“You know our enlisted time is up. We could leave.” Bran tossed his pack on the floor between our beds in the barracks. “We could request a transfer. We have stellar records. We would get something good.”
“Yes, we could.” I lay down on my bed, glad to be back from a three week rotation by the swamps at the border between Summer and Spring Courts. “Or you could. It doesn’t have to be both of us.”
“Is there a reason you want to stay?” He sat down on the edge of his bed. The mattress made a groaning sound, reminding me just how great the quality of this temporary home was. “Aren’t you the one sick and tired of serving on the general protective force?”
“As if you aren’t tired of it too.” I stared up at the wooden beams in the ceiling. I’d spent many nights staring at that same spot in the low moonlight when sleep wouldn’t come. Being a shifter came with a few perks, including fairly amazing night vision.
“I am tired of it. Namely I’m tired of the compensation. Or rather the lack thereof.” He lay back against his pillow. “But I’m not the one denying it. That would be you.”
“I’m not denying I’m tired. But I don’t see any better options.” I tried to enjoy the temporary silence before everyone else returned. We skipped out on dinner to buy a small amount of quiet. “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.”
“What’s happened to you?” Bran rolled over onto his side. “You were only in this to repay your family’s debt. At least that’s what you told me.”
“Because back then I thought I’d have more to go back to. Or somewhere else I wanted to be.”
“Ah, still hung up on Gala, I see.” He groaned. “Really, hasn’t it been long enough?”
“There’s nothing to see.” I wished Bran knew nothing of my past, but unfortunately that’s impossible when you grow up with someone.
“She was never the one for you, man. Never.” He leaned up on his elbow. “I could have told you that before you two even started. She used you for what you could give her. Once she finished using you she moved on.”
“You think I haven’t figured that out?” I messed up by even getting involved with the woman, but I learned quickly. “Even if you hadn’t reminded me of that over and over.”
“I heard they need wolves on the Royal Guard. We could work right at the palace.”
“And why would I want to do that?”
“Triple the pay and way better accommodations than this.” A few drops of rain spilled through the roof as if to make his point.
“If you want to apply, do it.” I wasn’t about to hold him back. We’d joined the protective force together, but that didn’t mean we were tied together for our entire careers.
“And you are going with me. I’m not leaving you to rot here.” He patted the mattress beside him. “We are going to stick together.”
“I’m not going to rot, but put my name in if you want.”
“I will.” He shot up. “I’m doing it right now.”
“Go ahead. Just know it’s probably not going to be much better than this. Being in a guard is being in a guard. Not much difference whether you are working directly for the Royals or not. Everything we do is for them.” And in my not so important opinion they took a heck of a lot more than they gave. But we had no choice. Summer Court had been run the same way for as far back as anyone knew.
“Okay. You had better get rid of that negativity before our interviews.”
“Interviews?” I felt my eyebrows knit together. “You cannot be serious.”
“Of course I am. They have to be careful who they allow near the royal family.”
“If the rumors are true, the king is none too careful.” He was a womanizer who spent the Court's money on his own desires.
“Rumors are just that, rumors.” Bran knelt down to tie his boot. “Besides there are other members of the royal family, you know.”
“Ah.” So he was going to be honest. “That’s what this is about.”
“What?”
“The heir, eh?” I teased. “You think you are her destined mate.”
“Nah. I know better than to think that. But that doesn’t mean she isn’t pretty to look at.” He grinned. “Very pretty to look at.”
“I’ll either do fine on the interview, or I won’t, but I won’t purposely try to sabotage myself.”
“Good.” He appeared minimally satisfied with my answer. “You know if you put in even a slight amount of effort people like you.”
“Is that so?” My personality was nearly opposite that of Bran, yet we had always gotten along. Maybe it was the differences between us that made it easier for us to co-exist.
“Yes. You are a tiny bit charming even.”
“Imagine that.”
“I’m putting in our names right now.” Bran walked backward toward the door. “There’s no turning back if I do this. Either we get the position, or we don’t.”
“I understand how this works. You can’t turn down a position on the Royal Guard.”
“We are moving up, my friend. Moving up and can’t be stopped.” He grinned before hurrying out of the barracks.
I couldn’t help but smile myself. Bran could be pushy, but he was also fiercely loyal and a true friend. And, he did know how to get me where it hurt. Gala. The very name set me off down a trail of anger and self-loathing. How had I fallen for such a fraud? Stupidity. That’s what it was. At the sound of stomping boots, I pushed away those thoughts. I’d already beaten myself up about it enough. Nothing good was going to come from doing anything more.
“Did you hear!” Nelson, a wiry young shifter, ran into the barracks.
“Hear what exactly?” I sat straight up. As much as I’d wanted quiet, a distraction from my angry thoughts was welcome.
“A wolf has been found. From Winter Court.”
“What?” I swung my legs around to the side of the bed. “Found, how?” Although all four courts were on good terms, one did not merely cross over without warning.
“Found by a group of hunters. He was unconscious, but he’s finally talking now. That’s how we know he’s from Winter Court. Was on official business with the Winter heir, or so he’s saying.”
“How did he end up here? You said he was found unconscious?” This story was growing stranger and more alarming by the second.
“Yeah. Luckily the hunters who found him were suspicious he wasn’t just a regular wolf. They brought him back, and he shifted and woke up.”
“Is that where everyone else is?” Not much exciting happened at the base. A Winter Court wolf showing up would have had everyone’s attention.
“Well, just hoping to get news. No one is allowed to see him but the commanding officers right now.”
“I’m not surprised.” And I couldn’t blame them. I’d have done the same thing if I’d been in charge. “But I am surprised everyone is waiting outside. It’s going to be hours, if not days.”
“Do you think this is a sign?”
“A sign of what exactly?” I tried my best to hide the disbelief from my voice.
“Of the fall of the courts,” he whispered. “If a wolf on a Royal Guard could end up unconscious like that...”
“One wolf is found, and you are jumping to such a conclusion?” I would be polite, but I wasn’t going to support jumping to that sort of conclusion. “Wouldn’t you say that’s a bit premature?”
“One never knows.”
“No, they don’t.” I pulled my boots back on.
“Where are you going?” Nelson pointed to my boots.
“To find Bran.”
“So, you do believe there might be something else afoot?” His face lit up.
“I'm going to find Bran.” If I didn’t leave I’d be talking to Nelson all day. He was a nice enough kid, but that’s what he was. Eighteen. He’d joined up with the general protective force the first day he could. Now six months in his excitement had started to wane. I was impressed it had lasted even that long. “Believe anything you want to believe. It’s one of the few freedoms no one can take away from you.”
“Stafford!” Bran hissed my name as soon as I made it outside. “There you are. You’ve been missing all of the excitement.”
“And you know me, can’t take a chance on missing out on all the excitement.” I patted him on the back.
“One of these days you are going to discover that your sarcasm isn’t as endearing as you think.”
“Oh, I’m already quite aware of that.” I glanced around at the small groups sprinkled throughout the courtyard. How had we all ended up here? Why did Shifters have so few opportunities that we were all willing to dedicate our life to protecting fae? “How’d it go telling the boss we want to apply for the Royal Guard?”
“I didn’t get that far. Too much commotion.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Why?”
“I was just wondering.”
“You want it now, don’t you?” He grinned. “You do care.”
“I never said I didn’t care.”
“I suppose it doesn’t matter at the moment. We can’t put in our request tonight. Not with all the excitement.”
“Is there more to the story than Nelson told me? All this excitement over a wolf from the Winter Royal Guard?”
“A wolf from the Winter Royal Guard who was found unconscious, with blurred out memories, and warnings about shadow beings and war.”
“Whoa. I didn’t hear any of that detail.”
“Yeah, this is huge news.”
“Stafford. Bran.” Captain Denton, our commanding officer called from the doorway of his private quarters. “Follow me.”
“Why?” I wasn’t the best at following orders blindly on a good day. Today wasn’t a good day.
Captain Denton frowned. “Are you questioning your superior?”
“No.” I shook my head. “I am merely asking.”
“But we are coming either way.” Bran gave me the look of death. “Aren’t we, Stafford?”
We were because we didn’t have a choice. I also had more than a little bit of curiosity about what was afoot.
“Good.” Captain Denton walked back inside, and we followed.
Just inside the door was an area set up as an office. Captain Denton took a seat behind his desk and gestured for us to sit in the two chairs situated in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.”
We sat down. I glanced around at the messy office still trying to understand what they wanted from us.
“I take it the rotation at the swamps was uneventful?” He looked between us.
“Yes, sir.” Bran nodded.
“I’m sure it was boring.” The captain looked at me when he asked.
Bran didn’t give me an opportunity to speak. “No, sir. We are happy to do whatever assignments we are given, sir.”
“Is that so?” Denton smiled. “Because here I thought you might want a reassignment.”
“Reassignment?” I wasn’t going to play the games, but I would hear Denton out.
“Some new security risks have come to our attention. The king has requested a doubling of the Royal Guard.”
“Oh?” Bran perked up even more than he was already. “The Royal Guard?”
“Knock it off, Bran.” Denton scowled. “I know you want the transfer. Neither of you were going to stay in the general protective force forever. We all know that.”
“When would we leave?” I decided to focus on the details. The captain was right. We weren’t going to turn down the offer.
“Soon.” He pressed his palms down onto the desk in front of him. “Very soon.”
“Is that as detailed as you can get?”
“There is a caveat to the assignment.”
“Yes?” Okay, it was coming now. Nothing was ever as simple as it sounded at first.
“We need you to escort someone to the palace.”
“Escort someone?” I caught Bran’s eye.
“Yes. You may have heard that a wolf was found. He has important information to share with the royal family. They have requested we get him there as soon as he is able to travel.” He folded his hands. “You two will be escorting him.”
“If we accept the assignment,” I added.
“Are you prepared to reject the assignment?”
“That depends on what else you are hiding from us.” Of course we were going to have to accept it, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t press him for more answers.
“I am not hiding anything. I am merely giving you the necessary information for your assignment.”
“We will take it. Just let us know when to leave.” Bran really couldn’t stop himself. As a kid he’d never been a kiss up, but everything changed when we enlisted.
“Is he agreeing on your behalf?” Captain Denton looked to me.
“Be real for a moment. Why us?” If there was ever a time I might get some honesty from my superior, it was now. For one reason or another they needed us.
“Because I can trust you. Because I know you will get the job done. Because I know you won’t screw this up.”
“You are right on all three counts.” Bran stood up.
“I know I am. Even Stafford. Especially Stafford.” Denton still stared at me.
If Bran was insulted by that last part, he didn’t show it.
“We can be trusted.” That part I could attest to. “And we will do all in our power to deliver the Winter Court wolf to the royal family.”
“Great.” Captain Denton pushed back his chair.
“We didn’t really have a choice though, did we?” I asked. “If we’d said no we still would have ended up with the assignment.”
“You aren’t stupid, Stafford.”
“No. I’m not.” I was a lot of things, but stupid wasn’t one of them.
“Who else was I going to send on this mission?”
“Mission?” His choice of words wasn’t lost on me. “I thought it was an assignment.”
Captain Denton let out a slow breath. “So maybe you are right. There is more.”
“Oh?”
“This is completely off the record.” He leaned forward. “We need eyes and ears on the inside.”
“On the inside?” Bran sat back down. “But we all work for the royal family.”
“Officially, yes we do.” The captain leaned back in his chair. “But ultimately the protective force must protect the people of the court.”
“Got it.” Bran nodded,
“No. We don’t got it.” I was all about keeping things on a need to know basis, but I wasn’t going to walk into anything unprepared.
The captain got up and walked over to the door. He opened it and peered out. He closed it. “None of this leaves the room.”
“Agreed.” I did understand discretion.
“Something is off at the palace. The king has cancelled three council meetings in a row, and no one has seen the heir in weeks. We need to know what is going on.”
“Is there worry something is wrong with her?” I had to ask.
“Not specifically, but they are hiding something.”
“And how are we supposed to report back to you?” There was no question that was expected of us.
“We will make that easy.”
“Oh, will you?” This I had to hear. Nothing was easy.
“Yes.”
“Again no details. Shocking.” I knew with a less understanding superior officer my words could get me in hot water, but I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t made for following orders blindly.
“We have to be careful.”
“Of course.” I tried to keep myself calm. “And we have to be careful, as you are asking us to put ourselves in a precarious situation.”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” Captain Denton returned to his chair. “I recognize that. But this is an urgent matter.”
“And we are expendable.” Might as well be frank.
“Did I say that?”
“No. You didn’t have to say it.”
“Would it help if I gave you time with our guest?” Denton was only addressing me now. He knew Bran was on board no matter what was asked of us.
“Guest?” Once again, I was very aware of his choice of words. “Is that what you are calling him?”
“Would you rather we call him a prisoner?”
“Isn’t that what he is?” I preferred to call a spade a spade.
“Okay, Stafford.” Bran frowned. “I think that’s enough.”
The captain laughed. I wasn’t sure if I had ever heard him laugh before. “I think the two of you make quite the team. I will send for you when the guest is ready.”
“Okay.” I stood. This was one thing I wouldn’t argue with. I knew Bran wanted to agree sight unseen, but they had no one else to ask. We were taking this assignment. We might as well have some idea exactly what we were in for. Bran had to understand how much we were putting ourselves at risk. If we were caught sending information to the protective force, we could be brought up on espionage charges. I had no interest in discovering the punishment for that.
Bran stood as well. “Thank you for this opportunity, sir.”
Captain sighed. “You can stop kissing up to me, Bran. You have the assignment.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Save it. Let me give you a piece of advice. One needs to play by the rules to get to a certain place, but playing that game can only get you so far.” The captain caught my eye.
“Yes, sir.” Bran’s expression was stoic.
We headed back outside, and I wondered what we’d just gotten ourselves into.