Chapter 56 #2
That now felt like a lifetime ago, before life had twisted into this strange limbo.
Rain found himself reaching for the remnants of freedom he’d allowed himself, determined to reclaim a piece of that spirit.
Driven by these feelings, Rain chose to scale the rooftops once more, journeying through the heart of hostile enemy territory.
The act of moving unseen, of navigating danger with skill and caution, was his way of clinging to the past; of proving to himself that some things had not yet changed, even as everything else seemed transformed.
The irony of the predicament he found himself in did little to comfort him.
It did, however, provide him with a new perspective.
Where he had once sat upon these very roof slats, frightened, reactive and alone, he now felt protective, in control and prepared to do whatever he could to avoid a confrontation.
With that thought he set his sights on his kingdom’s troops, scanning the signatures, searching for familiarity, anyone who could assist him with the plan forming in his mind.
That was when he found her.
Captain Short.
Short was leading a small squad of privates along the very edge of the boundary, a clear demonstration of Blue’s dominance. Rain recognised her as his way in; all he needed was to get down to ground level and close enough to deliver a message.
Carefully, he retraced his path, darting across rooftops deeper into Red territory until he was sufficiently distant from the camp to attempt a descent without drawing attention.
Before stepping into the open, Rain paused in the shadows and tore off the horrid red shirt he had been wearing, enjoying the tear of fabric more than he should.
He needed to vanish into the darkness, not stand out like a red flag in a bull ring.
Discarding the shirt, he moved cautiously along the ground, keeping all of his senses open, monitoring everyone in the vicinity and remaining hidden from view.
He had deliberately selected this particular street for his crossing; on the Red side, visibility was limited from both directions, giving him a chance to move quickly and conceal himself between two artillery tanks parked side by side.
But before making his move, Rain took shelter in the doorway of a building.
From there, he used his abilities to subtly trip a passing soldier, making it seem as though the soldier’s own misstep was to blame.
Seizing the opportunity, while the soldier was distracted by the stumble, Rain deftly snatched the pen and pad protruding from the man’s breast pocket straight into his palm.
He quickly scribbled out his command, finalising it with a quick p.s.
apology, knowing he owed her one for leaving the squad to answer to his father alone.
Ripping the note from the pad, he folded it neatly into a small square before marking it with Short in bold lettering on both sides.
Once positioned between the two vehicles, he homed in on Short again.
They were closer now, which made the process a little easier.
Opening his palm, he lifted the small square into the air, guiding it out into the open and attempting to mimic the effects of wind as it drifted toward her; despite the evening being almost unnervingly still.
He directed it to land smack-bang in the middle of Short’s forehead.
He reasoned with himself that it would ensure she didn’t miss it, but truthfully, it humoured him to watch her startle and swat at his little paper note as though it were a large bug attacking her.
He made sure she had it in her hand before releasing his hold, needing this to hurry along.
He was already late to dinner; this side quest had taken far longer than he’d allowed for.
Within moments, a private was sprawled on the ground, their limp body crossing onto Red territory.
A commotion erupted as Short barked orders for others to pull the private back onto friendly ground.
Red forces rushed forward, shouting commands to back away, their guns and attention pinned on the squad.
“For the love of the Gods, lower your weapons—a private has fainted…” Rain heard as he sprinted across the boundary, stopping the second his feet hit Blue turf. He swivelled in one fluid motion, acting as though he had emerged from the trees, stalking toward the squad to investigate the conflict
He stepped into his authority.
“Captain, what happened?” he demanded.
From her squat beside the feigned-incapacitated soldier, Short twisted her head toward him. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she took in his bare chest.
“It’s Lieutenant, your highness,” she corrected sharply, her tone bitter. The demotion stung; clearly his actions had cost her dearly. Rain made a mental note to fix whatever punishments his father had doled out to his squad; it was the least he could do.
“Mallory here complained of stomach cramps earlier this evening,” Short continued. “I believe she is unwell. Unfortunately, she fell into enemy territory when she passed out.”
“Unfortunate, indeed.” Rain suppressed a smile as he turned his attention to the Red troops.
At least fifty soldiers clad in red camo had their weapons locked on him, with more readying for war behind them.
Their fear was palpable, but he held steady, mastering control without closing his channel.
He needed to feel for any changes; in case another trigger-happy fool lurked among their ranks.
Blue troops had begun to file behind their prince, prepared to retaliate should anyone make the wrong move. Rain held up his hand toward his soldiers, signalling his command to stand down.
“Who’s in charge here?” he called out as a courtesy, though his eyes had already landed on their captain. The man nodded and took a few hesitant steps forward, his energy betraying their objective. They had been ordered to kill Rain on sight; presumably if he stepped into their kingdom.
It was fortunate, then, that as far as they were aware… he hadn’t.
“It wasn’t an intentional breach,” Rain said, voice cool and commanding. “I suggest you keep that in mind when you voice your command, Captain.”
He held the man’s gaze, sharp and unyielding. The captain did well to maintain eye contact for as long as he did, weighing his options.
“Fall back!” the captain finally shouted, lowering his weapon. He waved his arm in the air, repeating the order to ensure it carried.
Rain nodded in gratitude before turning back to his own army, calling them to retreat. He then offered a hand to the soldier who had miraculously recovered from her dizzy spell.
“Thanks for the assistance, Captain. I appreciate your efforts. I’d love to stop and chat, but I am incredibly late to a dinner concerning diplomatic relations.”
Short huffed in irritation as he once again addressed her by her former rank.
“It’s Lieutenant, sir!” she shouted after him, curt and clipped, as he walked away.
Keeping up his stride, he spun and walked backwards, calling out to her with a grin.
“Absolutely not, Captain! I’ll fix that.”