A cloud hid the moons.

Through the cave’s mouth Areg watched the stars disappear as more clouds gathered in the sky. Then it started raining.

On another starless and wet night—a lot colder than this—two and a half years ago, Areg had sat in the command post, his head in his hands, and cried.

On the ground lay nine dead bodies.

Bodies who only the day before were men full of vitality, courage, and hope. Men under Areg’s command. Brothers he’d never had. Brothers he would’ve gladly died for.

Except, they’d died for him.

As he stared at their faces, a raindrop fell, then another, and then suddenly it was pouring down, the water muddying the ground on which they lay.

Just before Lou’s soul departed for Aheya’s Garden, Areg had held him in his arms, repeating, “Why, why did you have to do this?”

“You were worth it,” Lou had wheezed.

Areg’s expression had grown pained. How did you tell a dying man he was wrong about you, he’d sacrificed himself for nothing?

“You don’t know it… yet,” Lou had rasped, “But I do. I know.”

Well, he was wrong.

As rain intensified, Areg hooked his hands under Lou’s shoulders and dragged him into the command shelter. Lifeless now, Lou didn’t care if his body would be buried covered in mud cakes from head to toe. But Areg did.

Following his cue, his soldiers moved the remaining bodies. He sat among them all night in the open shelter while it hailed and the winds howled.

Again and again, his bodyguard begged him to retreat to his quarters for better protection from the elements and to get a little sleep.

“Go away!” Areg ended up yelling at the poor guy. Can’t you understand? Of course not.

Even Areg couldn’t quite understand it. All he knew was that a fucking firing squad wouldn’t have made him interrupt his vigil that night. He needed to talk to his fallen men, to say how sorry he was, to beg their forgiveness, and to tell them their families would be taken care of. He’d make sure it wasn’t just through the meager army benefits, but out of his personal fortune.

At daybreak, just as his soldiers arrived to dig the graves, he made another vow.

When the war was over, he’d keep on fighting. There would be no rest, no comforts for him, as long as there was injustice it was within his power to grapple with, at any personal cost. Perhaps then he could honor his debt to the nine. Maybe even give Lou’s sacrifice meaning.

And atone for his guilt.

* * *

The rain let up.

Etana’s breathing was still even. She’d slept through the downpour and kept sleeping. Whether it was the sedative still lingering in her system or just fatigue, it mattered not. He was glad she could rest. His sweet pea would need all her energy tomorrow.

As would he.

But that, to use Colonel Yaggar’s expression, was a separate matter.

He felt… resigned. It seemed unlikely the enforcers would be authorized to exfiltrate him even off the record. A convicted traitor and Eia’s most wanted man, he was much too high profile, much too toxic to have on their hands.

Once Etana was safe at LORSS, or relatively safe in the Orogate Temple, he’d stop running. Because he’d never promised anyone—not Etana, not Lou—than he’d live like a rat for the remainder of his days. From there, getting shot would be too hard.

Areg was ready.

He’d made his peace with dying already when he was in jail. For the last two weeks, he’d lived on borrowed time—and it had been wonderful, thanks to Etana. Who knew his withered little heart could soak up so much love? His sweet pea had given him the purest, most beautiful moments of his entire life, and for that he’d be eternally grateful. Somehow, her love made him even less afraid of death.

Hopefully, his being taken out would make it easier for Commander Heidd to protect Nyssa.

Provided he was protecting her.

Areg needed to believe that he was, that there was still honor left in his former brother-in-arms. Every time when he thought about Nyssa, he’d silence his rational mind and go with what his gut told him. It was the only way he could cope, the only way not to go mad.

As for the Association, it would find itself a worthy leader.

It could be the deep-pocketed Marye Atiz that Geru mentioned, Geru himself, Atipoly, Duko or Rhori, if Etana’s shy brother chose to join their ranks. The man was capable of greater things than he thought. He just had to shed his servility and the idea that he was innately inferior because he was born a menial.

And Aynu… Aynu needed to rise to the occasion once again, like she’d done during the war.

It was all very well to serve Aheya and tend to people’s souls, but those people needed her in a different capacity at present. She had to weigh in with her royal clout and legitimacy and the aura of sanctity she’d acquired as the chief nurse for the wounded. Hopefully, she’d realize that someday soon.

Areg’s commlet buzzed.

Colonel Yaggar.

Areg responded to the transmission on his way out of the cave.

“I have the go-ahead for a covert intervention,” the colonel said. “It’ll be just me, a pilot, and Lieutenant Unie Thraton—one of my best cyborgs.”

Areg blinked with disbelief. “Did the superintendent agree to exfiltrating me?”

“I requested maximum leeway and she granted it, no questions asked.” Yaggar paused, probably considering how much he could reveal. “She needs deniability if things go south.”

It took Areg a moment to adjust to the possibility of him getting off Hente. Surviving the realm-wide manhunt. Getting a chance to savor Etana’s love a little longer.

“I’ve factored your current location into the orbits of Hente’s two remaining comms satellites,” Yaggar said. “Tomorrow afternoon from three to four, Mount Crog will be in the satellites’ blind spot. We’ll drop out of hyperspace and leave the spacecraft in synchronous orbit. Then Unie and I will fly a shuttle down to the planet and leave it hovering in the atmosphere behind the mountain. Then Unie and I will fly directly to you. Can you give me a landmark to make my life easier?”

Areg closed his eyes and pictured the terrain in relation to where he was. “Fort Crog. There’s an old tower at the foot of Mount Crog southwest from where I am.”

“Pulling up the map.” Silence. “I’m zooming in… Need a moment… All right, I see it. Locking the coordinates in.”

“We’ll head to Fort Crog as late as possible, to avoid unnecessary risks,” Areg said. “It’s a short walk from the cave. We’ll be there at three. Top floor—to make your life even easier.”

“Much appreciated. If, for some reason, you choose to go to another spot, I’ll still find you thanks to your commlet. So, no worries.”

Areg smirked. “Let’s hope the cops don’t find us first.”

“We’ll get to you before the cops,” Colonel Yaggar said. “They don’t have wings. We do.”