by Auryn Hadley
"Yeh," Razor said. "We can't back off, LT."
"Wait," Sal said. "You're all doing it again."
"Cyno?" Blaec asked. "You want to explain?"
He nodded. "Tensa is the closest thing to a Kaisae in Guttertown. She owns the diner and it's kinda the safe-house fer all iliri. Fer her ta gift anything causes problems, because others might expect the same. That is why we were adamant about paying fer it all, kitten."
Sal nodded, showing she was keeping up so far.
"Tensa, though. Ya know which one she was?"
"No," Sal admitted.
"Plump one," Zep said. "Amber eyes."
"Ah, yeah. Ok, I know who you mean."
"Well," Cyno said, "Her word is as close ta law as Guttertown has. When she said she'd convince everyone ta help, what she was sayin' was they will help, or the entire society will turn against them." He looked around the room. "Guys, they're with us. The kaisaes asked how ta help, and we gave them ideas. Our species will na be just a rumor soon."
"I won't be surprised to see it on the front page of the Prin Morning News," Zep said. "And they know the pins now. We made sure of that."
"Blaec," Sal said, looking up at him. "Tensa said something. I told her we wouldn't be able to do much, or do anything fast, and she said that something, no matter how small, matters."
The Black Blades all nodded, understanding those simple words. Hope, no matter how little of it there was, was better than none.
"I don't want to go rogue," Blaec told them. "We play in the rules. We're going to show them that we are better than them, but we'll do it within the rules, giving them no way to break us. Am I understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the Blades all said loudly, smiles spreading from one man to the next.
"And I expect everyone to watch Sal, Cyno, and Risk. They're the most obvious of us. It won't shock me for someone to try to put them in a bad situation. Keep a partner with you at all times, travel in packs. I don't want any of us alone if we can help it." He looked at the one man who'd stayed silent the entire time. "Tilso, that means you, too. I don't care if the only thing you do is scream. I need you to watch Risk's back for a bit."
"Yes, sir," Tilso said softly, his eyes wide. "And I'm neither iliri, nor a Blade. Can I use that if I need to?"
"If you have no other option," Blaec said. "I'd rather you didn't end up at the end of an elite's blade."
The young man glanced at Risk, smiled, then glanced down. "LT, sir? I may not be a Black Blade, but you're kinda like my family, too. I don't mean just for Risk. If it comes down to me taking a blade or one of you getting court-martialed, I know what I'll chose, sir."
Shift looked up, his eyes catching LT's. "I think it's time we let him in on the secret."
The Blades all nodded. Sal slipped her knife from her belt and offered it to Blaec.
"It'll only make sense if he sees it."
"This going to set you off?" Blaec asked her.
"Nah," Sal said. "I expect it, and I'm not cutting."
"Come here, Ahn." Blaec gestured for Shift as well. "I know you're well aware we've been hiding something, and you've never once asked. There's only one human that I know of who knows about this. Zep. You'll be the second."
Tilso nodded, well aware that his position with the Black Blades had just changed drastically.
"I can't make you a Blade officially, but what you said? That makes you one of us, and I'm trusting you to never breathe a word of this to anyone outside this unit."
"I swear," Tilso said.
Blaec patted the young man's shoulder. "Ok. Iliri have abilities. We can do things that seem impossible. You just offered to take a blade for us?"
He grabbed Sal's outstretched arm and pulled the knife across it, the pale ceramic cutting deep into her flesh. Sal closed her eyes and breathed in but she never flinched away like a human would have. The only outward sign she gave for the pain was the angle of her ears.
Shift took her arm from Blaec and smiled at the man, saying, "Watch. It's magic," with a chuckle.
He closed his eyes and concentrated. The blood stopped leaking from Sal's arm and, slowly, the flesh began to close. Within a few seconds, the only sign that she'd been injured was the red stain against her white skin.
"Shit," Tilso said softly.
"You take a blade for any of us," Shift told him, "and we'll put you back together. Just don't stop breathing."
"It sucks," Sal said, rubbing at her eyes. "Shift makes me feel like I'm falling, and Risk's healing hurts like hell."
"You heal too?" he asked his lover.
"Yeah," Risk said. "That's why they only have scars. If you're still breathing, I can always fix you. Just don't ever stop breathing, ok, love?"
"I promise," Tilso told him.
"We have a collection of skills," Blaec said. "Sal changes her features and color, Cyno reads memories through touch, Arctic lets us speak in our heads, Shift and Risk heal, Razor can track anything, and I get premonitions of the future."
"You and I?" Zep said, grinning at the young man, "We just look pretty."
Tilso glanced at Zep and blushed. "Yeah," he said. "Ya kinda do, but I'm taken."
They all laughed at that, and Zep laughed the hardest. "Ah, Risk," he said, wiping tears from his eyes. "You did good with him, man. Thanks, Tilso, I actually kinda needed the ego boost tonight."
"Shit," Sal said, sitting up suddenly. "Speaking of that, Zep. Sun's setting!"
"Fuck," Zep said. "We done, LT?"
"Yeah?" Blaec sounded confused.
"Ryali said twenty minutes after dark." Zep scrambled for the door. "I gotta change!"
The Blades watched him scurry, their faces amused, but Cyno and Sal just laughed.
"He's got a date," Sal explained. "Cute little iliri about as mean as me."
Tilso leaned over and kissed Risk's cheek, then pulled away. "Then I'll tack his mare so he won't be late."
"I'm getting jealous," Risk called to his lover's retreating back.
"I don't know if any of you realized this," Razor said, bringing their eyes back to him. "Look around. Just stop for a second, and look around. The harder they push, the better things are for us."
"It's cause they do na get us," Cyno said. "They think we want rank and standin'. They do na realize how little that matters. We want this." He gestured between them all. "Corvae. It's the happiness ya get with a true bond. The harder they push, the more we decide ta fight for it."
Chapter 12
The next morning was the hottest yet. Sal was heading down to assist with the combat trials when she caught sight of her big brother whistling to himself. He looked like he didn't have a care in the world.
"Hey Zep?" Sal yelled, jogging to catch him. "How'd things go last night?"
He turned, grinning, and waited for her to get closer before he answered. "She's something," he said. "Threatened to bite me if I tried to pay."
"And?"
Zep chuckled. "Can't fucking meet her eyes half the time, Sal. I finally get what Cyno's been going on about." His mouth snapped shut, and the smile disappeared from his face. "That wasn't supposed to be out loud."
"You're good, Zep," she told him. "We already talked."
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Ok. But yeah, it went really well. She told me where she lives so I can stop by when I'm free. That's really well, I think."
She patted his arm and giggled at the stupid smile on his face. "It looks good on you, bro. Now what are we doing today?"
"Combat trials. The boys should be at the arena already, and I'm claiming you as my assistant."
"Works for me." She fell in step beside him.
The arena was tucked behind the stone barn and surrounded by a large stone wall, which meant they would be stifling in the midsummer heat for the day. The recruits had already started to gather. Sal thought they looked like wilted flowers, dripping with sweat in their bright blue uniforms. She smothered her giggle and glanced up to Zep to see if he'd noticed.
Amused? he asked her.
They're in blue and can barely take it, she pointed out.
Trust me, demon, only my pride is keeping me from running into the shade. I swear you iliri don't feel temperature the same as the rest of us.
Dunno, Sal said, thinking about it. But aren't half of them iliri?
Ok. They're just pussies. Zep shot her a devilish grin, and Sal giggled again.
"Ivant, Geoni, Riane, and Elae," Zep called out. "You're with me."
Sal walked quietly at Zep's shoulder, watching the recruits from the corner of her eye. The four with them were subdued, saying nothing as they followed their officer in a very organized group. Zep led them to the far wall, in the shade of a large tree, and pointed at the weapons.
"Grab one of each, set them out, and find an area far enough from the man next to you that you won't kill each other." He began unbuttoning his shirt, and added, "And so you know, I couldn't care less if you're in uniform."
With a wink at Sal, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it at her. She flicked her ears against her skull in jest, but Zep just grinned, and leaned against the cool stone wall, watching the men scramble. Sal sighed and stripped from her own uniform top, then reclined beside him.
So what exactly do you need from me? she asked.
Mainly to run through the second pair in a bit. I might use you for a few examples though, if you're ok with that?
Always, she told him. Besides, I've never seen you teach before.
Zep shot an embarrassed grin at her. Think of it more as demanding. "Ok, men," he yelled. "Let’s start with the staff."
He worked them through the standard military warm up, then began demonstrating new techniques. She watched, intrigued by the way his dark skin glistened in the midday heat, wondering if it made him hotter in the sun, but he seemed to ignore it. The recruits were all red faced and panting by the time he stopped, even with their paler skin. Unimpressed, she reached to the stash of wooden weapons and grabbed the long sword, tossing it toward Zep without a word. He saw the movement and grabbed it, making the applicants gasp in shock.
Trying to make me look good? he asked.
Think of it more as demanding, Sal teased back. I want to see if they can do more than sweat. That, and I'm wondering what these pampered boys will do if they have to fight in weather like this.
Zep nodded and moved right into the next weapon techniques without giving the men a break. To her amazement, Geoni never seemed to falter. Ivant began to let the tip of his sword droop, trying to conserve his energy, Riane was visibly panting, and Elae fumbled with the heavy weapon.
Can I interfere? Sal asked.
Of course, but what are you thinking?
They're just going through the motions, Zep. Let's up the ante a bit.
He sent her back a wave of amusement, and Sal grabbed the polearm from his stash, leaning it across her shoulder as she moved to stand at the end of their line. When Zep moved them into a guard position again, she acted. In one whirling pass Sal flipped the pike from her shoulder, knocking Elae's weapon from his hand, then yanked it up causing Riane to gasp and step back. Without a pause, she spun the butt out, knocking Ivant's sword well out of position, but it came to a hard stop against Geoni's guard. Each of the men had been caught completely unprepared.
"Loose shoulders," Zep said, without missing a beat, "and tight forearms. Keep your elbows in and nothing will get in your guard." Come at me like that, demon?
Sal did, spinning at him without warning, and Zep blocked her hit, his sword shifting, only to return to center. Sal pulled back, and he followed up with another standard move, hitting the pike hard enough to knock one of her hands away, but Sal simply moved with the weapon, regaining her grip, to come back at him. This time, he dropped the point and deflected her next move, then nodded. She stabbed the end of the polearm into the grass and reclined against it, not even breathing hard.
"All of that comes from the guard. Now let’s do this again, and this time, impress me."
"Or her," Geoni whispered under his breath.
"Him," Sal said, loud enough to be heard. "He's better with the sword."
The recruit just closed his eyes in embarrassment, and nodded slightly, moving easily into the guard position before looking at Zep.
I hate to say this, Sal told Zep, but even though it will cause a few problems, Geoni's looking good.
Cyno will kick his ass, you realize that, right? Zep asked, glancing at her.
It'll only take once.
True!
They worked through each of the weapons before them, then Zep called a break. He moved back to her side, in the shade against the wall, and watched. As expected, a few of the men looked around for refreshments, but Ivant stretched his muscles, breathing deeply to get control of his body. Geoni just pulled off his shirt, dropping it on the ground with his pile of weapons, then returned to his place in the line of men. He looked up at her once, a subtle challenge in his gaze.
Sal refused to look away. Hang on, she said.
Zep glanced up and chuckled. Geoni lifted his chin, his teal eyes boring into hers, and clenched his jaw. Sal waited, refusing to change her posture in any way. Moments ticked past, and still the recruit stared. Beside him, Ivant noticed and shook his head as he backed away.
"Dumb fucking idea," he whispered. "Fucking dumb idea, Tane."
So Ivant seems to know the customs, Zep thought.
Yep. Makes me wonder if he's got the spine to do anything, though.
You mean you like that he's challenging you?
No, Sal admitted, but we want the kind of soldiers who won't just back down, right? I'll win, but I can't promise I'll win quietly.
Ok, so just ground the fucker, Zep said. The rest are breaking off to spar already.
Just wait.
She flicked her ears back and leaned away from the wall. Geoni smiled and waited a moment longer before looking away. "Kaisae," he whispered almost below his breath.
"Enough showing off," Zep ordered, "Ivant and Raine, go with Sal. Geoni and Elae, come with me."
Geoni grabbed his weapons and moved to follow Zep, but he glanced back at her after only a few steps. Sal was smiling. The boy had as much spunk as she'd had, maybe more.
"Ok," Sal said turning to the men before her. "Here are the rules. You will fight. If I believe that one of you is about to be irreparably harmed, I will stop you with the command 'hold.' Full contact is expected. A blow that should kill you will be declared by me, but otherwise, you'll fight until one of you surrenders. The winner wins. The loser is the one dead, or the quitter. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," both men said, moving into position.
She waited, hoping for something more. In the distance, she heard Geoni ask Zep, "Any specific weapons we're expected to use, or is it our preference?"
"Lay on," Sal called, already knowing how this would end.
The fight went just as expected. Nothing special happened. Ivant won, using a move that he must have learned from an elite, knocking Raine to the ground and dropping onto him. Sal had no interest in judging a soldier's worth by how much training he'd stolen. Her own fighting prowess had been self-taught, and such a move likely would have put her onto the ground, too. In the end, her opinion of the men was that they were adequate but unimpressive.
Geoni won his match through sheer willpower. Elae had flailed and staggered at him but Geoni had countered every unconventional move, only to follow with good technique and determination. Zep was impressed, both in how well Geoni had coped with the situation and how Elae had made it so far in the trials for an elite unit.
He's really bad, he told LT when they returned. I mean, not even worth our time kind of bad.
Ok, Blaec said, we'll scratch him. Who are the worst from the rest?
Veraria from us, Shift said. He's reckless. Slapped Tenem upside the head during warm-up. Said the others should've given him more room because he's got so much "reach."
Sal chuckled. And that's
supposed to be a good thing?
In his mind, Shift replied.
We're cutting Arnot, Arctic said.
Why? Blaec asked.
I can't stand him? Arctic answered. Fucker challenged me twice.
Blaec nodded. Good enough for me. Doesn't respect unit discipline will be the reason we cite. So, sparring. Who wants which?
Zep spoke up first, Yeah, I want Geoni.
Sal needs to take the human, Arctic said.
Ivant? she asked.
No, the other one. Here. Arctic rested his hand on her shoulder, and passed her a flame of memory.
Sal looked at it and heard the man, standing behind Arctic, talking to another. "What do you think the story is on the girl, Rezzo?" he asked.
"She's a Black Blade? Is there more of a story to it than that?"
"Yeah, look at how they all treat her. Which one you think she's fucking?"
"Uh uh," Rezzo had said, "I'm not even going there, Ace."
"What, you scared of her or something?"
"If you had a brain in your head, you would be too!"
The memory faded, filled with Arctic's amusement, and Sal nodded. Yep, I need to take that one.
Ok. Any other suggestions? Blaec asked.
I get the kid, Cyno said. They all knew who he meant.
They ran off a few names and the list of sparring partners was decided. Sal and Zep bickered between them about who would go last and Zep finally won. My partner's better than yours, he said, ending the discussion. Sal had nothing, so she agreed, moving with her unit onto the hot sands of the arena.
The Blades reclined against the railing, listening as the Major explained to them what would be expected. One by one, he called a Black Blade who chose his partner. Sal watched casually, aware that this trial would scare off many of the hopefuls. Seeing an elite spar was one thing, but matching blades against one was completely different. Many applicants realized only after they fought just how unprepared they were for special operations.
Soon, Cyno was called. He caught her eyes, and slowly unbuttoned his shirt, looking away when she smiled. He tossed it over the railing as he called for Zyrn Audgan. The timid boy jerked in place, then stood slowly, walking toward the assassin.
