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That, combined with a litany of other cryptids, was what set us apart. I knew some other bases thought those differences made us weaker, yet the proof was in the pudding: it made us stronger. I just didn’t want whoever was following me to ruin all the unity I’d worked so hard to build.
“Your uncle is refusing to leave.”
“One moment,” I said to the reparative architect so I could turn to my best friend. “He’s still here?” I wasn’t surprised, exactly, but I’d maintained the tiniest flicker of hope he’d been so put off by our relatively humble guest spaces he’d hightail it back to the capital and never return.
“Yes,” Oren said, looking about as frazzled as I’d ever seen him. “He very muchis.”
“I don’t suppose he’s doing anything productive, like learning about our military structure?”
“Not at all. He kicked me out of my officer’s quarters and demanded more pillows and meal services we don’t even have access to. That was just last night. As far as I know, he isn’t even awake yet. But one of our couriers told me he’d already sent out a missive to your parents, so the lid’s been blown off our little operation here.”
I hadn’t seen Oren so incensed in quite a while. It seemed like my terrible relatives brought out the worst in him.
“Please, please, Captain, tell me I have to forcibly kick the old wretch out on his ass. I’d love nothing more.”
“As much as I’d give my fortune to see you disrespect a superior like him, I need said pompous asshole to send another message to the capital—specifically my parents.”
“I’m glad to hear you have a use in mind for him, but couldn’t you just message your parents yourself?”
“And have the same leverage? Sadly, no. We need my uncle’s word to my father for the conditions I want.”
“Conditions?”
I nodded, not willing to say anything more just yet. “By the by, I have a question for you.”
“Yes, sir?”
I waved my hand, wanting my friend to dispense with the formalities. If anyone could use my given name, it was my childhood best friend. Naturally, my more by the book second in command completely ignored me and continued addressing me by my rank. Oh well, some things never changed. Still, even if I wanted him to call me Kai more, I was grateful for such a stalwart righthand man.
“If the need arises for me to go to the capital, would you go with me?”
It was a loaded question, as I knew the vagaries and backstabbing of the court went against everything Oren valued, but to my great surprise, he just scoffed.
“There’s no way I’d ever let you go back to that den of over-indulged, self-obsessed, silver spoon -fed snakesalone.I’ll go back with you, of course.” It was only after a beat that he seemed to realize exactly what he’d said about so many important royals. “Uh, respectfully, sir.”
“There’s nothing respectful about them, regardless,” I said. “All right, will you finish things up here and get the requisition forms for our repair supplies? I have an uncle to go wake up.”
I wasn’t outright excited to jerk my leech of an uncle out of his sleep, but I wasn’t reluctant to, either. I quickly made my way to Oren’s officer quarters and let myself in. The duke was so used to having his own staff, being waited on hand and foot, he hadn’t realized hecouldlock the damn thing.
Gods, I hated him. I hated him so much, yet I had to tolerate him in my space—one I’d carved out for myself by my own merit, which was more than he could say for any of his endeavors.
Captain Kai Reed may be a fake identity, but there was more substance to him than Duke Graham DeLune could ever claim.
“Uncle!” I called, kicking the door into the bedroom area. It’d have to be replaced, but I doubted Oren would mind for this one instance.
“Huh?” My uncle sat up with a start, and I swore it was the fastest I’d ever seen him move. His eyes were bleary, but the scent of alarm and fear emanated from the bed he’d apparently complained so much about. “What is the meaning of this?” he said, blustering like he could ever be remotely intimidating to me.
“I’m just checking in, Uncle. I know you’re rather uncomfortable here in our lowly fort, so I was surprised to hear you’d yet to take your leave.”
It surprised how quickly some of my court speak came back to me. I’d never been completely informal with my men, but I preferred the frank speech of military talk.
“You needed to barge in and wake me for that?”
“Apologies, Uncle,” I said in a flat voice. “Only those who are on the night guard here sleep this late, so I assumed you’d already be awake if you weren’t already gone.”
Graham growled as he threw his legs out of bed, his fancy dressing gown just entirely too much. I was reminded of how old-fashioned the court was, all the way down to their underclothes.
“For your information, I haven’t been able to leave because you were so difficult about coming with me. I don’t know why you’re wasting our time by making this complicated. You and I are aware that if your father wants you, youwillreturn to his court.”
