Chapter Nineteen – HumilityIt was a few days ter when they returned to First Field. And Rynn confronted Blythe.

  For those days, before the return, Gray couldn’t get the image of Ames being burned…for all her life she said. Captain Settie hadn’t just found a recruit for her squad, no, she’d saved Ames from her torture. He had to wonder if Settie even cared. She had a healer, a powerful healer, for them. Not just a healer, though. Ames could inflict pain, and he knew, a part of her liked that. Maybe it was way to give back to the world some of the pain it had inflicted on her.

  He had to wonder if the trayah jana was just a lie after all. He’d pinned his hopes on being branded, but it could be that like with Ames, it would only just sear his flesh and nothing else would happen. The Widow Stone hadn’t promised him a miracle—it was just something she was willing to try. Or maybe she was fucking with him to get back at Settie.

  Regardless, the story of Ames and her father was a heavy weight to carry, and he kept thinking about her…and Rynn.

  Rynn hadn’t fled from the horror, but ran directly to it, kissing it, trying to ease some of Ames’s agony away.

  In the same way, Rynn didn’t shy away from Blythe.

  It was breakfast again, at the Canteen, and Freek and his squad of orcs gred at them when they came through the door. Froggy and her squad ughed and threw insults.

  Once again, Squad 23 were the pariahs. Everyone hated them. Not only did the gossip have them murdering Sindara and the dwarf, but they were at the top of the heap. And while everyone loved a winner, that love came with an equal measure of hate. Envy and pride were powerful forces, even if you weren’t an elf or a dragon.

  Blythe and her Fire Flyers were at a table near the front.

  Rynn saw them. “I’ll be right back.”

  Gray wasn’t going to let her go over to confront Blythe alone. “I’ll be back as well.”

  Ames went to go with them, but Settie pulled her back. “No, girl. Having the whole squad march over there will lead to a fight. Let’s us all sit down.”

  “Mother’s oven,” Midj breathed. “Things are as tense as ever. Time to eat some of that tension away. I sure did miss the canteen’s bacon.”

  Tomi grumbled, “And I got out of bed for this? Okay. Sure. Let’s eat so I can sleep some more. I won’t feel the tension if I’m napping like I do.”

  Gray’s squad then grabbed trays and went to sit down at their usual pce at the very back of the canteen.

  By that time, Rynn was charging forward.

  Gray was gd he had his stick.

  Blythe shot to her feet. “We have nothing to stay to you. If I knew for sure you killed Sindara, I would bite your head off right here and now.”

  Her squad gred at them. Three of Blythe’s squad had to be siblings—two men and a woman who looked remarkably alike—bck hair and pinched faces. They were big and strong, including the sister who had muscles like ship rope. With them was a scarred man, tall and thin. who was remarkably fast—he’d helped them score during the Sixblood game. Lastly, there was a pretty blond woman, who had a big core—power emanated from her. Was it because of her angelic hair or was it something else? Sindara had been repced by a squat dog woman—she’d been from one of the teams that had been culled. Even human, she had a long nose and bloodshot eyes, and the hair on her dog ears was ragged.

  Rynn crossed her arms. “We didn’t hurt Sindara. I’m here because I’m worried about her father. He’s sick, and now that Sindara is gone, I’m wondering if you were going to help him.”

  Blythe went silent. It was clear that she hadn’t expected kindness, especially from the squad who supposedly killed her squadmate. Then, the raven-haired woman’s lips twisted into a chilling smile. “Feeling guilty? She opens her heart to your boy, and then you kill her, but the voices won’t stop, will they? Not for the sweet, pathetic Rynnanatha. You have angel hair, yes, but too bad you don’t have a devil’s heart. Then you wouldn’t feel so guilty. Best leave murder to those better suited for it.”

  Blythe’s squad mate, the pretty blonde, stood up. Red fmes filled her hands. That was new.

  Gray saw that her core burned with that same red fire. “Sindara was everything to me. Everything!” She was heartbroken because like Sindara, she had a lust resonance. Rumor had it, she’d been just one of Sindara’s toys before she died.

  As Settie had pointed out, you could do any number of things without having actual sex to avoid bonding with someone forever.

  Another one of Sindara’s toys, Freek the orc, took his tray, flung it against the wall, and stormed out.

  Then the whispering followed as Freek’s squad continued to eat as if their leader hadn’t just made a mess.

  “Mother fucker!” Dame Hek roared. She came out of the back with a mop she was holding like the deadliest of magical spears. “You fucking recruits deal with this shit outside. I don’t care about dead recruits. I care about keeping my goddamn canteen clean.”

  Blythe ignored the outburst. “Sit down, Fre.”

  “My name is Framinda!” the blond with the lust resonance protested.

  Blythe ignored her too. She only had eyes for Rynn. “Sindara’s father is probably already dead. And she’s dead. I don’t care about the dead. I want to take care of my squad, those you haven’t murdered, and I want to win, so I rub your precious captain’s face in her defeat. Everyone hates her, and so, everyone hates you. You’re so fucking stupid not to see it.”

  Rynn didn’t move. “I want to send Sindara’s father money. I have his name, but I don’t know where he is. Can you help me with that?”

  “I don’t know,” Blythe admitted. “If I knew, I would send him money myself. We loved Sindara.”

  Gray didn’t ugh, but he couldn’t help but smile at that. She’d admitted not giving a damn about the dead, but now, she had to save face.

  Such pride—but she wasn’t getting mana from it because she was feeling trapped, attacked, and it was clear, she was losing face, standing toe to toe with Rynn.

  Fre—or was it Framinda?—called out to Rynn. “They had a house in the Crown, along the coast, but they lost it. He’s in an almshouse in the Shoulder Isnds, in Bones Bay. I think it’s called the Order House.”

  Blythe turned and gave the blond woman a withering look.

  “Framinda,” the woman said stiffly. “I don’t like being called Fre.”

  “No, Fre,” Blythe said, smiling. “In the game, we need less sylbles. Fre you shall be. Thank you so much for helping sweet, pathetic Rynnanatha feel better about her murder. It’s very kind of you.” Then the dragon girl turned back to Rynn. “Anything else?”

  “No.” Rynn turned and walked away.

  There was some chatter, but the drama was over.

  They were getting their food when Rynn sighed. “She doesn’t care. Not one bit. They were on the same squad, spent months together, and she doesn’t care. Why are people like that?”

  Gray had to correct her. “Some people are like that. What did Aunt Florence say about bitches and assholes?”

  Rynn finally found some ughter. “Oh, they pay for bitches and assholes. We only have to live them for a few minutes a day. They have to live their asshole selves twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. We’re lucky.”

  “So Sindara was with both Framinda and Freek?” Gray asked.

  “Let’s not gossip,” Rynn said a bit sadly. “Sindara has been through enough. I’ll go to the Mana-Wind Office in the Pit market and send a letter. To him and my parents. We can help.”

  He had to admire her. She seemed so shy and quiet, but she could be so tough, and in the end, she really didn’t care about what people thought of her. She knew her own heart, and in the end, she was her own judge. And she was going to do the right thing, no matter how difficult or strange others might think it might be.

  Her humility resonance wasn’t just powerful; it was also very wise.

  He knew Blind John and her would’ve gotten along so well. His heart hurt, thinking about what probably had happened to Blind John.

  That letter. He had to read the letter.

  Yes. But not yet. He had enough to deal with at the moment. In the end, it could wait.

  They sat down with their friends.

  Settie smiled. “I’m sure not everyone hates me. Thank you, Rynn.”

  “For what?” the elf girl asked, a bit astonished.

  “For being kind, for being brave, for being charitable. It makes our squad look less guilty, and the way you handled it was perfect.”

  Tomi snorted. “Pretty sure everyone does hate you, Captain. Sorry to say.”

  Settie only smiled more. “They will hate me even more when we win Soulshred Week.”

  And there was her pride, and yes, she was getting mana from it. Gray could her core glowing a bit brighter. She was proud that people despised her. It wasn’t all that surprising in the end.

  Eating the chocote ironbite was actually rather fun after being gone from them for so long, though he preferred the charbrew at home to the stuff at the canteen.

  They left the canteen and made their way down to the training fields. Instead of waiting a turn in the sparring pavilions, they went to their meditation ptform and pulled up cushions.

  The Fae squad ran by, and Pamalee Thornpinch made it very clear that her and her squad didn’t care about them at all.

  In return, Settie ignored them as well. “Let me address something. It is unfortunate that Sindara was murdered, but it’s a lesson as well. This is First Field. There are inherent dangers. But you all know that.”

  “Inherent dangers. Got it.” Tomi nodded. “Is one of them falling in love with Gray? Everyone seems to be doing it.”

  Midj ughed. “Not everyone, Tomi. Speak for yourself.”

  Gray ughed as well. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

  The cat girl only smiled. “If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Beds are made for sleeping. Besides, a retionship with you would involve delving. No delving for this girl.”

  Ames looked mildly amused, as did Rynn. It was just banter to lighten the mood.

  Tomi snapped her fingers. “Oh, you mean almost being eaten by demons. Yes, inherent dangers. Got it.”

  Settie was the opposite of amused. “It was a good reminder to all of us. Old Town is dangerous. Without my wards, you would die. So stay in the house unless you’re with me. That is not what I wanted to talk about, however. If you are concerned that Gray is not making progress, I assure you, I have a pn. There are few things I could still try, and I have contacts in Lust City. As many of you know, the Fae are very sophisticated when it comes to core work.”

  Tomi nodded. “A trip to Lust City? I knew it. It all goes back to falling in love with Gray.”

  Ames spoke up. “One should not scorn fire if they’ve never felt its heat.”

  “That is correct,” Rynn said. She lifted a hand and Ames spped it.

  Settie gave Tomi a stern look. “That is enough. I wanted to confirm that all of you are acolytes now. Are you all fully marked with two fully inked marks?”

  Rynn touched her chest above her heart. “I am.”

  Ames had her hands on her belly. “I am as well. No itch and no burn. Fully marked.”

  Gray lifted his hand. ‘I have the itch but not the burn for my second mark. You’re lucky, Ames. If I could reach, I would scratch the itch but it’s at the top of my back, just below my reach.”

  The Quelling elf just smiled at him.

  Midj went next. She patted her thick thighs. “I have the two marks. If you need to see them, well, we’d have to find some pce a lot less private than here.”

  “I don’t need to see them,” Settie assured her. “I am curious about Tomi. Are you fully marked?”

  She nodded. “On my left leg. I’d have to strip, but I don’t care. Give the people what they want.”

  Midj was shocked. “That is not what the people want. Mother’s oven, Tomi, you are in a mood today.”

  “I am,” the cat girl said. “I’ll tell you why ter on, but let’s get to napping…um, no, I think you guys call it meditating. Yes, let’s get to meditating.”

  Settie nodded. “Good. And you’ve been practicing with the balls. One thing we learned from our trip to the Weeping Well was that you all work well together. I thank you. I know I can be difficult, and I thank you for your patience. Now, let’s get tow ork. And please, Tomi, no sleeping. Feel the energy in your core, feel the world around you, and focus on your breath.”

  Then it was a normal day of meditating, running, sparring, and the more work. The weather cooperated, and it was nice day. They were pnning to go back to Ruin Manor for dinner, when Tomi insisted they stay.

  She had something to show them that night, at the Pink Pace, and it winded up changing everything.

  Tomi had a secret, and it was a big one.