The Enemies

Insane

Rhea

I pace the room.

First, Joolls is right – I need to be back to Stolnter. There are people I should talk to. Besides Rufus will be transferred there soon and I would rather die than miss his execution. I have a growing suspicion, my father may be in the Capital or return soon. I have to see him. Maybe it is still possible to flip the tables and win back Moneree, after all. Winter is approaching, and the Drellian army is not prepared for such a drastic change. Thanks to mankind the weather became unstable. The summers are warm. The springs and falls still mild. But winter is deadly, with vicious winds and ever-snowing sky. A delightful surprise for Drellians. But I came up with another – one of my own. I need to leave Rompsbridge. Besides, Joolls will be pleased that I finally heard the word of wisdom.

Second, I still have to get Candred out. There is already a good plan in place. Tomorrow. The sooner he is gone - the better.

Third, Oden Candred is not attracted to me. He wants me to get out of Rompsbridge. He uses me. So whatever plan he has on the agenda, I am not playing along. How stupid it would be to fall for the lovesick nonsense. From a Drellian. After all, he did promise to kill me when he has a chance. Surely once he is free, he will bend every effort to prove that. And he will do it in cold blood. Everything between us is an illusion. But if not, there is not a chance on this planet for any future together. Candred will be on the losing side, going back home to his beautiful fiancée, having a beautiful wedding and beautiful children or he will be killed. No other options. With my suicidal behavior, I am not sure I will be alive by the end of the war, anyway.

I send Rockwell a message.

'I will be in Stolnter this week.'

Then shower and go straight to bed. Will is one of the people I can work with. He is entirely immune to my good looks and my bad temper. One of the few who can spend time with me without counting seconds to leave or naming our future kids in his mind. He is intelligence and often has access to a lot of useful information. Since Joolls and I are cardinals, he is allowed to share this information with us.

I wake up in a much better mood. I put on a black T-shirt and black sweat pants, then braid my hair. The person looking back at me from the mirror finally has some resemblance with that sanguine hero everyone so adores.

I put my G390 into the holster, and its familiar weight next to my arm soothes my anxiety. It is one of the best we have – regular bullets, laser balls, one person only, silent, efficient, and deadly. Karm always made better weapons than Drell. We won the Great War. One Drellian should be easy for me. When my debt is paid, I can kill him.

I should have eaten, but I am extremely peeved. The rush of adrenaline makes me even antsier. All I want is to get it over with. I walk to the hospital building, beaming at everyone who nods my way.

The sun is warm, but the wind already sends chills through my skin. It is already deep fall, so Karmians brace themselves. Winter will show us how well Drellians are equipped to defend their positions.

I stop at the reception desk and order for Candred's ward to be cleaned as he will not be returning back today. The nurse nods at me knowingly. Then saunter into his ward, but I holt at the door and watch, how a doctor checks his arm. He still winces when he has to put pressure on it. Unlucky for him, I will not wait a week, an hour or even a minute. He needs to go. At this point, I would probably make him leave with his broken arm if I had to. I do not give a damn.

'Colonel Flint.'

The doctor's name escapes me, and I just nod. Candred looks surprised. Two ranks higher than him.