The Broken Eye(315)

“That’s not one of our codes,” Ironfist said.

“What?” Kip asked, but Ironfist was already on his way out of the room.

“Who’s going with Breaker?” Ironfist asked. “Quick! I can’t. My path is different.”

Slight Daelos seemed to be gathering his courage, and he spoke quickly. “My parents would die if I left, Breaker. This is all they’ve ever wanted for me. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for myself. Sorry.”

“I’m not blaming you, Daelos, but he only meant getting me to the docks—” Kip started.

“No, that’s not what I meant,” Ironfist said. “You go with Breaker, you’re out of the Blackguard. Permanently. The promachos has spoken.”

“I’ll go,” Cruxer said. His voice was steady, but he looked like he was dying.

“Cut the stitching on the side of your insignia,” Ironfist said.

“Wait. What?!” Kip said. “Cruxer, what are you saying?”

“I’ll go,” Ferkudi said.

“In,” Big Leo rumbled.

“Wait, what is this?” Kip said.

“Same here,” Goss said.

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Teia said.

Winsen shrugged. “Sounds fun. I’m in.”

“No time!” Ironfist said. “Line up now. You each found a paper in your pack. Sign it.”

“Stop it!” Kip shouted. “What are you doing? You’ve worked your entire lives to be Blackguards. You’re this close. I have to go, but me going means you can stay. Me going means I won’t ever have to fight you.”

“Breaker,” Cruxer said. “Don’t you understand? We’re all good enough to be Blackguards. The commander has offered promotions to every last one of us. But we wanted to be Blackguards not because we wanted to have the clothes and the admiration—”

“I thought the clothes and the admiration were pretty great,” Teia said.

“I like the clothes and admiration,” Ferkudi said.

“Ferkudi!” Cruxer said.

“Wha—she just said the same—ow! Ben, what’d you elbow me for?”

“All the trappings are wonderful,” Cruxer said. “But we all wanted to be Blackguards because we wanted to serve a high purpose.”

“But what if I’m not the—” Kip said.

“It doesn’t have to do with that,” Cruxer said, but Kip wasn’t sure the rest of the squad agreed. “What purpose is there in us serving evil men?”

Ben-hadad asked, “What good are the trappings of honor if the honor itself is dead?”

“I still like the trappings,” Ferkudi murmured. He was mournfully turning his gold inductees’ fight token over in his hand.

“Breaker,” Teia said. “We love it here. We don’t want to go. But we want to go with you.”

Just when he thought he was going to lose it all. Kip felt warmth suffusing him, like his body was filling with light.

“You’ll find two pairs of blacks in your bags,” Ironfist said. “I heard some of you only joined up in the first place because you wanted the clothes.” But no one laughed. The blacks were not just a gift rich beyond imagining, stretchy-soft and comfortable, luxurious and useful, they were the ultimate symbol of the elite Blackguard and what the squad was giving up. That their commander gave them the blacks anyway told them that he thought they were worthy of the honor and the brotherhood they were choosing to sacrifice. Ironfist growled, “What, am I gonna have to requisition handkerchiefs? Line up!”

Kip could barely see through his brimming eyes. But the squad lined up immediately, and he took his place at the end.

“You’re Blackguards no more,” Ironfist said. He walked down the line, took each signed release, and ripped the Blackguard insignia and rank off their sleeves. Kip was the last. It felt as if Ironfist tore his heart out.

“Lem,” Ironfist said. “Take these papers down to the secretaries’ desk and have them copied in triplicate and put on file.” He handed over the papers and simple Lem disappeared.

Ironfist dug into a bag. “You can call yourselves whatever you want now. Make your own patches if you don’t like these. The promachos called you the Mighty.” Ironfist went down the line again and slapped an insignia on each person’s left shoulder. It was of a powerful man in black silhouetted on a red field, standing with feet planted, head bowed, arms straight out to either side, and force radiating from each hand. It reminded Kip of his time in the jungle, when he’d expelled the leeches.

Ironfist said, “Now go, go with Orholam, and may I see you again. If not on these mortal fields, then in paradise.”