“This is madness,” Neeks hissed. “Goes against every single rule in the book. If the High General knew—”
Perrin rounded on the older man. “He will know nothing, Neeks! Not unless something goes terribly wrong. And then it will be too late for him to demote me. But if everything goes right, then what I’m about to do won’t matter at all. Is that understood, Master Sergeant?”
Neeks simply folded his arms. He’d been in the army too long to be intimidated by mere officers.
“You said you’re no longer the captain, remember? And since I have more experience than Karna, in a battle situation I’m in command. And if I don’t like what I see happening, I’ll use that position and pull rank. Is that understood, Perrin?”
Perrin took a deep breath, accentuating his broad chest. Implausibly, even the white bunny fur stitched into butterflies appeared threatening. “You do something stupid, Neeks, you’ll have to explain why to my wife and my daughter. Tell them why they are now vulnerable. Is that understood?”
Neeks didn’t flinch. “Don’t do anything stupid then, Captain.”
Shin pulled the fur-trimmed hood over his knitted cap. “Do I look like I’m about to do something stupid?”
Karna couldn’t hold in the pfft! “Are you expecting an honest answer for that, sir?”
“Not really,” Shin said, almost smiling. “Now remember, tell the men I’m still point commander, but I’m at a hidden location in order to observe without interfering. Any questions from the soldiers will be funneled directly to you two,” he said pointing to Karna and Neeks, “with the understanding that I will receive the message only from either one of you. The moment I see or hear anything, I’ll sound the signal, and you call for defensive positions. Gizzada, you’re in charge here at the fort.”
“We know, we know,” Lieutenant Karna said impatiently. “Let’s get this over with.”
“That’s the problem,” Neeks mumbled. “We may be doing this nonsense for weeks.”
“I don’t know why you’re still complaining, Grandpy,” Shin glared at Neeks. “I’m the one wearing a woman’s fur coat to go on a midnight picnic in the middle of the forest during Raining Season.”
---
Mahrree didn’t even hear him come into the bedroom. When she opened her eyes, there he stood hovering over her. All she could do was whimper.
“I’m not very happy with you,” Perrin growled. “You didn’t even lock the doors! What’s the point of reinforcing the windows and doors with iron bars if you don’t use any of it?”
Mahrree pushed herself up in a sitting position. Jaytsy stayed snoozing next to her. “I wanted to make sure you could get in this morning. You realize you’re such a bear when you’ve been up all night?”
He’d taken off his uniform jacket and was setting it properly on the chair again. “I thought I explained to you, very clearly last night, that we’re practicing for attack scenarios. That, Mrs. Shin, includes YOU!”
Mahrree’s eyes grew large.
“You will BAR those windows and LOCK those doors as you have been instructed, as soon as I leave the house tonight. Understand?”
“Yes.” She blinked back tears. “You have to go out again tonight?”
“Yes!”
Jaytsy sat up, her light brown hair in wild disarray, and beamed at her father. Then she screamed at him.
“Not now, Jayts.” He sat down on the side of the bed and Jaytsy crawled over to him. He smiled and kissed her cheek. “Want to rest with me for a while?”
She roared in response. He lay down on the bed and she immediately thumped his chest with her fist.
“So how did it go last night?” Mahrree asked timidly.
“Fine. Boring.” He closed eyes. “Which is good. Sort of.”
She dared to kiss him. “I missed you.”
He only grunted.
Mahrree pulled Jaytsy away, quietly got off the bed, and shut the bedroom door behind them.
---
That night in the barn Perrin put on two extra pairs of socks. “My feet started to go numb last night. Until I found that one spot.”
Neeks, holding his weapons, squinted. “What spot?”
“A place where the snow was all melted and steam rose from the ground. Even some scrawny deer were there, eating the last of the grasses. Fascinating, really. You see—”
“I don’t want to hear it!” Neeks shook his weather-beaten head. “I can’t claim innocence about your doings if I know too many details.”
“Ah, Grandpy,” Perrin chided as he put on the white knitted sweater again. “I told you—I left the letter with the surgeon. Should anything go wrong, that letter exonerates you, Karna, Gizzada and everyone else at the fort. My father will know that I acted alone and that no one else at the fort participated with me, or had any power to prevent my activities.”