“Remember when I asked you about epigraphs? I did some research of my own and, evidently, there are no actual rules regarding their usage. They can be unnecessary. They can be superfluous, which is just a fancier way to say unnecessary. My point is, we could include as many, or as few, epigraphs as we want and, technically speaking, it would be fine.”

  -Unknown

  “I recommend you brace yourself,” Lionel noted as we watched the gate gradually inch open in response to his whistle. Whoever dutifully manned the other side was quick to work whatever mechanisms were responsible for the feat, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Lionel had whispered advanced word of our arrival on the wind for the sake of theatrics.

  “Why do you-”

  “LIONNEEEELLLLL!”

  The voice boomed with masculine authority and my eyes snapped towards its source. A figure crested the top of the wall but did not stop there, easily clearing the imposing height when they reached what appeared to be the apex of an impossible leap. The afternoon Sun obscured the figure as they plummeted towards us, but I lacked any time to ruminate on the fact.

  I felt the force of the landing as it radiated out from the point of impact, yet there was no accompanying crush, crack or rumble of shattered stones. A bearded man with a physical build rivaling my father’s straightened to his full height.

  I tensed and turned to Lionel for guidance, only to find him pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

  “This seems a bit excessive,” he lectured, addressing the imposing figure whose eyes seemed to bulge at the suggestion.

  “Bloody rich coming from you,” he scoffed.

  Lionel leaned slightly to one side, addressing the gate.

  “Disappointment has blossomed in my heart, Palo,” he called out. “I asked you not to-”

  “Shut up,” the bearded man cut him off. “We were expecting you and Palo was under strict instructions not to accommodate your nonsense this time.” I sent a sympathetic glance towards the as-of-yet unseen figure manning the gate.

  “I fear you are making a rough first impression on our newest recruit,” Lionel said, changing the subject and deftly positioning me to shield him from whatever conflict he’d apparently been avoiding. The large man looked down at me. I felt the weight of his scrutiny. Fudge moved to stand between the two of us. His tail was down. The movements were hesitant. He was scared of the man, but he stepped up all the same.

  Easy boy, I thought, and Taming [Fudge] carried the intent behind my words to him as best it could. There was a bristle to his fur, but my reassurances were enough to forestall a more overt reaction. You did good.

  “Hello, sir,” I said softly. Banter aside, I owed Lionel a great debt. Time and again he’d shown a willingness to dedicate time and energy to the wellbeing of me and my family.

  “Why are you yelling at my Uncle Lionel?”

  I still possessed the childhood squeak of boyhood and leveraged it to the best of my ability. The look of general acknowledgement I’d been receiving from the bearded man quickly turned to a scowl that steadily shifted back towards Lionel.

  “This is low even for you,” he said, no longer booming but that did little to disguise the anger underpinning his words.

  “A bold statement, to be sure,” Lionel replied smoothly. His smirk did a poor job at concealing his amusement at my actions. “Now, what can I do to help you, Captain Engel?”

  “Right now, nothing, which is the problem,” Engel snapped back. “Years ago you promised me a specific favour I can no longer cash in given the squads barely have time to scratch their collective balls between calls to the field.”

  “I hardly see how that is-”

  “Do not even pretend that you were not avoiding me to dodge that responsibility.” He took a step towards Lionel, drawing attention to the difference in their heights. “I will make this a problem for your Captain if I have to.”

  Lionel’s eyes grew hard at the threat.

  “That would be ill-advised.” There was an edge to his voice.

  “Probably,” Engel admitted. He made no move to back down. “So was trying to cheat me.”

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  “I would hardly describe my-”

  “Save it. Do I look like I have the Gullible Idiot Skill to you?” I had to suppress a chortle; it was my first time encountering that particular spin on the idiom.

  There was a beat of tense silence before Lionel replied. “What do you propose, then?”

  “Blank favour. You have the right of refusal once.”

  “Blank favour. I have the right of refusal twice without arbitration or with it for any subsequent refusals.”

  “Once without arbitration.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Fantastic, you both love each other again. Feel free to kiss and make up.” A new voice entered the conversation, and I watched as a familiar figure stepped through the now-open gate.

  “Lieutenant Mira, watch yourself,” Engel snapped.

  “Apologies, sir,” she said in a way that made it clear she wasn’t being sincere. Mira turned her attention my way. “And if it isn’t our new, most handsome little recruit.”

  “Hello again, Mira,” I said with a chuckle. Being spoken to like a child was always amusing. “Congratulations on the promotion!” She had not been a Lieutenant when she visited in the wake of the fueha incident.

  She hasn’t aged a day, either, I noted. It was still strange to reunite with people and see them untouched by time that would have left its mark on a regular person. I noticed that she still maintained her signature, club-like braid. I did not envy her neck.

  Mira gave me an approving nod.

  “He is going to do well here.”

  “Why do I get the distinct impression you are ignoring me?” Lionel asked.

  “Because I am. You can go now, Lieutenant Lionel.”

  “There is a story there,” I whispered to Lionel. He gave a sharp, single shake of his head, a warning not to touch that particular nerve.

  “In that case, I will not overstay my welcome,” Lionel chirped with a renewed smile on his face. “The spoils from the tehon job are being handled by young Fudge here.” He gestured towards Fudge and his makeshift harness. “You know what to do with them.”

  “Any irregularities?” Engel asked, his own attitude suddenly professional in the face of Slayer work.

  “Besides its proximity to the fringes? None.” The pair exchanged a nod of understanding I couldn’t decipher before Lionel knelt to address me directly.

  “Remember what we discussed?” Lionel asked, his tone serious.

  “I do.” If I decided I couldn’t handle being a Slayer, Lionel would bail me out. Some paranoid part of me wondered if that too was some kind of test. I hoped I wouldn’t have to find out.

  “Then this, young Will, is where we depart.” He reached over to ruffle my hair.

  Don’t be a wuss, I told myself. Just give your uncle a hug. Before I could talk myself out of it, I followed through, awkwardly wrapping my arms around his torso and patting his back a few times. Lionel was stunned for a few moments before he tried to mirror the action. I heard Mira snort in amusement at the sight.

  After we disentangled, I was quick to move the conversation along.

  “Safe travels, Uncle Lionel. If I want to send you a letter, can I do that from here?”

  Lionel tilted his head slightly to one side.

  “Why would you want to do that?”

  “I want to keep in touch,” I said honestly. “If I send you letters for mum and dad as well, can you pass them on?”

  Lionel laughed, then. There was an almost musical lilt to it that I’d not heard before.

  “Why is that funny?” I asked, reserving my annoyance.

  “You just reminded me of your father right now.” Lionel craned his neck back towards the other Slayers. “Can the young Will count on your aid in this endeavour?”

  “Leave it to me.” Surprisingly, it was Mira who spoke up, her arms crossed. “To be clear, I will do it for the kid.”

  “Understood,” Lionel said before standing upright. “Then it seems the time for my departure is at hand and I would dare not deny its tender grasp.”

  “This feels… underwhelming,” I admitted.

  “Alas, most farewells are,” Lionel said. “Such is the way of things, but I am feeling generous, so...” Lionel gently cleared his throat and pointed dramatically in my direction. “Work hard, young Will, for I have high expectations for your success. May destiny guide you as you push towards the promised tomorrow.”

  I snorted.

  “Much better.”

  “Please do not encourage him.” It was Engel who reprimanded me.

  “Best listen to your new Captain, Will.” With that, Lionel spun on his heel and made his way back along the path. A cheerful whistle followed him and I watched for a long moment before turning away. Engel and Mira were waiting patiently. I was grateful for the time they gave me.

  Perseverance pulsed as I accepted that most of my most steadfast supporters were no longer within easy reach. I had to embrace every challenge, every hardship that came my way if I wanted to push the Skill to its limits, to push myself to my limits. I hated to admit it, but Lionel was right; for a time, at least, I would be better off without him.

  “So what now?” I asked. Engel stood up straight and puffed out his chest, a grin spreading across his features as whatever foul mood Lionel put him in seemed to diminish in proportion with the growing distance he put between them.

  “Now,” he said, “we welcome you to Squad Nine.”

  Did anyone else have Mira on their returning character bingo cards?

  You can read up to 10 Chapters Ahead over on my .

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