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Jack lay on his double bunk, not alone. He was never alone.
He peeked over the edge of his bed to see Epel below him, unsurprisingly reading a book by the light of one of those new light orbs. While Epel held the book in one hand, it floated above his other, casting just enough light to read the words but not enough to peek out the flaps of their tent.
Not to toot his own horn, but beastkin inventions were amazing.
“Can’t sleep?” Jack queried, eliciting a sigh from his bunkmate.
“No.” The book snapped shut after a bookmark was shoved in. “Thinking too much.”
Jack grunted in agreement. “I think we all do too much of that nowadays.”
“I...” The meager bedsheets rustled as Epel turned up to face Jack. “I nearly killed someone today. I mean, I’ve fired so many rounds into enemy lines that I’ve probably killed a lot of people, but...”
“This one was up close,” Jack finished, melancholy creeping into his voice.
Epel nodded. “I remember him so clearly. He was a fae, and he had green hair, and lime-green eyes, like a snake’s... When he was growling at me, I could see these little fangs, and they looked like they could bite me in two...” He shuddered.
“What did you do?” Jack was almost afraid of the answer.
“I cut him across the chest with my heatblade, and I saw him double over in pain, before... General Lilia aimed his gun at me and I had to retreat.”
“General Lilia...?” Shock overcame Jack. “You can’t mean...? High Royal General Lilia of the Faen Military?”
Epel nodded again. “He was really just as terrifying as everyone says he is.”
Jack knew all too well how terrifying fae were. Horns the length of arms, tails that could crack a tree in half, claws with the strength of steel... he had often had nightmares of fae attacking and killing everyone around him.
He’d often have nightmares of fae killing Epel.
“It’s hard to believe we were chums living in the Shaftlands just a year ago,” Jack said, trying to change the subject.
His goal was accomplished, Epel letting a small smile slip through. “I could never imagine going back to Harveston now. We were so young back then.” A small silence settled over the two. “Did you leave anyone behind?”
Jack’s throat closed up as he remembered his family. “Yeah,” he finally answered, throat scratchy. “My mom, and my dad, and my two younger siblings.”
Epel chuckled. “Bet you’re glad to be free from those handfuls.”
“They used to chase me around until the sun went down. But... I do miss them.”
Epel nodded in understanding. “I miss my little cousin. She was just born when I went off to come here. She was... so sweet.”
Jack let his head slip down, so he was resting against his arm. “I hope we can see them soon.”
“I’ll bring you to Harveston,” Epel said, smiling. “I can make you apple carvings, and maybe we can watch the Sledathon. My grandma would be happy to have you.”
“I’d love to go,” Jack smiled too. He couldn’t wait. When he and Epel got leave in five months, they could visit each other’s hometowns. Though, that also reminded him of one annoying fact...
“Of course, that all hinges on whether Vil can win the election.” Jack let a little growl through his clenched teeth.
“Vil? Against who?” Epel asked obliviously, and Jack mentally facepalmed as he remembered Epel didn’t keep up with politics.
“The upcoming general election for the Shaftlands Prime Minister is Vil Schoenheit against Mariopa Diamond,” Jack explained. “And only the radical conservatives are supporting Mariopa. There’s reliable information that she and her twin sister are abusive to their younger brother, and she’s been leeching off her father’s surplus income to fund her campaign. Unfortunately, we’re pretty evenly split when it comes to conservatives versus liberals, so people like us are just praying Vil can scrape together a few more votes so he ends up in office.”
Epel seemed to take in about half of what Jack said. “That sounds... not good if Mariopa wins.”
Jack’s lips twitched up. “Yep. We’d be pretty screwed. But Vil also has his natural charisma, so here’s hoping he’ll win without too much of a fight.”
“I think I’ve seen pictures of Vil,” Epel commented. “And it almost looks like he could be some sort of theater star in another life.
Jack snorted in amusement. “Not that there’re many of those laying around these days. No one sees the point in entertainment anymore.”
Epel hummed in agreement. After a few moments, he turned off the light orb and disappeared under the bunk. “I’m going to try and sleep again. Good night, Jack.”
“Good night, Epel.” Jack buried himself under the blankets, wrapping his tail around his cold legs.
May the Seven return to us.
-
Two months later, Jack lay on his double bunk, alone. He was always alone.
He held a small light orb in his hands. It wasn’t much use to anyone else anymore.
Before, he’d often had nightmares of fae killing Epel.
But now, they were memories.