Dimitri stands from the bench. He hooks an arm around my shoulder, tells our peers not to worry, and guides me back out of the room.
“Calm down,” he says softly.
“I can’t,” I breathe. “You don’t know what I’ve just overheard.”
“No, I don’t,” he says, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. “That’s exactly why you need to get a grip on yourself so you can tell me.”
I’m shaking my head, but I know he’s right. My lips pursed together, I force a deep inhale through and out my nose. It already helps gather my thoughts, and so I do it again.
Once my breathing has finally settled, Dimitri pushes himself off the wall. “So, what is it?”
“The Magistrate,” I say quickly, louder than I intend. I search the corridor around us, fearful to find Alphonse lurking nearby.
Dimitri’s hand settles on my shoulder. “It’s just you and me here. Everyone else is inside or in bed.”
“Alphonse wasn’t. He was with the Magistrate. They were talking about…a war.”
“Which one?”
I roll my eyes. “Not a war from the past. Something Esmond—the Magistrate plans to begin.”
Dimitri’s eyes narrow. “An attack on the mages?”
I nod.
He snorts. “It’s about time.”
“No. You don’t understand. He means for us to join him.”
“Us who?” Dimitri asks, eyes narrowing farther. Concern edges his words like he’s finally starting to understand the devastating impact of this realization.
“Us, the Crusaders,” I tell him. “He told Alphonse that tomorrow morning we’ll be asked to congregate in the courtyard, and the Magistrate will give the announcement that the Shadow Crusade is rejoining his ranks at the Capital.”
Dimitri jerks his head back, eyes wide with surprise. He runs a hand over the nakedness of the back of his head and takes a few steps down the hall.
“Well,” he says at last. “I guess this means we’re going to the Capital then.”
I balk. “That’s it? You’re just going to go?”
“Of course I am. What do you even mean? We are Crusaders now, Halira. We took an oath. We listen, we obey, and we go where we’re told.”
“I didn’t sign up for this,” I insist. “We came here to fight the demons who took our parents, not to threaten war on the mages.”
“Whether you like it or not, you did,” he says simply. “Look, we both knew the risks of coming here. The recruiter warned us when we enlisted.”
A tear streams down my cheek as I recall the memory. The man had said that the Shadow Crusade was a branch of the Magistrate’s Legion. At any time, we could be asked to reunite as a whole. But in all the years that the Shadow Crusade has existed, I never expected it to happen the very first day of our service.
As my vision blurs, Dimitri’s arms find their way around me.
“It’ll be okay,” he says into the softness of my hair. “We’ll still have each other. And I’ve heard that serving in the Capital isn’t so bad. We might actually live to see our thirties.”
I sniffle a laugh and bury my face against his chest. His new patch presses against my cheek, a physical reminder of just how bound to this decision we are, whether we agree or not.
I look up at him. “But…my parents…my brother…”
“I know,” he says, brushing the tears from my face. “We will avenge them some day. If the Magistrate means to go to war with the mages, I’m sure he has a plan to end the last of the Primordials, and end the horde of demons that plagues our lands for good.”
I shake my head, but no more words fall from my lips. Despite the truth of what Dimitri’s saying on all accounts, I can’t shake the feeling that all of this isn’t going to turn out as planned.
Evil Shall Burn
Courtyard, Castle of Nigh, Arcathain
We stand in the courtyard. The Crusaders are still lively with exuberance from the celebration of yesterday, but I haven’t cracked a smile since before our ceremony. I worried that Fox would notice something was wrong with me, and she’d pester me until I finally cracked and told her—Dimitri had thought it best we keep this discovery to ourselves. But I never saw Fox. I tossed and turned most of the night, and she never appeared.
Even as we congregate now, I search for her with no avail. I wonder if perhaps she has a different assignment today already. Admittedly, I don’t know much about the duties of the wards. I spent most of my time with the other recruits.
Alphonse stands beside his father on the bell tower steps in front of the crowd. When I notice Kalli’s absence, my heart fissures a little. I had hoped she’d stick around long enough for us to talk again, but perhaps I miscalculated her conviction of silence on the matter. Perhaps rather than having to deal with my prodding again, she’s simply removed herself from the equation.
Scanning the backs of heads before me, none of them share Kalli’s white, knotted braids.
I’d foolishly hoped she’d come around after she had a chance to reflect; I’d hoped that she’d see my accomplishments here yesterday and deem me worthy of the information she’s withholding. How imprudent I was though. I know my sister. If she deems something unnecessary or too risky, such as sharing with me a secret that I have asked to know, then nothing will stop her from being tight-lipped.
Without her knowledge, I’m left to ponder whether I should heed her warning or try to learn more about myself without her. The journey to the Capital will be long. I expect I’ll have plenty of time to try to occupy myself and I doubt the library would miss a book or two…
“Good morning, Crusaders,” Alphonse calls out over the crowd. “Today marks the first day of service for some of you, and for the rest, just another glorious day serving our country.”
As Alphonse drones on, I have to turn away. I can’t watch his performance. I can’t stomach how easily he can make it seem like this decision was something he wanted too.
As my gaze wanders, I catch a glint of red hair down the row of Crusaders from me. Glancing to the bell tower, I slide down, trying to limit the attention I’m drawing to myself as best as I can. Fortunately, from the back of the crowd, this is mostly easy to do.
I finally sidle up beside Fox, and I’m surprised to find guilt in her eyes. I hope she knows she doesn’t have to be ashamed of her rank around me. Of all people, I know the cruel ways in which Alphonse likes to toy with people’s lives. He shorthanded her. She deserved better.
“Where were you last night?” I whisper. “I was worried about you.”
Her eyes flick to mine but only for a fraction of a second before she shushes me and continues watching Alphonse speak.
I recoil like she’s just backhanded me. I can understand her shame and frustration, but she has no reason to take it out on me. I wasn’t the one who gave her the title of ward.
Still, I’m too stunned to respond. Instead, I turn to watch Alphonse deliver the rest of his speech, just in time as the audience goes wild. I missed the last thing he said, but I can deduce from the cries of outrage from the Crusaders that he’s just told them we’ll be heading to the Capital.