Chapter 614 (2/2)

It was a toss-up. But the negatives weren’t so present that Randidly wanted to stay cautious. He had worked together with Azriel in the past and it had turned out well. He wouldn’t mind doing so again.

He reached out and touched a hand to her shoulder.

*****

Helen knew, rationally, that what she was about to do could get her court-martialled. Her hand twitched. Her spear strapped to her back seemed to sway, calling for her grip. But she withstood the temptation. Barely.

“What did you just say to me?” Helen wasn’t sure whether to be happy or sad at how violent her tone was. But it was the truth, and the part of Helen that wanted to keep her cool was swiftly losing.

Had it really only been a few weeks since she had received permission for her leave of absence from the army? It felt like it was years ago. There was a drain inside of her, and all of her self-control was slipping away.

“It is a not a pretty truth,” Viro Roonst, Sentinel of Niergem, said with a placid face. “I am a man. I have… needs. It will not be the work you are accustomed to, sure, but I will take great care to respect your boundaries. Things can be perfectly amicable between us.”

“Now why-” Helen began, but Roonst cut her off.

“Let’s not play coy, dear. You are far too… well-shaped for that,” He said with a small smirk. “I am familiar with your relationship with Randidly Ghosthound. He owes me. Although he provided the Ring of Mass Flight, if he had not interfered I would have killed one of the five Witch Kings of the Wights. That-”

“Baseless,” Helen said with a snort, enraged by so many things the Sentinel was saying that she didn’t know where to begin. “And he put his life on the line to save the life of a comrade-”

“A civilian, although her status is somewhat delicate,” Roonst commented.

Helen continued unabated. “And much more talented spear-users than you have attempted to kill the Witch Kings, to no avail.”

“That quite enough,” the Sentinel barked, hitting Helen with a glare. There was still enough military training in her that she went silent, although she was beginning to believe that this man was not deserving of the respect his position afforded him. “I had hoped you would understand. I am aware of your relationship with Mr. Ghosthound; you served as his spear attendant. If you will not repay me… I will be forced to go after him more directly. He will pay.”

For a second, Helen froze solid. He knew about their relationship? Even she didn’t understand what they had been, and what they were now several months later without any contact. If it truly was as simple as her being his spear attendant in the past… But honestly, wasn’t that all they truly ever were? Even if they had once-

But then Roonst had threatened Randidly directly. And to that, Helen had only one response.

She laughed in his face.

His frown deepened. “Perhaps you think that I am joking, or that the under 25 Inter-School tournament gives me pause. I assure you that is not the case. Listen to me. What I am offering is perhaps an indignity, but it is a promotion. And after some time serving under me, you could-”

“The only service I would do under you,” Helen spat, “Is trimming your scrotum as a service to every woman who has the bad luck of being in your chain of command. And no, I don’t think you are joking, but it’s a joke that you think can threaten Randidly Ghosthound.”

Now Roonst snorted. And the air in the command tent trembled. “It seems under 25s have lost their sense of perspective. If you won’t help me, I will be forced to-”

“Did you know who he is?” Helen said sweetly. “He is Randidly Ghosthound, the youngest inheritor of the Spear Phantom Style. He is Shal’s disciple.”

Viro Roonst looked confused for several seconds. Then he went pale.