How do I get out of this? Ranvir wondered, examining the two mercenaries without turning his head.

“What would you like?” the worker asked him as Ranvir assessed their menu.

Humming to himself, Ranvir turned the flimsy paper once before sighing. “What do you have? As drinks, that is.”

The tender smiled and hurriedly ran through the options. Ranvir payed not a lick of attention. They’re still just sitting there, looking at me. He nodded at the worker when he finished the list.

“I’ll take a tea, then. Which do you recommend?”

“Oh,” the man brightened. “We have quite a few…”

Ranvir stifled a smile as he prattled on about the various virtues of their hot, leafy beverages. Nodding and occasionally muttering a word, Ranvir let him talk. All too soon, however, he finished up and turned to him. The two mercenaries were still patiently waiting.

Pursing his lips, Ranvir said. “I’ll take that last one you mentioned.”

The worker nodded and bustled off to ready it for him. Ranvir scanned the menu, trying to figure which one he’d actually gotten. Wincing, he realized it was the most expensive option, with all the frills.

The keys were swiftly exchanged for a hot cup of aromatic, delicious tea. Like a doomed man, Ranvir made his way over to the small round table, sitting as opposite the others as he could.

He didn’t acknowledge, just gently inhaling the scent of the still scaldingly hot water. He could easily endure water at such temperatures, but the taste would be off if it was too hot. Or even if it didn’t steep long enough.

Asimina cleared her throat. “I’m sorry for taking the Orykto job. It was a decision made through a short-sighted and inconsiderate plan, looking only at the best opportunity for ourselves and not what we wrought on others.”

Ranvir frowned and glanced at Mihail, who appeared even more contrite than Asimina. “I don’t remember you from the fold. You weren’t in a leader position.”

Asimina blinked, looking up. “You don’t-“ she shook her head in disbelief. “You don’t remember me? I was the one in the armor!” she padded herself, enhanced flesh slapping her breastplate, sounding closer to wood on metal. “You hit me when you were jumping out of the sky.”

Ranvir shook his head. “I don’t remember,” then frowning. “Was that the fight when I got shot?”

Asimina nodded, looking relieved. “Yes,” then realizing they’d gotten off topic, she brought it back with an apologetic expression. “But I was in a leader position. I was one of the squad leaders. I might not have been making executive decisions, but I still had a voice on what we did as a whole. Now that I’m the Captain, it’s all my responsibility, and the Orykto fold gave me some hard things to consider.”

Ranvir nodded and sipped his tea. Blinking twice, he tasted it again. Wow, he glanced at the sign, memorizing the name. He’d have to bring the others here some time.

“So you’ve come to apologize?” Ranvir asked. “Because you were a counseling voice to Sabas, and you didn’t council against taking the job?”

She nodded.

“And how many others voted against?”

Pausing, Asimina swallowed. “None of us. Most of us were blindly following Sabas’ lead. I don’t think anyone realized how poor his mental state was.”

Ranvir frowned. “What if you had voted against taking the job? Would you still have come here?”

“I-“

“Because it feels like you came to me crying about how bad you’ve been. Like you’ve come here to show how much better you are now. Should I applaud? Give a standing ovation? What do you want from me?”

Asimina paled and looked down at her hands. Ranvir frowned at her and put his cup down.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

“What does this serve? Do you want a clap on the back and me tell you how good you’re doing? You aren’t killing innocent people anymore! Congratulations! You’re doing the bare minimum.”

Shaking his head, Ranvir snatched the tea and leaned back in his seat. His jaw ground together intermittently as he stared at them. Mihail had a dark look in his eyes, but Asimina was cowed.

She opened her mouth to speak, then shook her head and folded her hands. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have come here,” she pushed her chair back and rose.

“No,” Ranvir said, cracking both with his tether-sense. Their native presence, unaided by years of exercise, buckled for a moment and they slumped into their seats. “You think I’m just going to let you come here? Remind me of the worst time of my life, where I was the most vulnerable, and you’re just going to be free to leave?”

They both stared at him now. Most of the shop was staring at him. He did not care. Licking his lips, he leaned forward so he could stare at them more intently. “You tried to kill me. Maybe it’s time I repay the favor?” he cocked his head. “You couldn’t beat me sixty-to-one. How do you think two-on-one is going to go?”

It started raining, fat droplets slapping the paved streets outside. Pedestrians were gasping and running for cover. Whether through sheer chance or some primordial sense, none tried to enter the café.

“Come, speak up,” Ranvir said, then continued through gritted teeth. “What do you think I should do?”

“Calm down, boy,” a rough voice said. “You’re going to give me a cold if you continue like that.”

Ranvir blinked, turning to the man who’d stopped behind him. Ranvir hadn’t noticed his approach. The rain stopped as suddenly as it began, though water stains still marked the old man’s shirt. He’d walked through the storm without pegging Ranvir’s senses.

“I’d tell you to introduce me to your friends,” Kasos said, grabbing a chair and dragging it over. “But I get the feeling that comment might not be the most welcome.”

Ranvir coughed and cleared his throat, blinking at the old man. “You’re back.”

“Indeed,” he tapped his chin and nodded at the others. “Name’s Kasos and who might you be?”

Asimina, still pale-faced, opened her mouth gaping like a beached fish. Mihail, older and more experienced, gathered his wits faster. “Mihail, the Master Scout of Mercy’s Redoubt,” he nodded to his Captain. “That’s Asimina, she’s our leader.”

Kasos nodded. “Ah, that would explain the tantrum. It’s either incredible brave or incredibly stupid to approach him like this. And so soon after your attack as well.”

Asimina winced and looked away. Mihail’s face pinched, and he ran his tongue over his teeth, bulging out his lips. “It’s not our brightest idea.”

“Not a lot of those going around lately, it would seem,” Kasos said, smiling as if he hadn’t just insulted them. “What news did you have of your mercenary company that’s so important you had to come running to your last victim to explain it?”

“I think…” Asimina said, but faltered before she could finish.

Kasos’ sudden appearance had frozen over Ranvir’s spirit, clogging his momentum like snow stoppering the streets back in the village. After all this time, the man evaded his senses so easily. Now that the old man was no longer hiding, Ranvir could easily sense him. They were comparable in Tier and Level, yet Kasos control over his spirit still dwarfed any Ranvir’d ever met, even Kyriake, who might be the strongest person Ranvir’d ever seen.

Kasos didn’t fill the silence. Mihail opened his mouth, but Ranvir’s teacher held a hand out, stopping him with a simple motion.

They sat like that. In a silence so cloying it was almost choking, uncomfortable enough even Ranvir was feeling it. Finally, Asimina cleared her throat and straightened. “I wanted to explain how we were bettering our ways. That we were looking outwards now, not just at how a job could benefit us but how it affects the world.”

“You meant well,” Kasos said, nodding.

Asimina nodded, a little of enthusiasm entering her voice. “We’ve cut down our numbers so we don’t need jobs as we used to. Now we’re left with ones that want to help, to make the world a better place.”

Kasos nodded. “And what have you accomplished by coming to Ranvir and telling him this?”

Asimina frowned and worried at her lower lip. She cleared her throat. “I… I was so taken with the improvement in the company that I wanted his approval,” she trailed off, but noticed Kasos’ gesture of ‘go on’. “And I didn’t realize that this was just another way of focusing on inward. I was opening his old wounds, trying to display how we were doing.”

Kasos nodded. “Interesting thought process. What have you learned from this encounter?”

Asimina sighed. “Listen to Stelios,” she shook her head. “At least regarding grumpy veterans.”

Kasos choked back a laugh at that. “And where is he now? Did he not want to come see Ranvir?”

She shook her head. “He didn’t think it was a good idea. ‘Likely to blow up the entire city’ was his exact phrasing, I think. Besides, he couldn’t come. Some wedding, I think,” she glanced at Mihail. “Granddaughter? Granddaughter’s getting married.”

Ranvir straightened, narrowing his eyes as his heart picked up speed. It couldn’t be.

“She lives in Limclea though, so he’s probably still sleeping in a car racing down river,” Asimina finished.

Limclea, Ranvir thought, letting out a breath. Not here, then.

“Speaking of speeding off in a potragos car,” Kasos said. “I think we need to leave,” he nodded to the two. “I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure, but… At least, you seem like you meant well.”

The man walked out of the café without looking back, heading for the potragos station. For a moment, it was just Ranvir and the two mercenaries staring after him. Downing his tea, Ranvir winced at the cold flavor. The chill had done it no favor. He didn’t acknowledge the two as he strode off, catching up to Kasos.