prison for impersonating a soldier. And if you get shot”—she cocked her head to the side—“you’ll be dead.”
Each word hung like the afterimage of lightning in Aris’s mind, sinking slowly into her awareness.
“This cannot be about Calix. Do you understand?” Dianthe, still scowling, studied her.
Aris bit her lip, shamed. Because it
was
about him, even now, no matter what Dianthe said. She would fight wars for Calix. In little more than a whisper, she asked, “Are we really losing? The news vids . . .” Her voice trailed off. The news vids still dealt in small victories. Hope.
Dianthe suddenly looked tired. Even the snake seemed to droop a little as she let out a breath. “The situation is . . . dire. If the Ward of Ruslana had succeeded in persuading the other dominions to impose sanctions on Safara, maybe that would have helped us secure our border. But . . .”
“But Ward Vadim fell ill,” Aris said, stomach leaden, “and there was no vote on sanctions.”
“Exactly. And wasn’t
that
convenient.” Dianthe looked up. “Every single man—and woman—willing to stand up and fight for this dominion can be certain they are making a difference. Including you, Aris.” She drained the rest of her drink and set it back on the table. “Theo was right. We do need you.
If
you can pass the physical training.”
Taking her heart, and her courage, in her hands, Aris murmured, “And Calix?”
Dianthe sighed, sounding oddly defeated. “I’ll see what I can do.”
It wasn’t the guarantee Aris wanted. But something told her Dianthe could make it happen. “Okay. So what now?”
Dianthe led her to the first of three closed doors along the left wall of the apartment. A small circular pad beside the door glowed faintly. “This will be your room. Once you’ve unpacked your things, change into your exercise uniform. It’s on the bed. ”
“Exercise uniform?” Aris passed the handle of her bag from one hand to the other. It was light; she’d brought little with her from home.
“To begin your training,” Dianthe said, walking away.
Aris’s heart gave a sudden lurch. “But don’t you want to see me fly?”
Dianthe turned back to stare at her. “Physical training first. If you make it through that,
then
I’ll see you fly.”
“But . . .” How would she make it on the physical training alone? Her one skill was flying; without that, she had nothing.
At the obvious terror in Aris’s eyes, Dianthe raised her hands. “I told you, this only works if you can pass the physical tests.”
For an instant, Aris considered walking away. There was still time . . . and her father would be pleased. Maybe she could. . . .
No. She tightened her hand on the bag.
You’re doing this for Calix. You can do anything for him
. “I’ll be right out.”
Aris pressed the glowing pad on the wall and the bedroom door slid open. The room had no windows, just a narrow bed, one small trunk for her clothes, and a doorway that led to a tiny washroom. She dropped her bag onto the floor beside the bed, and changed into the tight black pants and sleeveless tunic of her exercise uniform.
When Aris walked back into the main room, Dianthe was waiting.
“What happens now?” Aris tried to sound professional. Like someone to be taken seriously. Like someone who wasn’t about to collapse in fear.
Dianthe led her to another door. Aris’s stomach sank when it slid open, revealing a collection of frightening machines that gleamed silver in the daylight pouring through the glass wall.
“Each member of Military is expected to run three miles every day. You’ll run one mile today, two tomorrow. And three each day after that. If I feel it necessary,” Dianthe said, “you’ll run more.” She pointed to a dark strip of flooring along the far wall.
Aris didn’t move. The first task was
running
? “You can’t expect . . . I mean. . . .” She hadn’t run more than a few yards since the fever,
Each word hung like the afterimage of lightning in Aris’s mind, sinking slowly into her awareness.
“This cannot be about Calix. Do you understand?” Dianthe, still scowling, studied her.
Aris bit her lip, shamed. Because it
was
about him, even now, no matter what Dianthe said. She would fight wars for Calix. In little more than a whisper, she asked, “Are we really losing? The news vids . . .” Her voice trailed off. The news vids still dealt in small victories. Hope.
Dianthe suddenly looked tired. Even the snake seemed to droop a little as she let out a breath. “The situation is . . . dire. If the Ward of Ruslana had succeeded in persuading the other dominions to impose sanctions on Safara, maybe that would have helped us secure our border. But . . .”
“But Ward Vadim fell ill,” Aris said, stomach leaden, “and there was no vote on sanctions.”
“Exactly. And wasn’t
that
convenient.” Dianthe looked up. “Every single man—and woman—willing to stand up and fight for this dominion can be certain they are making a difference. Including you, Aris.” She drained the rest of her drink and set it back on the table. “Theo was right. We do need you.
If
you can pass the physical training.”
Taking her heart, and her courage, in her hands, Aris murmured, “And Calix?”
Dianthe sighed, sounding oddly defeated. “I’ll see what I can do.”
It wasn’t the guarantee Aris wanted. But something told her Dianthe could make it happen. “Okay. So what now?”
Dianthe led her to the first of three closed doors along the left wall of the apartment. A small circular pad beside the door glowed faintly. “This will be your room. Once you’ve unpacked your things, change into your exercise uniform. It’s on the bed. ”
“Exercise uniform?” Aris passed the handle of her bag from one hand to the other. It was light; she’d brought little with her from home.
“To begin your training,” Dianthe said, walking away.
Aris’s heart gave a sudden lurch. “But don’t you want to see me fly?”
Dianthe turned back to stare at her. “Physical training first. If you make it through that,
then
I’ll see you fly.”
“But . . .” How would she make it on the physical training alone? Her one skill was flying; without that, she had nothing.
At the obvious terror in Aris’s eyes, Dianthe raised her hands. “I told you, this only works if you can pass the physical tests.”
For an instant, Aris considered walking away. There was still time . . . and her father would be pleased. Maybe she could. . . .
No. She tightened her hand on the bag.
You’re doing this for Calix. You can do anything for him
. “I’ll be right out.”
Aris pressed the glowing pad on the wall and the bedroom door slid open. The room had no windows, just a narrow bed, one small trunk for her clothes, and a doorway that led to a tiny washroom. She dropped her bag onto the floor beside the bed, and changed into the tight black pants and sleeveless tunic of her exercise uniform.
When Aris walked back into the main room, Dianthe was waiting.
“What happens now?” Aris tried to sound professional. Like someone to be taken seriously. Like someone who wasn’t about to collapse in fear.
Dianthe led her to another door. Aris’s stomach sank when it slid open, revealing a collection of frightening machines that gleamed silver in the daylight pouring through the glass wall.
“Each member of Military is expected to run three miles every day. You’ll run one mile today, two tomorrow. And three each day after that. If I feel it necessary,” Dianthe said, “you’ll run more.” She pointed to a dark strip of flooring along the far wall.
Aris didn’t move. The first task was
running
? “You can’t expect . . . I mean. . . .” She hadn’t run more than a few yards since the fever,
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