El’s fingers tapped the desktop methodically while her other hand turned the page of the book in front of her. Almost immediately, she turned the page back. What did it say? Her eyes scanned the words, but her mind didn’t absorb the information. Again. That was the third time she’d tried to read the same page.

“Burrrrrrrn it,” she sighed and slouched in her chair, tilting her head back to look upside down at her uniform hanging neatly pressed on the wall. Five days since she’d worn it. Six days since she’d had to tell her fallen friends’ families they weren’t coming back. Seven days since they’d been grounded.

El shook her head and sighed. Not having anything to do was giving her mind far too much time to replay Helibak over and over. To remind her of her mistakes, and worse, of her lost friends.

Sure, she’d gone to spar with Laze, Dayne, and Nidina, but they couldn’t keep up with her. And nobody else was talking to them other than an obligatory “Hello” or “Good morning.” News had spread about the loss of her unit, and people she’d thought were friends were being oddly distant, like they’d been ordered to avoid her.

Nobody, other than that nosey cook, had even asked her about what’d happened. Not that she could tell them, she did have actual orders to keep that need-to-know, but still. Weren’t they at least curious?

El stood, stretched, and walked over to run her fingers along the electrum wing nubs. Yes, technically she was grounded, but maybe that didn’t include the training courses? Better to ask forgiveness than permission, she took her uniform off the hanger and got dressed.

Checking herself in the mirror, she gave her belt one last tug to make sure the buckle was exactly in the middle. At least she’d look good if they hauled her in for disobeying orders. With a nod she turned and went to the door, opening it to find Nexin standing there with his knuckles up as if he was just about to knock.

“Oh good, you’re…” Nexin started as El threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “…here,” he wheezed out under her grip.

“You’re okay. Thank the Pyre,” she whispered into his ear, gave one last squeeze, then let go and stepped back. “When did you get back?”

Nexin looked up and down the hall. “Can I come in?”

“Of course,” El said and stepped back into her room.

Nexin followed and closed the door behind him. “A couple of hours ago,” he said.

“And it took you this long to come tell your precious little sister you’re okay?” El asked and crossed her arms.

“You know, you look like mom when you do that,” Nexin said. “She had the same expression whenever dad did something stupid.”

El fidgeted while her brother smiled at her. “It’s not fair you can remember them,” El mumbled.

“No, it’s not. But that doesn’t change how much they loved you,” he said and mussed her hair.

Burn it, she’d need to fix that before they left. “Stop trying to change the subject,” she said. “What were you doing since you got back?”

“Reporting,” Nexin said and walked over to her desk. He picked up the book she was reading and raised an eyebrow at her, then put it down and turned the chair around so he could sit facing toward the bed.

El got the message and sat down.

“I’m under orders not to tell anybody,” he started. “But since you’re already at least half in the know, I don’t think this counts.”

“Tell anybody what?”

“I was sent to God’s Claw, to make sure security there was tight. The higher-ups still aren’t sure whether or not to believe you…”

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

“Then why did you go to God’s Claw?” El interrupted.

Nexin leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. “The Church,” he said.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Your story made the Church nervous. All information about your report has been classified top secret. Nobody outside of those who already know are being told what’s going on. That’s why my unit went to God’s Claw; we already had an idea because of the escort.”

“And because you’re my brother.”

“Correct. So, we got the errand. They didn’t want anybody else to know.”

“Is that why nobody is talking to me? Do they actually have orders?”

“Huh?” Nexin leaned forward at that. “Not that I’ve heard. Just your report was being suppressed. I haven’t heard anything about orders to avoid you. I’ll look into it though.”

“Don’t get yourself in trouble over it. I don’t mind the quiet,” El lied. “Back to the Church. Why are they involved? They usually stay out of things until we secure an Ember and they bring it back to the Pyre.”

“I don’t know,” Nexin admitted. “But they’ve exerted their influence on this, for sure. Cardinal Scin was even there for my debrief.”

“That geezer’s name makes me chuckle every time,” El said with a shake of her head.

“His presence is no laughing matter. You know the weight he carries with the Church and the military.”

El nodded. Weight was a bit of an understatement. Cardinal Scin had personally transported the last two Embers collected by Pycrin. One when El was still a toddler, and the other before she was even born. Scin was practically the hand of the Church made flesh.

“So, what did you report that was so important to him?” she asked.

“Not much, actually. God’s Claw is secure, and no sign of the lizards or storm you reported. Still…” Nexin paused and shook his head. “Still, Cardinal Scin stated he will be personally deploying a company of Ignitio to reinforce the mines. The electrum is too important to risk.”

El sat back with a whistle. A whole company of Ignitio? If the Firestorm were the elite of the military, the Ignitio were selected from the elite of the Firestorm. “That’s… big,” she said.

“Very. There’s more,” Nexin went on. “You’re not being assigned to a new wing. And you’re not getting anybody to fill in the empty slots. It’ll just be the four of you for the time being.”

“What?” El practically shouted and leaned forward again. “Where’d you hear that?”

“Cardinal Scin,” Nexin said, and let the words sink in before he went on. “He wanted to have you grounded for good, but I managed to talk the generals out of that.”

“Grounded permanently? On what grounds?” El asked. That was ludicrous.

“Oril’s testimony didn’t paint a pretty picture of you,” Nexin said with a scowl.

“But, if the Church believes us enough to send a whole company of Ignitio to the God’s Claw, shouldn’t they be thanking us for getting the information back to them?”

“That was the same argument I brought up. It was enough to sway the generals, on the condition you and your wing doesn’t talk about what you saw. One peep of it and nothing I say will keep the Church from having their way.”

“They’re burying the information. Why?”

“To keep people focused on Guld. The final Ember.”

“So, we’re going ahead with the war as if nothing happened? As if we don’t have an aggressive army somewhere to the south?”

“Not as if nothing happened,” Nexin corrected. “The generals look at it this way; it took the refugees months to get here, a newt army won’t move much faster.”

“But, what about the other lizard army that was reported?”

“And that’s the other reason I’m here,” Nexin said. “And the other thing the generals are doing differently. They’re sending out five wings of Firestorm to the west, where that army reportedly headed, to investigate.”

“And my wing is one of those five?” El reasoned.

“Correct. You’re going…”

“But we can’t talk about our last mission. What if we know something that could save lives?” El asked. They’d lost so badly before because they didn’t know what they were up against.

“I know how you feel, El, but you’ll need to be careful. If you talk about it, there will be repercussions. Don’t, unless you have to. Okay?”

El nodded. She didn’t have to say anything unless they actually found some of those ice lizards, but by then, would it be too late?

“What’s the Church up to?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Nexin admitted. “But it makes me nervous. I feel like they know more than they’re telling us. And it’s going to get people killed.”

“What should we do?”

“For now? Follow orders.”

“What about you?”

“I’m being deployed again, probably before you, so I might not see you again until we get back. Listen though, you’re going to be okay. Having a smaller wing will work to your advantage. It’s people you know, people you can trust. Take care of them, and let them take care of you.”

“I will,” El said. “I will not make the same mistakes I made last time. I’ll make you proud,” she said before she could censor her words.

Nexin leaned forward and smiled. “You always make me proud, El. Look, I’ve got to get going, but somebody will be along soon to issue new orders for you. Look surprised,” he said and got up.

El followed suit and gave him another tight hug. “Come back safe.”

“You know it,” he said, and left El to her thoughts.

First ice newts, and now the Church was getting directly involved. What had she gotten herself into?