Pax helped pitch their tent with tired movements that had become rote after a full week of power marching back to the capital with the entire very agitated Purge camp. The inquisitors were out in full force day and night, suspicious eyes prying at everyone. No one knew what to expect when they returned to the capital and, despite their exhaustion, anxiety had ramped the closer they got.

Around Pax, the rest of his crew looked just as tired as he felt, working with shuffling movements and the occasional wide yawn. The pets were mostly asleep already on the dusty blanket Rin had set out for them once they’d found their assigned section. Only Eris was still up, waiting for her perch to be pounded into the ground inside the tent when they finished.

The sun was two hours from setting. They’d stopped earlier than usual because, this close to the capital, they now needed better walls than they had during the start of their march. Then, they’d been able to reap the benefit of all the nests they’d cleaned out, resulting in a much diminished wave of beasts when they stopped for the night.

But now, the other three neglected cardinal directions contributed more than enough beasts to force the camp to build full-sized walls tonight. The capital, Salman, was only another few hours of travel, but they couldn’t risk the entire Purge camp on the gamble that they’d win the race with the nightly beast hordes.

“I think I’m going to have nightmares about walking forever after this.” Even Dahni’s voice was slow and tired.

“My legs already feel like they’re still moving whenever we take a break to rest,” Amil said with a weak chuckle.

“Sergeant Iglis will love the shape we’re in when we get back to his conditioning class, won’t he?” Bryn’s question prompted a few half-smiles and nods.

“Hey, at least most of us got a point in Endurance, right?” Rin asked. “Any bonus to health is another step from being killed during the coming war, so I’m calling it a win.”

That sobered the mood. When Rin saw that, she gave them all an apologetic shrug before leaning down to lash her rope to the stake at her feet.

A derisive hiss sounded from behind them, followed by unintelligible words that carried a venomous tone. Pax and his friends ignored it, though Pax saw Rin’s jaw clench and Amil’s knuckles turn white on the rope he was working with. After the last few days, they were getting used to this treatment. With Incedis’ support and everyone sticking to the story, they’d barely received a reluctant pass from the authorities.

The final admonition to toe the line had made it clear they’d be under close watch going forward. The furor stirred up by the declaration of war had ignited suspicions. Everyone eyed each other and looked for faults. It hadn’t taken long for word of their unusual survival in the Wilds to make the rounds. The new turmoil surrounding the now-proven existence of lightning beasts had garnered them even more attention when others noticed the appearance of Whisk.

In the end, they’d hadn’t been able to hide the anomalies surrounding them even with the war stuff going on. The possibilities that rebels hid among them had put everyone on edge, simultaneously trying to avoid attention and find someone else to blame. It had only taken the second day back before people aimed dirty looks and derogatory words their way.

Rin theorized that others were working behind the scenes to increase the animosity against them. But it could also just be that anything or anyone different was an easy target. Pax sighed. They’d been unusual from the beginning when, as lowly street rats, they’d awakened as mages. That wouldn’t change. They just needed to convince the authorities that they were focusing their unusual abilities on helping the empire. It wouldn’t be easy to reach the position of trusted loyalists.

Just ignore them, Pax sent over his Echo. We just need to keep our heads down until we get back to the capital tomorrow and can show everyone how loyal and helpful we are to the empire.

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Yeah. Once we get to the capital, the busybodies will have other things to worry about. Rin sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as them.

This type of attention has been getting worse. Tyrodon sent. Rin might be right that someone is stoking it. If so, we’ll need a strategy to counter it.

“Hey! I’m talking to you.” The angry voice behind them sounded out again. “Bunch of beast lovers and rebels! Why don’t you have the guts to just confess? We don’t need backstabbers like you.”

Amil flinched and, in an instant, switched his regular hammer with his war one to pound his tent stake into the ground. It would have been an amusing picture if Pax wasn’t worried about him turning and using it on the hecklers.

Rin turned, and Pax tensed. But she kept her tone even. “We submitted to questioning by the Inquisitors and answered everything they wanted to know. They verified our answers as truth. We’re just as angry about the rebels daring to attack the empire.” Now she let her tone fill with anger. “If they know what’s good for them, they’ll start running now, because there won’t be much left of them once we get out there and stomp them into the ground. They won’t live to regret weakening the empire with this nonsense. We need to band together to beat the beasts back from our cities, not fight among ourselves.”

The yelling one, a tall warrior, looked taken aback by Rin’s response, mouth moving but no words coming out.

“Exactly!” The word burst from one of his friends who had nodded along with Rin’s angry words against the rebels. She seemed embarrassed when she realized what she’d done.

After another uncomfortable moment, the three walked off without another word, still looking unsure of how they should respond.

Rin kept her angry, self-righteous act until they had moved a decent distance down the camp road. When she turned back to her friends, her angry face cracked, replaced by a smile of delight. “And that’s how it’s done, my friends.”

Pax shook his head and grinned while Amil had put his war hammer away to do a slow clap for her.

Bryn chuckled as she stepped back from the tent and gave Rin a nod. “Keep that up, and they’ll add us to the list of empire loyalists in no time.”

They quickly finished up the tent in a much better mood.

Pax untied the canvas flaps of their front door and made an inviting sweep with his hand. “Welcome to our last night in this wonderful tent. Just think about how much we’re going to miss it.”

That got grins and guffaws and they moved in, already shifting to the familiar tasks of setting up the interior with cots and other necessities. Once settled, they pulled out food for their pets and the trail rations that had grown pretty tasteless over the last week. When Rin produced her last bookmark candies, the mood picked up considerably as they divided up the treat.

They had just cleaned up, ready to collapse on their cots for their last night in the Wilds when a voice called out from the front flap of their tent. Without waiting for an answer, Incedis pushed his way in, followed by Turgan and the rest of the Team Tribal.

Together with all their tamed companions, it was quite the invasion. Pax wasn’t the only one to suppress a groan as, without being asked, they turned away from their cots and gathered in the now-cramped front room.

Turgan noticed their groans, looking pretty exhausted himself. His Tamed Spectralith, Phantom, was out cold, one wing drooping out of the sling Turgan kept her in against the front of his chest. She already looked bigger than she had at Taming, meaning Turgan was being diligent in feeding her and letting her get involved in the safer tail end of battles.

Turgan offered Pax and his friends an apologetic shrug before turning his attention to Incedis. The mage reached up and tied the tent flap shut before pulling a padded chair out of his inventory and sitting down to face the rest of them. He triggered a device and the distinctive feel of a sound shielding fell over the small room.

“I’ll do my best to keep this short. Once we’re back in the capital, we’ll be under a lot more scrutiny than out here, even with the uptick in activity from our friends, the Inquisitors. We’re going to work out the basics of our plan, so when we arrive tomorrow, everyone will know their roles and get to work immediately. Time is short, and lives depend on us finishing our jobs quickly and getting back to aid the rebels directly.”

Pax’s eyes widened at the blatant reference to the rebels, shooting a surprised look at the other members of Team Tribal.

Incedis caught it. “Yes. I’ve spent the last few days working with the rest of your team to discover their allegiances and future plans. I’m happy to say that every single one wants to join the cause, despite the risks.”

“It’s the right thing to do.” Turgan sounded both grim and determined. “It’s obvious even to us students that the leaders of our empire are running it into the ground. Then Incedis showed us the numbers.” Turgan shook his head, expression bleak.

“What numbers?” Pax asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.