Chapter 2
The Prison
When everything was settled at the mining facility, thanks said and the Guardians on-site awoken, Tempest Squad and its two interns boarded the Defender, the squad’s own personal skyship. With them was the dismembered thief, sobbing every few seconds before both Bruce and Trent managed to shut him up and drag him along to the cells on the ship. Despite his sobbing, he was easily wheeled onto the great vehicle.
Meredith was less easy to coerce.
“Maybe I’ll just walk. We’re on the same continent as Corps Castle, right?” she suggested, scratching at the scar on her cheek. Vivian would have none of that, snickering as she pushed her friend up the ramp.
“But Mera, I thought you loved skyships! You’re such a skilled mechanic!”
“I hate you, Viv.” It didn’t stop her from being pushed upwards and on to the bridge, where most of Tempest Squad was gathered. The engines throttled, sending a hum that rattled all their legs. Right away, Meredith had to tuck hers in to prevent the sensation of puking. “Can we please go before I toss my cookies?”
“One route to Corps Castle coming right up!” Sal cheered from the pilot’s seat. Kenny was flicking switches, lights on the dashboard indicating that all systems were go. Voices were heard from outside, Raymond offering final orders before he leapt on the ascending ship. Meredith watched her brother, his disappointed expression flickering on his face for a second before he looked to the task ahead.
“Take us home, Sal. Kenny, in the meantime, can I ask you to look into where that information was sent?”
“I’m on it, captain.”
“Ah, Corps Castle! This might finally be our last job for a little bit. I’m looking forward to some good R and R,” Jay expressed. He flopped down in one of the chairs on the bridge, stretching his legs. Sal scowled at him, but was otherwise preoccupied with getting the ship into the air. Vivian continued guffawing, unheard, and it prompted Meredith to hold her stomach in and stand. “We’ve been so busy since the Games, we’ve only had brief minutes here and there at home.”
“It’s important,” Raymond said. His eyes were drawn to the outside, the clouds and stars giving way to the first wisps of dawn on the horizon. “The Renegades were defeated, but their intentions reached people.”
“We have been dealing with one criminal element after another these days, though this might be the first lead we’ve had on the Order being tied to any of this,” Emily said. She joined Jay in the chairs, letting her hair down for a second. Meredith scratched at her own and ignored the jovial banter, approaching Kenny as he brought up a computer screen and began searching through things.
“The Order…never a more annoying bunch,” Raymond said. Meredith tossed a glance and saw his disgusted look, but he wiped it away. “How many probes have we sent in and nothing’s come back? Even our look to find their base…”
“The Chief Commander tries his best. We’re lucky to have gotten as far as we did…”
“So, where’s the signal coming from?” Meredith asked, leaning over Kenny’s shoulder. She blocked out the other three members of Tempest Squad, each conversing with each other, to put forth her query to the bearded man. His shining eyes turned to her with a smile, fingers rapidly rolling across the screen.
“Not as fast as that, miss,” Kenny said, his laugh showing a lack of concern. “There are a lot of things it can be traced through. Not that I’m the most proficient, but I can discern some things.”
“Better than either of us,” Vivian said, her shoulders hunched in a shrug. Kenny offered another laugh.
“Perhaps.” A chime echoed from the terminal and the man leaned close. His frown communicated that it wasn’t entirely information he wanted to hear. “Dead end, captain.”
“You’re kidding…”
“‘Fraid not…It ends in the Metropolis, at a Corps server no less…I think. I’m better with television signals than I am with computers.” Raymond rubbed his temples at the newest information. “Sal can take a crack at it, if she…”
“No, thank you. I’m not touching Corps servers. You’re better off asking Marcus.”
“Speaking of, isn’t that the castle there?” Bruce and Trent’s simultaneous question made Jay and Emily stand. Meredith settled her queasy stomach and leaned further, staring out the window to the shape that was fast approaching.
“Corps Castle…” Raymond breathed. His eyes weren’t smiling, but his breath was one of calm relief. “Home.”
Meredith wanted to agree with her brother, but all she managed was a wan smile. She hoped he still considered their own place in Lumarina as a home, as well. Yet at the same time, she couldn’t blame him, her eyes drawn to her once-goal.
Framed in the dawning light, Meredith saw Corps Castle in all its glory.
Situated on the sea, it was a shining beacon of hope: a multi-tiered castle on a bedrock that had stood the test of time. So enchanting was it, even Terrill was moved inside the blade. The closer they approached, the more beautiful its stone-gray brick appeared. There were turrets and towers, and a large lighthouse at the top, perhaps for a time where people sailed the seas over soaring the skies. Meredith couldn’t know what its intention was, but its shining light still served as a statement: “We are here”.
More impressive, was how the castle had been retrofitted to match the age. While the docks that once made the lower levels were sealed off, the upper levels of the castle were opened up, creating vast hangars through which skyships were sailing in and out, carrying each different group to their missions. From her brief time, Meredith could watch each skyship, beginning to know each by name and squad, despite how little time she spent at the castle, and could sweep her gaze to note where the different dorms, training rooms and audience halls were. She even took note of the cafeteria, wondering just how hard Eddie, her best friend, was working there.
“Skyship Defender coming in for landing. This is Tempest Squad,” Sal spoke over communications. There was a moment of silence, then static, and finally the all-clear came through.
“You’re clear for access, Defender. You have some guests waiting for you.” Meredith found her back straightening, yet she held no surprise, and nor did Vivian. A few weeks of working with Tempest Squad had taught them who to expect when guests were at landing.
Sure enough, as the Defender hissed to a stop inside the hangar, Meredith was unfettered at the sight of Commander Amelia Chavez, one of the Guardian Corps’ Big Three (not to mention her own pseudo-mentor), and Chief Commander Marcus waiting below. Meredith took mere seconds to scan the hangar, numerous ships resting there as the doors closed behind them. It appeared as though most of the fleet had been called back, but operating on such little information, Meredith didn’t pursue the thought-line, making to follow Jay and Emily out. It didn’t take long for the two teens to stand in salute to the two commanders.
“I take it your mission was successful, Captain Childs?” Marcus asked. His hands behind his back, and his gray hair windswept, he looked no different than he had in the repeated press conference. He still carried his air of authority and the manners that made him such a popular figure. “How are our friends at the Cordic Mining Company?”
“Shaken, but safe. I’m not entirely sure we can say the same for our own Guardians.”
“That so?” Marcus asked. The chief commander began to pace, observing each member of Tempest Squad in turn, sans Bruce and Trent, who were wrestling the thief off the skyship. He spared the pathetic man a glance. “Well, all’s well that ends well. Perhaps they’re also in need of a call back.”
“Sir?” Raymond’s question nearly went unanswered before Amelia stepped in, swiping her long blonde hair behind her.
“After complaints, we’ve had to start recalling Guardians in for…er…better education, so to speak. Only our four major squads have been of high value, and we always keep Flare Squad on defense. Seems people aren’t happy with the previous lax attitude,” the commander spoke. Her eyes lingered on Meredith and Vivian, the two girls stiffening as they realized their own commander most likely desired words with them. Holding in the sigh, Meredith realized that was the only reason Amelia had come in the first place. “You wouldn’t know, busy as you’ve been.”
“Mm, though despite our busyness, I’m afraid we’ve walked away with very little, sir,” Raymond informed the chief commander. He paused to listen, nodding his head at everything the captain informed him of. “I can write up a full report, but at best we have a nebulous connection between the Order and the thieves, with a message sent to the Metropolis through a Corps server.”
“A Corps server, you say?” Meredith found her head naturally tilting to the side in contemplation. Marcus’s fascination with the potential subject piqued her own interest, one which doubled when the two commanders shared a brief look. Meredith met Vivian’s eyes, both wondering what it meant, but the matter was all too swiftly swept under the rug. “No matter. It’s good information. I’ll have Quake Squad act on it. Captain owes me, and there’s no doubt Roy wants to get home. Must be a rattlesnake in the Metropolis at the moment. Amelia, if you could contact Frost Squad-”
“What should we do sir?” Raymond asked. His subordinates kept at rapt attention, but they needn’t have worried about chastisement, for Marcus smiled at all of them.
“Rest up, and welcome home, Raymond. I might have a mission for you soon, but some work needs to be done. For now, you’ve all done enough. Excellent job. Dismissed.” They lowered their salutes, and Meredith turned away, only for the back of her robes to be nabbed by Amelia, dragging both Vivian and herself away.
“Ah, not you two,” the commander said. The smirk on her face said it all. “You’re just lowly interns.”
“Haven’t we done enough, commander?” Vivian said, unable to stop the scowl from emerging. Amelia smacked it right into place with a blow to the back of her head.
“You’ve done well with Tempest Squad,” Amelia responded. She spun them around to face her, the grin not boding well for either. “However, as interns, it’d be a bad look if you got time off, especially when Montgomery and Baroné are continuing their work.”
“Isn’t Emil technically being punished?”
“Don’t talk back, Lacroix.” This time, both girls received a blow. A pair of working Guardians walking through the hangar gave them a wide berth, as did Tempest Squad, each commiserating, but doing nothing to help. “Point is, Tempest Squad gets a day off, but you don’t. And I doubt Marcus would just let Raymond rest like that, not with our exchanges arriving tomorrow.”
“I’m confused…” Meredith voiced. She didn’t receive a slap for her troubles, but a sigh instead.
“Don’t worry about it. Just trust the true Guardians to handle the tasks. You two get to report to the prison warden first thing in the morning tomorrow. That’s your new job until something else comes up.” There was little room to argue or protest, a fact that Amelia was incredibly satisfied with. “Good, now that I’ve given you orders, get some grub. You can relax for the day. Who said I wasn’t fair? Ha ha ha!”
With a slap on the back, she sent the two girls stumbling towards the exit from the hangar, and when they had emerged in the hallway beyond, Vivian at last responded.
“My head says she isn’t fair…”
“Tell me about it…” Meredith groaned. She hadn’t realized it before, but the mission had made her scars ache, and her tummy growl. There was no embarrassment, but her feet did pick up in pace to reach the cafeteria the next floor down, which was just getting lively for that day’s breakfast. Fluffing her hair with trepidation, Meredith audibly breathed out. Her eyes looked at the blade on her back as best she could, offering another sigh. “Weapons, huh…?”
“Yeah, who’d have thought some random thieves would be interested in stuff like that? Though if there’s a tie to the Order…well, we know they’re after them.”
“Makes you wonder why they leave us alone,” Meredith said. Her feet finally carried her towards food at Vivian’s pushy insistence. “I mean, we’ve got two Legendary Weapons right on hand.”
“Well, we are the heroes who saved the Metropolis!” No looks needed to be given for Vivian to realize how stupid that was. “Who knows? Like we know how a bunch of nutjobs think.”
“What about nutjobs now, Viv?” To say Vivian’s eyes lit up at Eddie Montgomery’s voice would’ve been an understatement, her ponytail whipping Meredith in the face as she aimed a smile at him. Meredith brushed the hair away, rolling her eyes as she grinned to her best friend. Unlike the pair of them, he was behind the counter, serving food to the Guardians there, including themselves, all while wearing a white chef’s outfit, emblazoned with the Corps’ emblem. Most of all, his brown eyes radiated happiness.
“Oh, just Order stuff,” Meredith answered. She took a tray, sliding it along to Eddie as he put food upon it. The smell was intoxicating, making her mouth drool; it had been far too long since she’d had Eddie’s cooking. “Our latest…er, last mission had some possible connections to them and the Weapons.”
“Ooh, that’s interesting. I’ve heard tell of some similar situations going on around the castle,” Eddie said. He covered her hash browns with ketchup, doing the same to Vivian’s tray, while ensuring the blonde had an apple.
“Other criminal groups looking for the Weapons?” Eddie nodded in her direction. “Guess it’s a more dangerous world out there.”
“It’s definitely keeping the Corps busy. I get to hear them complaining day in and day out. They’ve never had to work so hard in keeping the peace!” Meredith frowned, spearing some waffles as she clattered them on her plate. The grumbling wasn’t unnoticed whenever she was at Corps Castle. Compared to their time before the Games, they were more on-edge and dissatisfied with their current life, like it wasn’t what they signed up for. “Oh well, I try to be a good listener. Sometimes that’s all people need.”
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“Yeah,” Vivian agreed, nodding her head fervently. She probably would have spoken more, but other Guardians were waiting for that day’s breakfast. Meredith tugged on the girl’s robe and pulled her along to a secluded corner of the cafeteria, where one could observe without being seen, including a cart with mops being rolled in. “Eddie seems happy.”
“He loves cooking. I’m sure he wants to support on missions, too, but he’s too much of a softie to complain about something he already likes doing,” Meredith said, munching on her waffle. She observed Vivian, the blonde staring back at her best friend, and bit back a snicker. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were smitten with him, Viv.”
“I-I am not!” Vivian said, her orange juice spitting across the table. Some splattered Meredith’s face (which she wiped off), while the rest landed on the ground. “He’s just a good friend who’s been very supportive, and is good at magic and…okay, maybe a little. But what about you? You two have known each other your whole lives!”
“Afraid of stepping on my toes? Unlike you to be so considerate,” Meredith teased. The girl attempted to toss a fork at her, but it missed wildly, with a clatter to the floor that left her without an eating utensil. “Y’know…Emil asked me the same a while back. But no. We’re best friends, and I love him, just not that way. You two can have fun.”
“I don’t need your permission, trash! And it’s just…maybe…possibly…a silly little crush, at best. Probably because we’ve all spent so much time together. Not like my father would approve.” Meredith snorted, sure that he wouldn’t. Victor Lacroix was hardly the most forgiving man in the world. Either way, she didn’t care about Vivian’s affections for her best friend, if that was indeed what they were. She cared more about the breakfast in front of her, and the niggling worry about the Weapons. Vivian appeared to be right there with her. “No time for things like dates, anyway. Not with how busy Amelia is keeping us. I think she likes working us to the bone. We haven’t gotten a moment’s peace!”
“I know…” Meredith rolled her eyes, viciously stabbing a waffle and shoving it in her mouth. “I’d love a chance to call some people but we never catch a break.”
“Let me guess: Brynn? Or is it Mr. Matthew?”
“Probably both. Move your feet, Viv.” The male voice interrupted their conversation, and Meredith look up to see Emil Baroné, dressed in a janitor’s uniform, idly swabbing the floor with his mop to clean up Vivian’s orange juice. That drew an unpleasant chortle from the blonde. “I hear tell you guys found some connections on your latest mission. More Weapon stuff?”
“Not for you to know,” Vivian snapped. Emil blinked at her, releasing a tired sigh. Meredith watched him, realizing the boy’s usual scarf was gone, and his dirty-blond hair was more tousled than ever. He looked as exhausted as she felt.
“Yeah, okay, I get it. More punishment…like my janitorial services or my apology tour aren’t enough…” His face was growling, but he finished mopping up and leaned against his cart, trying to remove all animosity from the air around them. “How many times do you want me to say I’m sorry for what happened?”
“Oh, ignore her. She’s just crabby because she’d rather be making goo-goo eyes at Eddie.” Meredith felt the pain on her shin shortly after that. “Any other rumors, Emil?”
“Just the commanders being concerned about stuff. Apparently, they’re talking about calling in Commander Frigas and Frost Squad. Nothing much on the Weapons, though,” Emil said. He leaned down, picking up Vivian’s dirtied fork and tossing it with other abandoned utensils. “Maybe you should do some research yourself.”
“That’s moderately unhelpful, but thanks anyway,” Meredith said. Emil shrugged his shoulders, and with nothing else to say, he retreated. Vivian returned to her breakfast, attempting to now eat her waffles with a spoon, while Meredith slipped into pensive reflection, mindlessly chewing her own meal.
It was certainly news to her that the top brass of the Corps was thinking about calling the last of the Big Three in. It didn’t help that she was the most reclusive of them, not having the charismatic camera presence of Royston Masters, nor the no-nonsense training attitude of Amelia Chavez. In fact, Meredith was completely unsure if she’d ever seen Commander Cynthia Frigas in anything aside from old clippings of years ago. It all spelled out a dire situation for the Corps, and a worry that had permeated those in power there. The lower levels were less concerned, more involved with complaining than anything else over their uptick in work. It was disappointing to see.
“Hey, trash! You, me, training room.” Meredith hardly reacted when Vivian rapped her on the head. Her thoughts were still scattered about all the recent developments, and it was something her friend picked up on. “Look, whatever you’re parsing in your mind, save it for later. Nothing we can do about it. Your brother and the commanders have it covered. But if we’re going to be sitting around for the next long while, I’m not falling behind. Got it?”
“You’re so annoying, Viv. Shut up,” Meredith finally said, this time tossing her free spoon at the girl to get her to stop. That missed, too, and the look from a cleaning Emil indicated his displeasure. Still, she had to admit Vivian had a point, and with a yawn, she abandoned all worries about things she couldn’t control. “All right, fine. Just don’t complain when you lose.”
The two girls finished eating and left the cafeteria, all thoughts but the immediate future locked away.
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Corps Castle had become familiar to Meredith in the weeks since the conclusion of the Alliance Games. No longer was she a guest, but an intern, making her the closest to her dream than she’d ever been. She slept in the dormitories alongside Sal and Emily (who, at this point, was thrilled to have her), and usually ate breakfast with Tempest Squad. She’d train with different groups and was sometimes tasked to go on patrol with Vivian by Amelia.
The halls were known. The people were recognizable.
Yet the one place she didn’t dare approach were the prison cells near the lowest level of the castle. It wasn’t out of prohibition. There were only a few places that they were disbarred from visiting either through rank or safety, but the prison wasn’t one of them. No, the only reason she didn’t care to approach those cells were because of the inhabitants within, a number growing by the day.
Specifically, Meredith had a lump in her throat at the thought of seeing Caleb the Beastmaster and Gaius the Devourer again. Vivian, putting on a brave face, was the same. Both remembered their helplessness at Gaius’s assault on the alchemic settlement nearly two months ago, and though they had grown stronger, Meredith couldn’t help the cold sweat forming on the back of her neck.
This was only mitigated by the balding, older Guardian that served as the warden of the prison. He was smiling, wringing his hands together as he bowed to the girls when they reported for duty that morning.
“A pleasure to meet the both of you! A most marvelous pleasure!” he said. The attitude reminded Meredith of Vivian’s old attendant, Max, and how the man was doing, allowing her to relax just a little bit. “You both did wonderfully in the Games, and it’s a real joy to have you assigned to the prison for the time being.”
“Is anyone else, sir?” Vivian asked. In spite of the man looking good-natured but clearly in over his head, Vivian treated him with the respect of a commanding officer. He liked that, standing taller as he shook her hand. Meredith repeated the gesture. “I don’t see many other guards here.”
“Unfortunately, we are short-staffed, at the moment,” he admitted. His fidgeting hands dug into his pocket and pulled forth a handkerchief which he used to dab at his own sweat. “Since the Renegades, I’m afraid we’ve had to pull from squads when we have the chance. I have two other Guardians on staff with me in the backroom, but with our growing number of incarcerations, we can be stretched thin.”
“Well, we’re happy to serve, sir,” Meredith said, saluting the man. His head jiggled up and down with relieved glee. “What are your orders?”
“Ah, yes, right…orders…” The warden shuffled to his desk, dimly lit in the stone corridors that made the prison. Corridors stretched beyond, filled with the criminals and villains of the world, audible to even their ears as they rattled their cages or moaned about their fates in life. Meredith was pretty sure she heard the man from yesterday, too, but her eyes were eventually drawn to the obsidian door. Her spine tingled. “Right, so, I’ll have you both on the daytime shift, to really get a feel for what we do. There’s not much. Keep them in line, feed them at around noon, and help any Guardians that need to interrogate any one of them.”
“And that room?” Vivian was most assuredly pointing to the black door, leading to the deepest recesses of the prison.
“I’ll only send you in there for feeding. My usuals refuse to enter.” Meredith didn’t need to ask why. She just affixed a smile and saluted once more.
“We’ll do our best, sir!”
“That’s the spirit! Now, let’s get you to work!”
Work it was, indeed. While it wasn’t the high-flying action that being attached to Tempest Squad provided, Meredith soon found the different speed was no less challenging or intensive than being in the middle of the fray. Rather, she looked at it as just another challenge of being a true Guardian. As a challenge, it was certainly a lot to handle, but with little in the way of options, she and Vivian tackled it head on.
Shortly after the warden had explained the basic rules, the two girls were introduced to the other two Guardians on the prison block, and they were then reassigned separately with an experienced veteran to patrol a section. While she expected the howling and jeering, Meredith was surprised by the fact that the prisoners were so rowdy.
“You get used to them,” her partner spoke, banging on the bars with one of his blades. “We only let them out every other day for exercise. Otherwise, they stay in their cells. Can’t have dangerous criminals roaming about, after all.”
“How often do other Guardians visit?”
“Not too often, but that’s when they get the loudest. Once they get used to you, there’s no point in taunting you further, so it’s only the new people they like to rile up.” His comment was proved rather accurate when a young male wolf-whistled at her, only to be frightened back into his cage. “It’s a boring job, but I guess we have to be vigilant, huh? Just wish there were more of us.”
Meredith could understand why. The prisoners, at times, felt coordinated. When one would quiet down, another would make a racket, and she found herself running back and forth to keep them all in line. From cultists that had been caught to potential terrorists, it was a cornucopia of villainy. The most annoying ones were the fights, resulting from the newest cellmates that decided to try and kill each other in some contest of strength, or those that just had a problem. Most of the other cells would cheer them on, but by the time lunch had rolled around she had found an effective measure to deal with them: her Soul Magic connecting with that of their beds to chain them to opposite sides, preventing further bloodshed.
Vivian looked less fortunate.
“This post sucks…” she uttered, her hair all over the place and her stomach growling. Meredith laughed at her friend’s misfortune, tossing her one of the prepared plates they had stored in the backroom. “Those prisoners are beyond annoying. I think they like making us run around. Don’t know why we don’t just put them in a hole in the ground and let them all kill each other…”
“Viv!” Meredith slapped her shoulder, digging into her own plate of a cold sandwich. It wasn’t as good as Eddie’s stuff, but with how hungry she was starting to feel, that didn’t matter. “I find it rather interesting.”
“Of course you would…you’re a Guardian junkie, so anything you do for the Corps is super-exciting!” Her voice pitched higher, and Vivian sought to imitate her. “I’m Meredith Childs! I like all things Guardian! One day, I’ll be the best!”
“Careful, Viv. We’re on prison duty, now. Maybe I’ll get chummy with a sane one and learn to make a shiv.”
“I’ll do the same.” The two butted foreheads before they could stop, each glaring at the other until a cleared throat pulled them away. They blinked, surprised at who was standing in the doorway.
“You’re adapting to your new post well,” said Raymond. Flushed with embarrassment at her brother walking in on their bickering, Meredith shoved the rest of her sandwich in her mouth and chewed. “Relax, Mera, I’m not judging. The warden is thrilled.”
“Shy are shu here shen?” she asked. Vivian’s disgusted look went ignored.
“Exchange visitors. Giving them the tour with the chief commander. Pretty sure you know both of them,” her brother answered. Curiosity leapt into her brain, but Raymond didn’t answer, unless one counted Vivian questioning just what the exchange visitors were in general.
“And what’s that all about?”
“Just a little program myself and Commander Chavez came up with after the Games.” Marcus’s arrival had little preamble, but the girls were up and saluting faster than he could finish, their lunch forgotten. “At ease, ladies, just paying a visit. I see you’re settling into your new post, though don’t get too comfortable.”
“We’re always ready to go, sir.”
“I’m sure you are, Miss Childs.” Marcus’s laugh was infectious, eliciting one from even Raymond. She would have ribbed her brother, but didn’t in the presence of the chief commander, who jerked his head. “That said, I’m sure you’d like to reunite with our visitors. They’ll be here for a bit of time, much like yourselves.”
“Sir, you, uh, still haven’t explained what it is…” Vivian noted. Marcus offered another chuckle, turning out of the room to the halls beyond. Raymond directed their path, indicating they should walk forward. When they had, their superior began to explain.
“After the Games and your efforts, Amelia felt there was a need for cooperation. Well, obviously our agreement with Lacardia was already in place, and many Guardians are receiving a modest magical education,” Marcus explained. In his presence, none of the prisoners were jeering, all of them shrunk into their cells with every authoritative step. “So, we offered the same. For students of the great Academy, and the Home Guard as well, to enter our castle and spend time as pseudo-Guardians. The Home Guard is a bit more reticent following the events, but two of Lacardia’s best and brightest have already taken us up on the offer. We thought it best to give them a tour and introduce them.”
Who “they” were, was quickly revealed, the pair of teens standing awkwardly near the warden’s desk.
“Conrad! Summer!” Meredith called. She jogged the rest of the distance and threw her arms around the dark-skinned boy, smushing his glasses against his face. The girl next to him raised an eyebrow, but waved nonetheless before offering a frosty nod to Vivian. “I didn’t know you guys were coming to Corps Castle!”
“We picked the long straws,” Conrad responded, pointing to himself with pride. “Autumn wasn’t too happy, though.”
“She’ll deal. At least Felix is there to keep her distracted. How’ve you been, Mera?” The girl, one of a pair of twins, leaned forward to hug Meredith in turn, though it lasted for less time. Behind them, Raymond and Marcus watched in humor, the latter checking a watch of his.
“Good. Good. You’ve seen Eddie?”
“And Emil, swabbing the floors. Felix’ll have a riot when we tell him!”
“Regardless,” Summer interjected, pushing Conrad back when she noticed he was getting a little too close to Meredith, “we’re looking forward to learning from the Corps, particularly in combat.”
“That so?” Vivian asked. The cold response increased the tension between the two girls, though Marcus cleared his throat. Meredith stepped back. There was no surprise, somehow, that both Conrad and Summer wanted to come to the Corps to train. She hadn’t thought of it in the moment, or any time thereafter, but the pair had been largely checked out of what happened at the Games. Sparing a glance at Conrad, and the flash of shame behind his eyes, she knew she was right.
“Well, I’m glad you’re all caught up. That kind of friendly relationship is just what I’m aiming for!” Marcus declared. “That said, there’s still a lot more to discover at the castle, and I know you’ll be able to fully catch up later. Childs, Lacroix, your posts are waiting, I’m sure.”
A wordless acknowledgment was given while the chief commander and Raymond ushered both Conrad and Summer out, the Lacardian pair offering a final wave. Not long after, Meredith found two plates of food put in her hands by the warden and she looked up to see him opening the black door. It hissed, sending a chill over her pores.
“My apologies, Childs, but I’m afraid they need feeding, and the others are at lunch.” The request, or rather, the warden’s order was clear. Meredith swallowed, and she could hear the same action from Vivian. All the warmth of her previous interaction had been sapped away. She took a tentative step forward, and once she was at the threshold, the warden placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t speak to them. Just deliver.”
Grasping on his orders, Meredith said nothing and proceeded into the hall beyond.
The second she did, she felt cold. Water could be heard dripping, and every single movement echoed in the space, soon after drowned by the darkened cells. Meredith continued slowly, but it wasn’t all that long to reach the first occupied cell. She didn’t look, and nor did she want to, but she could hear. Inside, the Beastmaster was muttering, lost in a crazed state where he couldn’t recognize anyone or anything. She placed the plate down and slid it under the bars. She stepped off to the next, a sudden munching and crunching emanating from the Beastmaster’s cell.
Meredith didn’t want to spend any more time there, and she placed the last plate down, sliding it under to Gaius.
“So, it’s you…the earth-splitting girl…” Meredith froze in coming back up, and made the mistake of looking, matching her gaze with Gaius. He was lurking in the dark, a luminous smile appearing while he pulled his plate over. “Still holding tight to your Weapon for the Corps? Or is that weapon bent to serve another master?”
Meredith recalled the warden’s orders, and stood to make a hasty retreat. She only paused when Gaius banged against the bars.
“It’s not long, you know?” he cried. “We can still hear things from outside these walls. The fear. The doubt. Your captain knows the same. As do you. I can smell it. What did he find? What did you find? Your precious Corps…your chief commander…all will fall, when we arrive in the next world! Just keep your Weapon tight! Ahahahaha!”
Meredith shuddered, unable to make sense of Gaius’s taunts. She clenched her fist, and as the Devourer’s laugh continued around the chamber, she ran, far away and into safety before any more doubt could enter.