Chapter One
Five days earlier
“You gonna eat that?”
I looked up at Benjamin, who was staring eagerly at the untouched turkey leg on my plate. “Go for it, champ.”
He grabbed it with his bare hands and gnawed on the leg like a starved vulture. “Well, that’s disgusting,” I muttered.
“You really should slow down and learn some etiquette,” Aiden said, who was sitting to Benjamin’s right. “We’re lucky to be at such a formal occasion.”
Benjamin tried speaking with his mouth full, but I interrupted. “Don’t, man. You start spitting across the table, and they’ll definitely kick us out.”
The brute rolled his eyes but obliged. I shared a look with Aiden, and we shook our heads in unison.
The three of us sat at a roundtable by the hall’s back wall, having chosen one of the dozen or so that had been assigned to Soldiers. Some other rookies sat alongside us, but I think Benjamin’s savagery kept them from chatting us up.
I scanned the room and guessed that there were around two hundred people enjoying the buffet. Military members were easy to pick out, since they wore star-shaped pins on their otherwise formal attire. We were told not to wear our combat gear for the banquet, but we were encouraged to bring a weapon or two.
My naked sledgehammer dangled from my belt.
“I recognize some of the Philosophers here,” Aiden said. She nodded towards a table several rows closer to the room’s dais than we were. “See them? They write about the nature of Laws.”
I looked over at Aiden. She was pale, skinny, and her white-blonde hair somehow reminded me of dying grass. Her prominent dimples were a stark contrast to her shy demeanor. “Why would they be invited to this?”
Aiden smiled, her green eyes darting excitedly. “The Wolves make things that Humans could never dream to. I’m sure they’re interested.”
I shrugged my shoulders so that my jacket fell back into place. It was a little big for me, but Mom tried her best. I hated dressing like this. If I wanted to dress up for work, I would’ve joined the ranks of Commerce. “Yeah, well, all that thinking won’t help if the Wolves decide the buffet isn’t cutting it.”
Benjamin let loose a thunderous burp, which earned looks of horror by the other rookies at the table. “I’m with Wyatt. You can’t trust an animal.”
“Didn’t some horde of Wild Wolves try to raid Polygon just last week?” I added.
“Yeah,” Aiden said diffidently, “but those were from the Wildlands. This is different.”
“Uh-huh,” Benjamin muttered. “Don’t see any Humans living in the Wildlands.” He tapped Aiden’s nose. “Don’t be naïve, sweetie. It’ll get you killed.”
Aiden grabbed Benjamin’s finger and tossed it away. “Not all problems can be solved with a gun. Read a book, ogre.”
“Books didn’t help me last month against those rhinos,” Benjamin retorted. “Wyatt was there, he’ll tell you. Wyatt?”
I’d only been half-listening to my friends’ banter. My eyes were locked on a man walking towards our table. “What? Sure. Hey, I think Lieutenant Roderick is headed our way.”
Everyone at the table straightened up at that, including me. I had more reason than the others—Roderick was my Lieutenant, my direct commander.
“Hey,” he said when he reached me.
I kept eye contact and prayed that I didn’t have food on the sides of my mouth. “Sir.”
“Come find me after the ceremony. I have a job for you.”
I suppressed the excitement and curiosity that threatened to leak through my face. “Yessir.”
With a nod, the strong-jawed Lieutenant walked away. The rest of the rookies at the table looked at me, but I ignored them. Once Roderick was out of earshot, I whispered to Benjamin and Aiden, “Guess I’m his favorite.”
Benjamin snorted. “He probably wants you on cleaning duty.”
“You don’t think an event like this is already covered by the Assembly?” I retorted. “No way. This’ll be something interesting.”
The background chatter of the room suddenly died. I looked towards the dais to see a bald, round man, dressed in an ocean-blue suit and white shirt, standing alone at its center. It was difficult to make out the pin on his jacket lapel, but I already knew what it was—a metallic square with three squiggly horizontal lines etched on its surface. The symbol of Humanity, of Polygon, of our leadership class.
We’d had the honor of meeting this man on our last day of training, when we were officially inaugurated into the Military. Clovis, the First Assemblyman, second in political authority only to the Ruler himself.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” Clovis announced cheerfully. “I thank you all for attending this most historic event. For thousands of years, we have lived our lives in Polygon as an isolated people. And we’ve been good at it. Our art flourishes.” He gestured at the right-hand wall, on which hung a large painting of hooded Philosophers buried in books. “Our men and women of Commerce ensure that our people’s needs are satisfied. Our Industry folk keep Polygon running without fail. And, of course, our Military keeps the peace, both within our walls and without them.”
“He’s buttering up the crowd,” I muttered to my friends. “He knows working with Wolves is a tough sell.”
Aiden put a finger to her lips.
Benjamin was right. I didn’t know how she made the cut.
“But there is more to the world than Polygon. Many of you may not know this, but the Wolves have engineered some of the most astonishing creations I have ever seen. I’ve been there myself. Their world is one of gears and chemicals and things as magical as Godlets themselves. And while I’m proud of what Humankind has achieved, we can benefit from those on the other side of the continent.
“The last trade with Wolves that the Assembly approved of was over thirty years ago. Many in this room will not have remembered it, and not only because there are so many young faces in attendance. It hardly lasted more than a week. Complications…arose.” The First Assemblyman clasped his hands together and smiled devilishly, as if he were about to land a punchline. “But failures of the past do not compel us to relinquish possibilities of the future. With The Principles of Earth and Blood, we are boundless.”
He paused, and everyone clapped to fill the brief silence.
“Now, please welcome our guest of honor as he joins me. Bogg is a renowned mogul at the Builder’s Mountains. He has brought his daughter, Kara, along with him. A round of applause, please!”
While we obliged his request, two figures entered the dais from behind its back curtain and stood by Clovis. Both wore elegant white outfits that I nearly mistook for bathrobes, but the fabric was far finer than anything I’d wear on a lazy morning, and their clothes shone as brightly as snow under the sun. Odder than their stylistic choice was that the clothing was literally moving—their tops gently rippled from left to right, as if dozens of tiny ocean waves were rolling underneath in rapid, successive, rhythmic fashion.
Both of them wore jewelry from head to toe, each ornament cut from a different gem. Their dangling, blood-red earrings and their sparkling, gray bracelets rotated in perfect harmony with the mechanical dance of their robes. More than half of their fingers were decorated with gemstone rings. Those, at least, stood still.
Their faces…my hand instinctively went to my hammer as I took them in, man and girl. Both were utterly covered in what looked like billions of thin whiskers. It was almost disgusting to look at. The larger man’s hair was mostly dark gray with a few dashes of white interspersed from his dome to his mane. The girl’s hair was similar in character, but it was the yellow-green of spring leaves.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
She-Wolves have beards. Noted.
Their fangs extended down what I guessed was past their chins, but they were too hairy—or too whiskery—to tell. While the man-Wolf was definitely lean for his size, the girl was too skinny to be healthy. Even with all of that hair, I could see her sunken cheeks.
As our applause died down, the taller of the pair offered a deep, long bow. “Hello to you all,” he boomed in a deep, confident voice. “My daughter and I thank you for your hospitality. I’ve already met some of you when we landed earlier today. My name is Bogg, and this is Kara.”
The girl waved to the crowd with both hands, as if trying to make a joke. She stumbled forward, and for a second, I thought she’d trip over her feet.
Bogg’s gaze never left us, and he continued unabated. “My team and I have been in communication with Clovis and your Assembly for years, ironing out the details of this deal. The Great Builder has granted all of us most fortuitous circumstances. You see, I have learned that underneath the outskirts of Polygon may rest undiscovered veins of metals and other valuable materials. If I understand correctly, you all use much of this metal for what you call ‘money’. But we don’t have this ‘money’ in the Builder’s Mountains. We employ the Great Builder’s seeds towards far more creative ends. With his gifts, we fertilize the world.”
I frowned. Was that a dig at us?
I noticed other faces turn sour, too.
But Bogg either didn’t notice, or he didn’t care. “We have had toys that sniff out the earth’s riches long before I came into contact with your people. We call them ‘metal detectors’. With knowledge of how Polygon runs, my team created a specialized device just for you, your own artificial bug. But I digress. I won’t bore you with details here, nor with a demonstration. Clovis and the rest of your Assembly have already seen its efficacy.
“Your men of Industry will receive shipments of my toys. It has been agreed upon that I will receive some modest fraction of any metals that my bugs discover for you.” Bogg paused. “This is—”
Kara took a wobbly step forward, and an explosion of bile and chunks of who-knows-what rocketed from her mouth.
Benjamin yelled profanity, but it was drowned out by the hundred other yells of shock. I looked wide-eyed toward my friends. “She’s drunk,” I muttered. “Guess booze hits Wolves the same way it hits us.”
“Okay, okay!” Clovis shouted, as Bogg grabbed his daughter by the arm and quickly fell back behind the curtain from which they came. “I’m terribly sorry, friends. Kara must be unwell. In any case, I thank you all for attending once again. Have a good night, everyone.”
People immediately began shuffling out of the hall. I saw staff who had been silently standing against the walls begin to clean up the place, including the vomit on the dais.
“That was weird,” Aiden said as the three of us rose to our feet.
“Yep,” Benjamin muttered. “This guy’s supposed to be our friend, or something? He brought his drunk daughter to his welcome ceremony. He’s spitting in our faces.”
“No,” Aiden responded. “I mean, I’ve read about the Wolves. They normally raise their children communally. It’s odd that Bogg has a daughter of his own at all.”
“Guess your books don’t have all the answers, after all,” Benjamin teased.
“I did know that Wolves don’t have a currency,” Aiden protested.
I put my fist out. “Much as I’d love to stick around, I’m gonna find Lieutenant Roderick. I’ll see you back at the Fortress.”
My friends took turns bumping my fist, and I headed towards the table I had seen Roderick sitting at. When I turned his way, I saw that everyone at his table had already left, except him.
He was waiting for me.
“Uh, sir,” I said as I approached his backside. “You wanted to see me?”
Roderick turned his head but remained seated and utterly still. “Sit for a second, Wyatt.”
I did, and I turned my chair so that we were face-to-face. “What can I do for you?”
The Lieutenant’s dimples showed as he held back a grin. “Some ceremony, eh?”
“Seems like the Assembly will approve the deal.”
Roderick laughed. “Relax, Wyatt. It’s just you and me here.” Now his face did break out in a flashy smile. “What do you really think?”
“I, um…” I broke eye contact with my commander. “Sorry, I don’t know what to say, sir.”
“Hey, kid, listen to me. Look at me. You’re, what, nineteen years old? You’ve been in the Military for less than a year. I’ve seen you in training. In action. You’ve got more drive than most rookies I’ve come across.”
I looked back at Roderick and did my best to suppress the elation that wanted to leap out of my throat. “Really?”
Roderick winked at me and nodded. “Between you and me. You’re passionate about your job. How long have you wanted to join the Military?”
“I never considered another profession, sir.”
“Figured as much. You could go a long way, kid. I see it. And I’m in your camp. Know that.”
“I appreciate that. I…don’t know what to say.”
His playful expression again broke out in a chuckle. “You said that already. Now, I ask again: what did you think of that ceremony?”
“Well…I don’t understand why Bogg would bring his daughter out if she’s such a liability.”
Roderick nodded. “Go on.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with—what was her name, Kara? If Bogg wanted to earn our trust or respect, why would he have brought his drunk daughter onto the dais? Unless his judgment is that poor, in which case we shouldn’t be trading with him in the first place. Or maybe he did it on purpose, to spit in our face. It’s dicey enough working with any Wolf, let alone a stupid or malevolent one.”
“Why is that?”
My nerves had faded away, and I leaned closer toward my Lieutenant. “Humans should stick to our own. Things are good enough at Polygon. Clovis said it himself. Why entangle ourselves with another race?” I shook my head. “They’re not worth it.”
“There it is,” Roderick said approvingly. “I might agree with you, kid. But you know, maybe Bogg’s technology will land us gold. More money is never a bad thing. I don’t know, honestly. I hadn’t heard about the details until his speech.”
“He was mocking us,” I snapped. “He called his own technology ‘toys’ several times. Like we’re just receiving the bottom of the barrel. Screw him and his drunk daughter.”
“Okay, okay!” Roderick held his hands up teasingly. “I hear you. I don’t like working with them, either.” He shrugged his shoulders. “But you’re wrong about one thing, Wyatt. Things can always get better.”
“Yeah, well,” I muttered. “I guess we’ll see.”
“And speaking of his ‘drunk daughter’, as you called her. That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
I sat back in my chair. “Oh?”
Roderick cocked his head and looked vaguely puzzled. “You were in attendance when their ship landed earlier today. I know the two of them exited very quickly and were escorted away, but did you by any chance make eye contact with Kara?”
I pursed my lips. “Not at all. To be totally honest, I barely looked at them.”
“Not curious to see what a Wolf looked like? I know you hadn’t seen one yet, out in the Wildlands.”
“Nope. Not at all. They’re not us.”
Roderick snorted. “Fair enough. And you’ve been in my sights for the last few hours. You couldn’t have interacted with her since then.”
“Sir, what’s this about?”
“She wants a night out on the town. Apparently she wants to check out the Capital’s bar scene. From what I’m told, she requested you as her tour guide. Bogg is staying at the Capital Palace, of course, but for some reason, his daughter is staying at a hotel. You’ll take her back there when you’re finished for the night.”
I frowned. “What? That’s my task?”
Roderick nodded. “Yeah. Not the sexiest order I’ll give you, but there it is. They’re our guests, so it’s not really our call.”
“No, I get that. Bogg’s going to let her out after that debacle? How old is she, anyway?”
“I don’t know. Couple years younger than you, I guess, though the beard makes it hard to tell.”
I ran a hand through my hair, unsure how to react. “I…don’t like this. I don’t want to talk to these Wolves. I definitely don’t want to babysit some drunk.”
“I get it. Think of it as security service. I don’t know how these Wolves choose to live, and I certainly wouldn’t let my kid out after humiliating me like that. But it’s not our call. Before the ceremony, Captain Maura had told Bogg that you’d meet her outside her hotel at nine p.m. Maybe the Wolf won’t show. But if she does, you’re there to protect her.”
I grinned at my Lieutenant. “I do like that better than babysitting.”
He lightly punched me in the arm. “There you go. Oh, and don’t change your clothes. Let’s keep a professional face.”
“Definitely.”
“Do you know where No Rules is? It’s a high-end bar just a few blocks from where Kara is staying.”
I nodded. “Yeah. I’ve never gone in, though. Last time I was in the Capital was when we passed our training. My friends and I celebrated in the area.”
“I’m sure you did. Here.”
Roderick pulled out something from his jacket pocket and handed me half a dozen heavy gold coins. I looked at them and saw the same insignia inscribed on them that was on Clovis’ pin. I whistled. “This isn’t your money, is it?”
“Of course not. I like you, but not that much. The Assembly’s covering whatever Kara wants tonight.”
“I won’t drink,” I assured him.
He smiled proudly at me. “I know you won’t. Look, I know it won’t be the most fun job, but I’ll make sure Maura and other higher-ups know you did it well.”
“Thank you, sir. Do you know why she chose me?”
Roderick rose to his feet, and I followed suit. He extended a rough, calloused hand to me. I met his grip. “You have an hour to yourself before you’re on duty. I have no idea why she insisted on you, but you can ask her. Might be a good way to bypass small talk, anyway. Good luck, Wyatt. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Thank you, sir. For everything. I won’t let you down.”
With one last charming grin, my commander walked away and left the banquet hall.
I looked around and realized that no one was left but the cleaning crew and me. I closed my eyes and took a breath.
One night. One Wolf. One job.
I got this.