“You think I would harm the thing that matters most to you?”
Lightning cracked the stones by his feet.
Chapter Thirteen
I stared into the space where Ang had stood just a moment before. But he was gone, his footsteps echoing up the stairs. My eyes fell to the floor where he’d stood. There were a number of small, black, smoking marks. Lightning strikes.
Feet like lead, I followed up the stairs so slowly, there was no way that I was catching up with Ang. So I headed to my room. I went over to Fin’s door. He was still fully dressed, but on his side now. Curled up fast asleep in much the same position he used when he was little. When he was here.
I rubbed my hair.
We’d been here too long. Eleven, no, twelve years. By the Gods, what had I done?
I tried to sleep, but it didn’t happen. I took to walking the corridors. Breakfast tasted like ash. People talked to me. Fin rushed in, grabbed some hardtack, and rushed off again. So, still not going to get to talk to him.
My shift started. As Flight Sergeant, I had to collect assignments from Flight Captain Ang Shi. I knocked, entered, requested the assignments and he passed them over. I thanked him and left. I handed out the assignments and returned to my desk, because whatever else was going on, I had a job to do. For now at least.
Fenwick delivered my punishment. He came to my office to do it. Though I was on desk duties that day, it seemed part of my punishment was no flying for twenty days. The other part of my punishment, Fenwick also delivered. Five lashes across the back. And every one burned into my soul. I deserved this for putting Salvadora at risk.
No you don’t,she told me clearly.
Once Fenwick was done, he helped me back to my rooms.
“Why aren’t you healing yourself?” he asked.
“Deserve this,” I said between painful steps. He helped me sit at the dining table in my room.
“Does Fin deserve to come home to seeing you bleed all over the floor?”
No. Perhaps I was doing my boy a disservice, he should see the aftermath of discipline, get used to it before going to college. Still, I reached out my own magic and imagined the wounds closing, healing and leaving no scars.
Of course, eventually, the inevitable happened. I had to pass reports to Flight Captain Shi.
I knocked, and he called for me to come in. The expected charge to the atmosphere wasn’t there as I stepped in and passed over my reports.
“Flight Sergeant Segast.” He didn’t look at me. The swallow was only just audible.
“The monthly reports, sir.”
“Thank you.”
I turned to leave.
“Wait.”
I turned back. I watched him take a breath.
“You should know that your requests for reassignment were not denied by me.”
That was … whatever.
“But your resignation is.”
“Sir—”
“Two years, Flight Sergeant,” he said. “Two years and Fin will leave for one of the colleges of Riders. You cannot follow him there. You will not be able to protect him there. Without your position as a Rider, and without your son, what would you do?”
* * *
