Dem advanced in a neutral stance, already noting Rego's aggressive posture and sloppy footwork.
Rego lunged, thrusting with his left blade—a feint meant to drive Dem right, straight into the second dagger.
Instead, Dem kicked the calf of Rego's lead leg.
The man stumbled forward, directly into Dem's space.
The pommel of Dem's weapon struck his temple with a dull thunk. Rego collapsed face-first into the dirt.
Silence followed.
Dem stepped back, his gaze settling on Leon. "I can kill him if necessary."
Leon tapped his chin, as though weighing a minor inconvenience. "Not worth the paperwork. His family has strong ties." He nodded once. "You've won."
Dem turned to Captain Haza and extended his hand. "This is the circle's will."
Haza placed the commission in his palm. "This is the circle's will," he echoed, then gestured to his guards. "Escort Rego back to Tahoma and release him. Take his weapons."
Dem stepped aside, casually tracking the movement of two figures in the crowd.
Haza approached. "Looks like you're Lieutenant Duscan now. Rego's tent is on the perimeter. I'd intended to put him in charge of scouts. You can handle that?"
"Yes," Dem replied. "Do I have scouts?"
"Pick twelve," Haza said. "I want a detailed report of our target area by morning." He lingered a moment, then turned and stalked off.
Ignoring the sour looks from nearby conscripts who had lost money, Dem caught up with his targets. "You two, follow me."
Gero and Juni stopped, watching him warily as he led them toward the edge of camp.
Among the rows of rectangular white tents, one stood out—circular, higher quality, clearly not standard issue.
Dem ducked inside, shaking his head as the warmth hit him. "Another heat enchantment."
"Sir," Gero said, standing near the entrance. Juni lingered by the flap, hand resting on her sword.
"Check the door, Juni," Dem ordered. "Make sure no one's listening."
She parted the flap, glanced out—and froze. "How do you know my name?"
Dem sat in a padded chair and studied the border map. "Karshun asked me to check on you."
"Karshun?" Gero's voice tightened. "Is he safe?"
"Bruised, scared, but unharmed."
Juni lowered her voice. "Are you here to free us? If we leave the conscript force—"
"There will be consequences," Gero finished. "For our family."
"I understand," Dem said evenly. "We'll need to be careful." He looked between them. "Can you act as scouts?"
Gero nodded. "We're good riders. I can track. Juni's a capable hunter."
"Do you know the other conscripts?"
"Most of them."
"Can you find ten with some skill who won't ask questions?"
Gero nodded again. "Easily."
"Good. Have them here by sunset." Dem paused as Gero turned to leave. "One more thing."
"Yes?"
"Start a rumor that I've taken a liking to Juni—and that I'm violently jealous."
His mouth twitched. "That should keep camp predators away."
Dem studied the map. The border between Dhrygal and Galieo followed a twisting river that cut through high ground and dense forest. While the two nations had argued before, Dem hadn't known the cause of this conflict.
He marked a twenty-mile stretch, adding notes before rolling the map and returning it to his ring.
With nothing else pressing, Dem searched through Rego's belongings until he found a leather-bound journal. Settling onto the cot, he lit a lamp and began to read.
Day 1
Father has secured an officer's commission for me so that I might further our interests in the ongoing border dispute over the recently discovered manastone deposits. I am assigned to Captain Haza's company, which—along with three others—will operate under Commander Leon Fen.
"Okay," Dem murmured. "That's useful."
He skimmed several mundane entries before stopping again.
Day 12
I am to make contact with my mirror placement on the Galieo side, Lieutenant Chava. Together, we will ensure the dispute remains clear of the deposits while Father's people extract the stone. It should take four or five days to secure the manajewels.
"Manajewels?" Dem frowned. He knew manastones—Ciara had given him several to help Noko develop her healing—but the term was unfamiliar.
"I'll ask Gero," he muttered. "Karshun said he's a sword mage."
Dem turned to the final entry.
Day 46
I met with Father tonight and depart for Tahoma at dawn. I've been given an additional directive: eliminate potential witnesses. This includes Chava and the miners. I have been provided with a vial of poison. Once complete, Father and his associates will ensure the border conflict fades, and I may return home.
"Shit."
Dem extinguished the lamp and stepped out of the tent, heading for the command area where the officers' mounts were kept.
A middle-aged woman with graying red hair was brushing his courser when he approached. Her freckled face was plain, her posture alert.
"Is this your mount?" she asked.
Dem smiled easily. "I need to take him out for a bit."
"I'll saddle him, sir."
Dem flashed his commission at the camp entrance. By now, everyone knew who the new lieutenant was.
He rode toward the border at first, then—once well clear of the camp—cut wide and turned hard for Tahoma. Dem leaned low in the saddle, urging every bit of speed from the courser.
Halfway to town, he spotted the guards escorting Rego. They rode a two-wheeled buckboard drawn by a single horse, Rego seated between them. Dem angled west, keeping enough distance that he registered as nothing more than a lone rider passing through.
He reached Tahoma and flashed his commission at the gate once more before heading straight for the tavern.
The smell hit him immediately—sweat, burnt food, and cheap liquor. Dem paused just long enough to take stock of the room.
Local merchants. Dockhands. Laborers.
And ruffians.
Two men sat in the corner: both early twenties, but opposites. One was slim and sharp-eyed, the other large and vacant.
Dem sat down uninvited. "You two looking for work?"
They exchanged a glance before the thinner one spoke. "Depends. What kind of work?"
"The easy kind," Dem said. "Pays well. Minimal risk."
"We ain't laborers," the slim man replied.
"No shit," Dem said dryly. "You're thieves. Criminals. Probably never worked an honest day in your lives. Which is exactly what I need."
"We must have met before." The slim one smirked. "Name's Lucky. Big one's Bull."
Dem laughed softly. "Lucky and Bull. Twenty gold now, twenty in a week. Babysitting job."
Lucky didn't hesitate. "I'd watch the fucking king for that."
"There's a man coming into town," Dem said, leaning forward. "Name's Rego. I want him stashed somewhere for a week. Out of sight. Don't hurt him."
"He'll try to bribe you," Dem continued. "Don't listen. He's a con man—caught impersonating a military officer. He likes to pretend he's somebody."
Lucky tilted his head. "And if we take the gold and disappear?"
Dem looked at him, expression calm. "I'll kill you both. As easily as drinking water."
Lucky swallowed. "We won't double-cross you. Anything else?"
"He's a Sybasi fighter. Nothing special—but get the jump on him."
Lucky whistled. "How do you know that?"
"I beat him in a Sybasi duel earlier today," Dem said. "Hard pommel strike to the head. He'll still be foggy."
Lucky licked his lips. The kid looked young—but something about him set nerves on edge. "Five more gold. Unless you don't care if he starves."
"Two," Dem said flatly. "Don't press me."
Lucky nodded and accepted the pouch. "When's he arriving?"
"By sunset," Dem said, standing. "Escorted by two guards."
"And if the guards stay with him?"
Dem shrugged. "Then I come back and kill all three of them."
Lucky shivered. "Understood, boss."
Dem stepped into the general store a short while later, purchasing a handful of basic supplies he didn't actually need while keeping one eye on the road outside.
The buckboard arrived just as he finished paying.
The two soldiers stopped at the conscription tent, likely relaying the story of the newly commissioned officer who had humiliated Rego in a duel. Laughter followed. After a brief exchange of sharp words, the disgraced former officer headed toward the tavern.
"Perfect," Dem murmured.
There was no need to follow. The men he'd paid were still inside the tavern. As long as Rego wasn't killed by accident, the problem would solve itself.
The ride back to the conscript camp passed without incident. The sun hadn't yet set when Dem circled wide and entered from the far side. His scouts hadn't arrived, so he ducked into his tent for highberry and hardtack.
The detour had cost him time—but Rego couldn't be allowed to return home or speak to anyone for at least a week.
"Lieutenant?"
The voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Come in."
Gero entered with Juni close behind, both nodding politely. "Sir. The others are waiting outside."
Dem studied Gero. "Your son said you're a sword mage."
Gero inclined his head. "My fire abilities fall short of true mage standards." He lifted his hand, revealing an odd ring. "This is an igniter ring. It gives anyone I'm fighting an unpleasant surprise—short flare, wide dispersion."
Dem nodded once. "Now a question. You know what a manastone is?"
"Yes," Gero replied. "Elemental energy. If I carried one in my off-hand, I could flare until it burned out instead of four or five times."
"And a manajewel?"
Gero's eyes widened. He let out a low whistle. "Imagine taking several thousand quality manastones and compressing them into a single stone."
"So… a stronger manastone?"
Juni snorted before she could stop herself, then flushed. "Sorry."
"Much stronger," Gero said grimly. "You're not comparing sparks anymore. You're talking about a forest fire. Mages—and anyone with power—would kill for even a few of them."