some of the most talented flyers and marksmen in Atalanta just because they’re women.”
Aris could hold Dianthe’s gaze no longer. She’d never thought about the ban on women in the Military, never thought she’d be in a position to care. “So what Theo was offering—what you’re offering—is a chance to join the Military sector and fight in the war?”
Dianthe stood and walked to the black table against the wall. Several metal chairs were tucked under it, but the clutter of bottles and paperwork strewn across its surface suggested it hadn’t been used for a meal in a while. She poured herself a glass of pale green liquid, leaned a hip against the table, and swirled the liquid around and around.
The silence pressed on Aris’s nerves.
“I’m offering you the chance to become a Military flyer,” Dianthe said finally. “No active combat. But you’ll still have to do physical training. First a month with me, and then regularly with your unit. The Military sector requires a certain level of conditioning. If you can’t meet those requirements, I’ll have to send you home.”
Aris was suddenly very happy to be sitting down. Theo hadn’t said anything about physical conditioning requirements. How could she possibly meet them?
Even her parents thought she could barely function. Her father loved to remind her of all the activities she was unsuited to—including a desk job in Panthea, apparently—and her mother never missed an opportunity to grab her shoulders and tell her how much worse her limp was when she slouched.
Dianthe watched her, sipping her drink. She didn’t pour a second glass, though Aris wished she would; her throat felt drier than the deserts of Safara.
“There’s someone I need to find,” Aris said loudly, trying to forget her parents’ lack of confidence in her physical strength. Trying to ignore the tremble in her knees that suggested they might be right. “If I do this, I want to be placed in his unit. Or at his stationpoint, at least. I want to work with him.”
Dianthe’s expression gave away nothing. “Who is ‘he’?”
“Calix Pavlos. He’s training to be a field mender. He just had selection a week ago, like me, only he was selected for Military.” Even now, the thought of him so close to danger made her chest burn.
The room swelled with silence and sunlight. Aris held her breath.
Dianthe tapped a finger against her glass. “I make no guarantees.”
No guarantees?
No guarantees
wasn’t good enough. If she was going to do this—if she was going to take this massive, ridiculous,
what-was-she-thinking
leap—she
had
to be with Calix.
Aris stood up on legs that only quivered a little and crossed her arms over her chest. “You need me. Theo said so. I’ll be placed with Calix or not at all. These are my terms.”
Dianthe’s eyes flashed, venomous. “
Your
terms.”
Aris stood her ground, caught in the cage of Dianthe’s stare.
The woman barked a harsh laugh. “You foolish girl. We are losing this war, did you know that? Do you think any of us can afford ultimatums?” She slammed her glass on the table. “Is that what Theo promised you? A chance to play at love on the battlefield?”
Aris sucked in a ragged breath.
Without waiting for an answer, Dianthe continued. “This is no game. I disguise you as a man, train you, and get you documents so you can pass as a volunteer for the Military sector. And then you join a regular unit and train with them. A regular unit, get it? With weapons, and war, and danger.”
Aris stared at Dianthe’s blood-red snake tattoo as she stalked the room, feeling like a small, defenseless animal at the mercy of that serpent’s strike. She shivered. “You said no combat.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t be dangerous. You’ll be a soldier, first and foremost. And you don’t get to tell your family or friends where you are or what you’re really doing. If the government discovers you’re a woman, you’ll be sent to
Aris could hold Dianthe’s gaze no longer. She’d never thought about the ban on women in the Military, never thought she’d be in a position to care. “So what Theo was offering—what you’re offering—is a chance to join the Military sector and fight in the war?”
Dianthe stood and walked to the black table against the wall. Several metal chairs were tucked under it, but the clutter of bottles and paperwork strewn across its surface suggested it hadn’t been used for a meal in a while. She poured herself a glass of pale green liquid, leaned a hip against the table, and swirled the liquid around and around.
The silence pressed on Aris’s nerves.
“I’m offering you the chance to become a Military flyer,” Dianthe said finally. “No active combat. But you’ll still have to do physical training. First a month with me, and then regularly with your unit. The Military sector requires a certain level of conditioning. If you can’t meet those requirements, I’ll have to send you home.”
Aris was suddenly very happy to be sitting down. Theo hadn’t said anything about physical conditioning requirements. How could she possibly meet them?
Even her parents thought she could barely function. Her father loved to remind her of all the activities she was unsuited to—including a desk job in Panthea, apparently—and her mother never missed an opportunity to grab her shoulders and tell her how much worse her limp was when she slouched.
Dianthe watched her, sipping her drink. She didn’t pour a second glass, though Aris wished she would; her throat felt drier than the deserts of Safara.
“There’s someone I need to find,” Aris said loudly, trying to forget her parents’ lack of confidence in her physical strength. Trying to ignore the tremble in her knees that suggested they might be right. “If I do this, I want to be placed in his unit. Or at his stationpoint, at least. I want to work with him.”
Dianthe’s expression gave away nothing. “Who is ‘he’?”
“Calix Pavlos. He’s training to be a field mender. He just had selection a week ago, like me, only he was selected for Military.” Even now, the thought of him so close to danger made her chest burn.
The room swelled with silence and sunlight. Aris held her breath.
Dianthe tapped a finger against her glass. “I make no guarantees.”
No guarantees?
No guarantees
wasn’t good enough. If she was going to do this—if she was going to take this massive, ridiculous,
what-was-she-thinking
leap—she
had
to be with Calix.
Aris stood up on legs that only quivered a little and crossed her arms over her chest. “You need me. Theo said so. I’ll be placed with Calix or not at all. These are my terms.”
Dianthe’s eyes flashed, venomous. “
Your
terms.”
Aris stood her ground, caught in the cage of Dianthe’s stare.
The woman barked a harsh laugh. “You foolish girl. We are losing this war, did you know that? Do you think any of us can afford ultimatums?” She slammed her glass on the table. “Is that what Theo promised you? A chance to play at love on the battlefield?”
Aris sucked in a ragged breath.
Without waiting for an answer, Dianthe continued. “This is no game. I disguise you as a man, train you, and get you documents so you can pass as a volunteer for the Military sector. And then you join a regular unit and train with them. A regular unit, get it? With weapons, and war, and danger.”
Aris stared at Dianthe’s blood-red snake tattoo as she stalked the room, feeling like a small, defenseless animal at the mercy of that serpent’s strike. She shivered. “You said no combat.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t be dangerous. You’ll be a soldier, first and foremost. And you don’t get to tell your family or friends where you are or what you’re really doing. If the government discovers you’re a woman, you’ll be sent to
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