Call of Fire by P. E. Padilla

Author:P. E. Padilla [Padilla, P. E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crimson Cat Publishing
Published: 2019-02-27T16:00:00+00:00

13

As soon as the squad got back to the fortress, they went straight to their bunks. Even with her mind whirling over what would happen, Kate fell asleep immediately.

The next thing she knew, Phileas was yelling for everyone to get up.

“Get on your feet, you bulging, bilious blobs. Get up, get up.”

Kate’s head felt like the clapper on a bell. A large bell. She didn’t understand why. She hadn’t drunk that much. She peeled herself from her bunk, stumbled to her feet, and headed out toward the training grounds.

“Not you,” Phileas said as she went to pass by him. “Your squad has a special appointment this morning.” He smiled at her with way too many teeth. Her stomach dropped. Arronax and Sampson were already standing nearby, and Phileas turned his attention to Chastity to tell her the good news as she came out of the barracks.

Kate and Sampson shared a look, one that said “uh-oh.” Arronax was too busy rubbing his temples to notice.

They were ushered into an office in the command area of the fortress, a location they had been told about but had never had to visit. Phileas was talking to the desk sergeant, leaving them alone.

“Where’s Wilfred?” Kate whispered.

“We all know what this is about,” Chastity growled, staring daggers at Arronax. “Wilfred was the only one not involved in some way. Maybe he’ll get away without whatever punishment we’re about to get.”

Phileas stepped up with a smile on his face. They had seen him smile more this morning than in the entire time they had been at the fortress. “The captain will see you now. Go on in.” He smiled at each of them individually, turned, and walked away.

They filed into the captain’s office. Captain Ephratus Bant was a slender man, probably in his early forties, with horrible posture. Kate recognized him from their orientation speech, when he had stood there serving no purpose whatsoever. Now, he sat slumped behind his desk littered with papers and no less than three pens scattered about.

There were two chairs in front of his desk. Arronax went to sit in one.

“You’ll stand, recruit,” the captain said firmly. Arronax straightened up and stepped back to where the rest of them stood.

“Now,” the captain said, fingering a piece of parchment in front of him. “It has been reported that you broke some rules and caused some problems last night.”

None of them said anything. Kate wasn’t sure if they were supposed to.

The captain lifted his eyes from the paper to stare at them, his eyebrows arching.

“Well?” he said.

No one else answered, so Kate did so for them. “Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir, what?”

“Yes, sir, there was trouble last night.”

“In town,” he said. It was a statement.

“Yes, sir,” Kate answered.

“What kind of trouble, recruit?”

“A local, sir,” Kate said. “He tried to start a fight with Arronax here.” She pointed toward the man.

“And what was the outcome of this attempt?”

“A few minor blows were thrown, the parties were separated, and we left the town to prevent further…ah…difficulties.”

As she spoke, Arronax glared at her as if she were making the whole thing up.

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