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Pack your bags.
Ah.
I supposed I should have expected that, after all. What else would he be sending me via official courier? But I feel a bit disappointed. Was I so crazy for expecting a little...more?
I was so flustered that it took a minute for me to realize what this simple sentence meant.
I was going to the capital.
Shit.
I knew I’d agreed to it, and I understood why he wanted me there, yet I worried the entire thing was a terrible idea. I was tired of having the same argument on repeat, too, but I didn’t see how we could avoid it when he was so willing to risk his life, and I was desperate to be a bigger, better person.
As I sighed, I pushed a little bit of my magic into the letter and watched it burst into a gentle shower of cool sparks in my hand, erasing the chance anyone else could find it. I figured at least a little bit of info about the trip would get leaked thanksto Kai’s loud, annoying uncle, but I’d make sure nothing got out because of me.
With one last longing look in the direction of the cafeteria, I turned around and went back to my room. “Guess I gotta pack.”
In the end, it took five days for us to finally leave, but between work and putting together everything I needed for our stay in the capital, it still felt like I had no time.
I adjusted my bag’s strap as I gave my room another once over. The other soldiers packed all my supplies and loaded them into our convoy to the capital.
The thought of confinement in a car for so long filled me with both anxiety and excitement. Cars weren’t common in the borderlands, and my coven was anti-modern transport, so I’d never been in a vehicle. It was going to be a strange experience, and while I was thrilled, being in such close quarters with others could make my curse work overtime.
Wouldn’t that be something? An ancient curse meant to hurt everyone I ever knew getting some combo bonus from a set of wheels? I could only hope the Shrouded Shriek was as behind the times as most magic users so there’d be no technological acceleration.
With the room clear of anything vital, I headed toward Ford Canid’s entrance. I arrived earlier than our call time, but I preferred to be on schedule and wait with whoever else was coming.
I knew Darla had agreed to come along, and I figured Oren had, too, but I wasn’t sure who else would arrive. They’d sent significantly greater reinforcements than I’d expected. There’d been an older captain, a sorcerer with an aptitudefor regenerative magic and healing, their apprentice who was apparently meticulous when it came to replicating potion work, a psychic whose power laid in the empath line of abilities, and about three dozen other shifters—mostly wolves. That wasn’t a huge surprise, as the capital tended to be discriminatory toward other cryptids, but I hoped our reinforcements didn’t share those sentiments, otherwise they wouldn’t be a good fit for the plethora of creatures, crawlers, and critters who served at Canid.
But as long as they weren’t bigoted scum, the fort was going to do just fine in our absence, which was such a relief. The last thing I wanted was to have to worry about the state of affairs back home while navigating the no doubt taxing and baffling social structures of the royal court.
I wasn’t the first one there, however, with both Darla and Mad Dog already chatting close to the entrance. It looked like it was going to be just like old times.
Except for the pair of faces we were missing. We’d lost Irina and Tristin, and sometimes I could hear the latter’s screams in my nightmares, echoing around my head as a permanent specter. Another victim of my curse, and a definite loss for Fort Canid.
We’d only been back just about two weeks, and I hadn’t really thought much about all the paperwork that came after such a loss, but now I was staring at my other travel companions. Now I recognized everything Kai and Oren needed to do, including informing both Tristian and Irina’s next of kin, then releasing the benefits, whatever life insurance policies they had, executing their wills. All soldiers at the fort had to have one, even if it only listed “Fuck you” on it as their testament.
The whole time we’d been back, I’d been avoiding thoughts about our losses while I was conscious, but Kai had to deal with them every day, and he never complained once.
He really was an incredible leader.
My chest warmed, despite the sinking feeling which arrived whenever we discussed those I’d hurt. My situation was awful, sure, but I was lucky to have someone like Kai as a mate. If we did break my curse, I couldn’t imagine how wonderful a life with him would be.
Even if he was a prince.
“Hey there, Healin’ Hermit,” Mad Dog said, grinning and waving once I shook myself out of my head and started approaching them. “Looks like the gang’s all here.”
“There’s my girl! Excited to go to the capital?”
I smiled at Darla and gave a slight nod, deciding not to rain on her parade by telling her just how nervous I was.
“Hah, I wish I was as cool as you about it,” Mad Dog said with a laugh. “I’m a bit jumbled around the edges at the thought of having to be around so many of those holier than thou royals. You could say the court isn’t exactly my speed, but I’ll do it for our good ol’ captain, ya know? Hasn’t led me wrong yet.”
Yeah, yeah, I could see. “Same here,” I said with a chuckle. “I haven’t really heard glowing reports about them.” I realized Kai may not have informed Mad Dog of his royal status, so I needed to keep it on the down low. A bit uncertain, I looked to Darla, and she gave me a half nod.
A moment later, I heard her bemused voice in my head saying,Let’s see how long it takes him to figure it out. It’ll be fun.
It seemed harmless enough, so I gave my own tiny nod. Given Mad Dog’s expressive face, it’d even be entertaining, as long as he avoided blurting it out at the wrong time.
