But now Perrin realized Brillen was likely trying to preserve his career. After that first stop, Perrin would have demoted him to lieutenant, right on the spot.
By the end of the race, if this first stop was any indication, Brillen would have found himself reduced to Private Karna.
---
Shem ran easily towards the middle of the Edge, a route he knew well. He was to report to the village green tower he and Perrin had just left, now flying a blue banner. Several hundred people still stood around and a loud cheer arose as he approached. At the base of the tower stood one of the soldiers assigned to it.
“General’s arrived, Zenos! You’re to greet him and retrieve your next note.” The soldier grinned and pointed as Zenos looked in vain for the paper that was to be in the sergeant’s hands. Shem spun quickly to see where it was, and he tried not to whimper.
The Zenos banner girls beamed at him.
Sareen was wearing a borrowed soldier’s cap and waved a small piece of paper, her shoulders and areas below still exposed to the cool air. Shem rushed over to Sareen, but she thrust the note behind her. She grabbed Shem’s undershirt with her free hand, pulled him close, and planted a big, wet kiss on his mouth.
Probably something she learned from Barker, was the only thing Shem could clearly think at that moment.
But he’d also learned a few things—unofficially—about being a soldier in the past year and a season. The first was not to be surprised by anything. Even if you are surprised, do your best to pretend you’re not. The second was to never forget your main objective. The third was to never close your eyes, if you can help it, no matter what’s thrown at you.
Corporal Zenos remembered it all.
His reach was longer than Sareen’s, and faster than she could finish her kiss he snatched the note out of her hand, pulled out of her grip, and took off towards a yellow banner he saw at a distant tower. He ignored the other girls’ cries of, “Not fair!” and “I didn’t get a turn!” as he ran west.
Grandpy Neeks, following him on horseback, laughed.
“Great race, eh Corporal?” he called. “I think the captain’s trying to throw the race for the major. At least you’ll have had a good time losing.”
Shem didn’t respond, but began to plan revenge on Karna. No wonder he chose not to follow him.
---
When Perrin eventually reached the tower station south of the village, he wondered again why he’d thought the distance of a quarter of a mile past Edge seemed like a good idea. He had now run the full length of Edge, from the north to the south, with zig-zagging stops in between. But that last quarter mile was the worst. He was panting harder than he anticipated and gratefully took the jug of water offered to him by one of his dozen soldiers. Another handed him the note which he shoved into his pocket with the others.
“Private, where’s the next banner?” he asked as he bent over, breathing heavily.
“Um, sir, it’s um, well—”
“Well what?”
“There are three, sir. All yellow.”
Major Shin shook his head. “Three? He’s out to kill me, isn’t he? Karna’s planning a takeover, I know it. He’s waiting for me to drop.” He took another quick drink of water then poured some of it over his head.
“Well, sir, fires do have a way of spreading . . .”
Gizzada leaned over to him from his horse. “I believe you were the one who told him to make it a real challenge, sir. Karna was only following your orders. But don’t worry. I see three more towers displaying red. Zenos is chasing a Guarder invasion!”
“I meant a challenge for Zenos,” Shin muttered. The major stood back up, waved once at his men, and started a fast jog back to Edge, pushed along by the cheers of his soldiers.
---
Zenos knew his route would take him to the edge of the forest. A private that had helped measure the course accidentally revealed that nugget of information, for which Shem was most grateful. Guarder invasions begin at the forest, after all. He saw the distant tree he was to tag, as well as the ten soldiers that stood waiting there to encourage him on. He’d have to be careful. He’d get only one chance.
As he sprinted across the buffer field to the soldiers, he began to limp. His face contorted into a grimace as he continued on to the forest.
“Run it out, Zenos! Shake off the cramp! You’ve still got miles to go!” another corporal shouted to him.
Zenos nodded as he reached the soldiers. Then, just as he was to tag the tree, something caught his foot and he went down, hard.
“Zenos!” Neeks cried from atop his mount. “You all right, son?”
Zenos got up, panting. “Only wounded my pride, Grandpy. Give me my note!” he said as he slapped the tree.