Chapter 78 Three Mornings

The wagon driver had filled Jin's new mug with tea.

He offered it over the side as Jin climbed out of the mud.

“No charge. For the passenger.”

Jin took it carefully. His fingers objected to the handle, though the warmth felt good against them.

Selene sat on the wagon's lowered tailboard while the rangers cleared the last broken root off the causeway. Nell helped them draw the control chain out of the water. Kessa recovered one arrow and rejected it after a look at the bent head.

“Four gone,” she said. “Eight good left.”

She put the bent arrow with the other damaged gear. Jin watched a young ranger pick up one of the cart's broken boards from the causeway and look for someone to hand it to. At last he leaned it against the cart and joined the men lifting the wheel back into place.

The camp was beginning to sound ordinary again. Bowls touching. Someone swearing at a wet boot. A man laughing too loudly at a joke he hadn't finished telling.

Lark put the damaged shaft beside the cart's broken axle pin.

Jin passed Selene the mug.

She looked at the painted trousers and started smiling again.

“Your friends made this?”

“Jory. Dessa got him through the firing.”

“Does he know what you did?”

“He saw the trousers.”

She turned the mug to inspect the little creature's crown.

“Enough of a report.”

They drank in turns while the camp cook found bowls for the others. Selene ate standing until Nell moved a crate into the shade and sat on it herself. After a moment, Selene took the other end.

Jin watched a ranger approach with a question, see the bowl in her hands and go to his own captain instead.

Selene noticed too.

She kept eating.

When Lark told her about Friday's trial, she asked which entrance they'd been assigned.

“North ridge,” he said.

Her spoon stopped.

“The old cistern route?”

Lark took out the handbill. She looked at the drawing, then pointed beneath the tower.

The author's official chapter page is the source of this copy, which was made without approval; reading the published version supports their work.

“Those stairs come out lower than the main hall. There are steam channels under the floor. Don't assume the white patches are dry stone.”

“You've been inside?” Jin asked.

“Once. Rangers were bringing out a crew. I only saw the entrance rooms.”

She pushed the paper back toward Lark.

“Ask the gate staff about the lower hall. That drawing's missing a section.”

Jin looked at the blank corner.

“I dislike educational surprises.”

“Then you'll make an excellent student.”

They returned to Aster in the afternoon. The road shook the wagon just enough to keep Jin from falling asleep with his head against Kessa's bow case.

Nell saw him try and put a folded coat between the wood and his temple.

He woke when they reached the wall.

“Did I snore?”

“Professionally,” she said.

At the inn, he left the mug with his native gear, packed only his phone into the zipped bag and returned home. He sent Yu-ra a message that he was back, then wrapped a strip of tape around the phone case's split corner.

She answered late, after her own clear.

All back. One boot missing. Hyeon says it counts as a successful day.

He sent the demon photograph privately.

The reply took longer.

Jin.

He called.

“I was going to explain.”

“Before or after you made that your profile picture?”

“That's a terrible idea.”

“Yes.”

He could hear water running in the background. Then a door closed and her voice came nearer.

“You said you'd tell me both parts.”

He told her about the camera and the last trapped wheel. She listened, asked about his hand and let him finish before she answered.

“I'm glad you were there.”

Jin looked down at his taped phone.

“Me too.”

“I still hate the photograph.”

“So did the subject.”

Her laugh was quiet and tired. He stayed on the call until she stopped pretending she wasn't ready to fall asleep.

Thursday passed in pieces: lessons at the Academy, a short practice with the crew on Fantasy ground, supper at home. At Rusk's yard, Jin recorded three strides from the rain barrel to the padded post, replacing the marsh's ruined pair. He released Impact Hitch twice, walking the line again between attempts. The second release used up the last active trace. After the marsh, Nell made them practice recovering a fallen companion before she let anyone argue about faster attacks.

Kessa bought four replacement arrows from her own purse. Her quiver held twelve good ones again. Nell checked her chain; Lark bound the shallow gouge in his sword with a narrow strip of leather above the guard, clear of the cutting edge.

When the practice ended, Nell put the last sack away and sent them to eat. Jin was glad to obey before anyone suggested one more run.

On Friday, Jin reached the inn early enough to eat with the others. He'd brought his phone across in the closed shopping bag. He put on his pin, took his knife and set Jory's mug on top of his pack.

Nell looked at it.

“You're bringing that?”

“I've seen the quality of your dining facilities.”

Kessa put a wrapped piece of bread beside it.

“Then bring breakfast too.”

Before they left, Jin checked the stage picture Theo had sent while he was still at home. Empty except for the lights.

Seven thirty. Choi says the doors close when the music starts.

He'd typed, I'll be there, before crossing.

Then Lark opened the door with the handbill in one hand.

“I've found out what they release after the bell.”

Jin put the phone away.

“Good news?”

Lark shook his head.

“I was hoping you'd ask something else.”