I’m trying to learn what I can. We have that one I’ve been feeding from time to time. It seems they usually work in pairs, but this one lost his companion and is pretty erratic. Sometimes he’s gone for weeks, but then he’s back again for several days.”

  “So what else has he told you?” Mahrree whispered earnestly.

  He cleared his throat again. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I don’t think I’m allowed to tell you. If your husband won’t tell you, then—”

  Mahrree kicked a stone in irritation. “So you have learned something interesting, haven’t you?”

  Zenos exhaled. “I don’t really know what would qualify as interesting—”

  “Come on,” she whispered. “Tell me why they’re here! What do they want from Edge? From the world? What would make them leave the forests?”

  Zenos looked over at her again, this time a little alarmed at her intensity. “Ma’am, um, I really don’t know . . . yet. But I’m working on it.”

  “Well, you better be,” she said firmly. She looked over at him and noticed he was grinning again. “What?”

  “You . . . you’re just not anything like I imagined. Ma’am,” he remembered to add.

  Mahrree furrowed her brows. “And what did you imagine me to be?”

  He blushed. “Uh, I guess like all the other women around here.”

  “Hmm.” Mahrree thought about his evaluation. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  He chuckled. “That’s what it was meant to be.”

  Mahrree gestured to turn at the next road. “My house is the second one on the left there. The one without a proper garden.”

  Zenos nodded. “Now who decides what’s a ‘proper’ garden?”

  “It’s about time you gave a good response, soldier—my thoughts exactly. I’ll forgive you that you phrased it as a question again, though. But you’re right—it’s proper to me. But it’s not proper to my mother,” she added.

  They walked across the road and Mahrree opened the low gate for the private.

  “I thank you for your help,” she smiled as he pulled the wagon into the front yard. “And I’m sure my neighbors and everyone else at the market who’ve heard enough of my wailing babies also thank you.”

  She expected him to tip his cap and leave her, but he didn’t. Instead he lifted Jaytsy carefully out of the wagon and set her down. “I can stay and watch your daughter while you feed your son, ma’am. I’m off duty right now, and you have enough rocks in your ‘proper’ garden that I can teach her how to ‘properly’ throw them,” he suggested.

  Mahrree bit her lip. Another tempting offer. Usually Jaytsy emptied the lower levels of the bookshelves while Mahrree put Peto to sleep.

  But she felt odd about letting a soldier watch her little girl.

  Then again, Perrin did say he was impressed with him. That’s why he was so pleased when Zenos signed a two-year commitment. Maybe she could trust this sweet-faced young man who was now watching her little girl pick up small stones.

  Jaytsy started to put one in her mouth, and the private quickly stopped her and showed her how to throw it instead. She giggled when it bounced on the ground.

  There had never been another soldier who had ever offered to help. In fact, every other soldier she’d encountered took one look at the children and sidled away. Even Yip, who ran the fastest and was appointed to be Perrin’s messenger to the family. The soldiers were probably worried someone small would drool on their uniforms.

  Private Zenos crouched and handed pebble after pebble to Jaytsy, grinning at her in genuine pleasure. Mahrree couldn’t remember the last time she had ever seen a young man enjoy a baby.

  She shrugged. “All right, Private Zenos. I think I’ll take you up on your offer. Her name’s Jaytsy, although she responds more frequently to ‘Puppy Dog.’ I should only be a few minutes—”

  “Take all the time you need,” Zenos said, not shifting his gaze from Jaytsy as she picked up another rock, considered if she should taste it or toss it, then gave it a worthy heave. “There’s plenty of rock to keep us occupied for hours.”

  Mahrree nodded and brought Peto into the house. In his bedroom she positioned the rocking chair so that she had a view out the window. She could see the image of the private through the thick wavy glass, and the smaller smudge that was her daughter. She never took her eyes off the window while she fed Peto.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t trust the soldier, but . . . well, all right—she didn’t trust the soldier. Why was he so willing to be helpful?

  Mahrree pondered that while she nursed Peto who, within ten minutes, was sound asleep. She laid him in his cradle and went back outside.

  From the front porch she watched as the private tried to show Jaytsy how to throw the rocks into a ring he drew in the dirt. But apparently she saw rings everywhere and was redistributing rocks throughout the garden.

  The private looked up at Mahrree. “Ma’am! You’re finished sooner than I expected.”

  As she walked down the stairs Mahrree wondered what he expected. “Peto was exhausted.”

  “That’s his name? Peto? Rather unusual.”

  Mahrree cringed inside, wondering if she should have revealed her son’s name. She already told him her daughter’s. “Yes. Peto’s my maiden name. My father never had a son to carry on his legacy, but we thought this could be a way to honor his name. It was actually the captain’s idea.”

  Zenos nodded. “I’m sure your father’s very proud that you gave your son your family name.”

  “I don’t know,” she admitted. “He passed away when I was a teenager.” She flinched inside again. Why was she saying so much to this boy?

  Zenos looked down at Jaytsy. “I’m sorry about your father, ma’am. I lost my mother when I was very young. If ever I have a daughter I’ll name her Meiki, in remembrance.”

  Mahrree was surprised at how much sympathy she suddenly felt for him, but she did nothing more than smile slightly. “That’s a nice idea, Private.”

  “Well,” he said and looked up at her. His blue eyes were a little damp, but his engaging grin was back. “I suppose I’ll be on my way then, ma’am. It was good to meet you and your children. They’re adorable.”

  Mahrree laughed. “Really? If you think that flattering me will get you pr
omoted more quickly—”

  Zenos turned red. “Oh no, ma’am! That’s not my intention—”

  “I know, I know,” she chuckled. “I was only teasing you.”

  “Understood, ma’am.” He grinned again in such a manner that any woman under twenty-five would have swooned. Probably many over twenty-five as well.

  Mahrree thought of all the girls she knew, wondering which one might be a potential match for him.

  “I hope you have a good evening,” he said as he let himself out of the gate. “And a good evening is when both babies are asleep for an hour at the same time.”

  Mahrree pointed at him. “Now, how would you know that?” She raised her eyebrows. “Are you a father?” Maybe it was already too late for her former students . . .

  He shook his head quickly. “No—not at all. Maybe someday, but . . .” He looked flustered. “It’s just, it’s just what an older woman in my congregation back home used to say. I remembered it because it sounded funny.”

  Mahrree nodded. “Well, she’s right. And Private Zenos, thank you again.”

  ---

  That evening when Perrin came home, Mahrree told him she met his latest recruit.

  “Really? Because he deserted almost as soon as he signed up.”

  Mahrree’s mouth fell open. “Zenos deserted?”

  “No, not Zenos. A new boy I had come in today. Most skittish thing I’ve ever seen. I have to confess, I’m not disappointed he left. I had a feeling he’d be monopolizing my time. General Cush sent a message only last week detailing how commanders need to help along the reluctant soldiers, how we’re ‘each responsible for making the recruits feel needed.’” He rolled his eyes. “Bit of a relief that I won’t have to follow Cush’s advice and spend an hour each day turning that trembling thing into a hardened soldier. What are boys like that even thinking when they sign up?”

  “That you would take him under your wing like a mother hen, I guess. And spend an hour each day with him? That doesn’t sound like your father’s idea.”

  Perrin glowered. “It sounds like the Command Board’s idea, if you ask me. Three Administrators is three too many. My father sent a note suggesting I discourage, in a most careful way of course, those soldiers that take an inordinate amount of time to train. According to Zenos, the forest discouraged him all by itself.” His face brightened. “So, speaking of Zenos, what did you think of him?”

  “He actually walked me and the children home, and taught Jaytsy how to throw rocks. We better make sure she’s not aiming for the windows.”

  Perrin chuckled. “That sounds like Zenos.”

  “He seems to be a nice young man. Never had a soldier volunteer to walk me home before. Besides you,” she smiled.

  “He is unusual,” Perrin said thoughtfully. “I must admit, he’s fast becoming one of my favorites.”

  Mahrree’s earlier doubts about him fluttered away, since Zenos was one of Perrin’s favorites.

  “Mahrree, I just had a thought—what if I make him my messenger to you?”

  “He’d be better than Corporal Yip. The last time he came by Jaytsy was throwing a temper tantrum, and by the distressed look on Yip’s face you would have thought she was a Guarder committing suicide.”

  “All right, then,” Perrin decided. “Our children require someone with a sterner stomach than Corporal Yip. I guess Zenos is our man.”

  ---

  The patrols the next night went out in staggered, irregular formation as instructed by the captain. Along the forest’s edge the soldiers rode two, four, and three at a time.

  Past the fresh spring rode one group of three, allowing their horses to get a drink in the run-off that trickled down from the forest. After a moment the soldiers clucked their horses to continue.

  Unnoticed to anyone, a small rock slipped off the saddle of the last soldier, falling into the thick grasses.

  Two minutes later a figure dressed in green and brown mottled clothing dropped out of the trees. The man picked up the rock and slipped back into the forest.

  Through the trees he meandered, skirting a steam vent, taking a wide path around a gaping cavern, and creeping over a ridge that sounded hollow under his boots before he finally slid into a secluded ravine.

  There he nodded to several other men and one of them lit a candle. They unwrapped the paper tied around the rock and smoothed it.

  Been to house. Have met all. Know all names.

  Been made personal messenger to Shin family.

  The group of men smiled.

  “Excellent work, Private Zenos!” one of them whispered.

  ---

  Two men sat in a dark room of an unlit building.

  “I received the message today,” Dr. Brisack announced. “Our man is in position, officially.”

  Mal nodded. “Good, good. I hope the extensive training will be worth it. It’s a little later than I was expecting but I suppose it will have to suffice.”

  “There are others willing and ready to go to other forts,” Brisack suggested. “We could place them as well.”

  “Not really necessary yet,” Mal said easily. “Not until I see the kind of results we get out of Edge.”

  “And what kind of results are you hoping for?”

  “I’m not really sure.”

  Brisack was suspicious. “That’s rather unusual for you, to not have a well-thought out plan of action.”

  “Oh, maybe we’ll be surprised to see what happens with our captain and his new private,” Mal’s tone was thick with planning.

  Brisack stiffened with worry. “What have you done?”

  “What makes you think I’ve done anything?”

  “You’re not that good at concealing your intentions, Nicko! What have you done?”

  Mal chuckled. “Just gave our private permission to do whatever is necessary to get close to the family. Flatter Mrs. Shin. Pretend to like babies. Compliment the captain. Become their favorite soldier.”

  “And then?”

  “Well, then, we’ll have to see, won’t we?” Mal’s tone turned icy. “He’s there to gather information, find out about the captain, and discover what provokes and terrifies him. Until I know more about this horse, I won’t know how to break it.”

  “So,” Brisack began to breathe a little easier, “nothing for now. Just . . . information gathering?”

  “And then I’ll form my speculations in an unbiased, objective manner. Satisfied?”

  “Yes, actually I am,” said Brisack.