Chapter 3
three
. . .
I should have asked who the other officer was who had volunteered. If I had, I might not have agreed so quickly.
When I entered the square where everyone was gathered and saw the short, icy blonde standing at the head of the assembled company, I almost walked out.
There wasn't anyone in any of the companies I wanted to work with less than her.
I should have known it would be her, though.
It wasn't surprising she would take the first chance possible to escape the protection of the barrier.
Working with her, especially outside the barrier, was going to be a nightmare.
As I walked by the assembled company, I recognized many familiar faces.
They gave me confused smiles, and I heard 'Welcome back, Cap', and 'Already bored with retirement?
' I laughed at that and grinned at them. Most of the company were people I’d trained, and I was so proud that they were brave and selfless enough to do what needed to be done.
I got to the front and halted in front of the blonde officer.
“Cierra,” she said with a curt nod.
“Astra,” I returned.
“I could've handled it,” she said under her breath, her crossed arms barely hiding the lilac glow emitting from her hands.
“The Council apparently didn't think so,” I said, unable to stop myself from goading her.
Crossing her arms wasn't doing enough to hide the light coming from her hands anymore. I barely suppressed a grin, knowing I was getting to her.
“The Council was fine with it. Your friends over there insisted on having you.”
I wasn't sure how to feel about that. I was proud they wanted me, but I hated having to delay my retirement. I was determined it would be just that, though—a delay. I wasn't giving up on my dream of The Soul's Cure.
“They wanted to make sure it was done right. They know we can't rely on magical shortcuts,” I told her.
To say Astra and I didn't get along was an understatement. I didn't dislike the fairy-enhanced on principle, but she was different. Most of the fairy-enhanced I had encountered in Altea at least showed some interest in learning to do things the hard way in the pre-barrier days, but not Astra.
Astra could move things with her mind, a magic that grew more powerful the more emotional she became.
Luckily for her, she was almost always annoyed about something, making her quite powerful.
She had relied on her magic much more than a lot of the other fairy-enhanced and hadn't adapted as well to the barrier’s magic restraints as the rest of us.
I suppose I wasn't being fair, though. She was powerful enough that even under the protection and neutralization of the barrier, she still had the physical manifestations of her powers in her glowing hands.
If I were being kind, I could understand why it would be frustrating to be able to see but not access her powers.
I tried not to gloat, but it was hard to resist. I had been telling her and the other fairy-enhanced for years how important it was to make sure they honed their skills and could survive and thrive with and without their magic.
She was the only one who had ever completely ignored me.
It was hard not to feel a little smug now that she had to do things the common way without her powers.
I knew I should be nicer to her, but she made it so difficult. I would say I brought out the worst in her, but she seemed constantly miserable, so I very much doubted I was the problem.
“I told the Council, and I'll tell you, I can handle this on my own. Just don't get in my way,” she said with a sneer.
I didn't know how we'd survive this.
To get to the border, we had to go west through the desert that made up most of the Republic’s land.
Trekking through the Verlasian Desert took a lot out of everyone, but thankfully, there wasn't any risk of running into the enemy there.
They wouldn't cross the barrier, and we still had a few days' travel ahead of us to reach it.
Our journey was made longer by Astra, who insisted on stopping at the Shimmering Sands Oasis.
It was a waste of a day, and I was convinced she only wanted to stop there because that's where she was from.
She argued I couldn't run our people into the ground and that the stop would be good for morale.
I wasn't surprised when Tris agreed, saying the people should be thought of. Inez was firmly on my side that making haste was of the utmost importance, and that our people would survive a little more of a push. Serena was the deciding vote.
“I think we should stop,” she said after considering.
“What?” Inez asked.
“Are you sure?” I asked. I wasn't going to argue with a princess, though, even if I disagreed. It didn't matter that she wasn't my princess. Her word was as good as law, and I would follow it, but I wasn't sure it was a good idea.
Uncharacteristically, Astra stayed quiet, watching our little group and waiting. Her hands were emanating a faint lavender, but she seemed mostly under control.
“I'm sure. We don't know what we'll face when we cross the border. I doubt anything is waiting for us right outside, but it's possible. If the worst happens, I want our people well fed, well rested, and prepared.”
Astra shot a smug smile my way before turning back to tell the company.