Chapter 1

Shank is out of danger, and my assignment is over. Immediately, I get the callback.

I don’t like it when it happens so fast; both the mortal and I need some closure. But I am always on duty, and I must go.

“It’s time for me to leave,” I tell him. “You are safe. Your heart is in the right place.”

Shank looks up at me with piercing sadness, almost with pain. We’ve been together for three days, human time. He’s grown attached to me, despite lunging at me with a sword when we had first met.

“Already?” he asks. “I hoped…”

He doesn’t finish. He knows who I am, and therefore knows I must go when I must.

He rises from his stool, comes close and looks me in the eye. “Thank you. I will never forget what you’ve done for me.”

“You are welcome.” I offer my hand, he quickly clasps it with both of his. “Farewell.”

“Will you ever come again?” Shank asks.

That’s unlikely. Unless something goes terribly wrong in his life once more, and another supernatural intervention is ordered. Which is very unlikely.

I tell him the truth. “I don’t know. I am rarely sent to the same person twice.”

He nods, looks away for a second. “Well, then… see you in heaven?”

This brings a smile to my face. “That’s for sure. Just don’t lose what you have found.”

“I won’t. I promise you.”

And so I leave.

Algeron, my superior, is waiting for me at what you would have called the headquarters.

“Did you have to call me back so soon?” I ask. Not that I don’t know the answer.

“I did,” he responds with a slight nod. You’ve done your job. Expertly, I might add. Shank no longer needs you. This one does.” Algeron points at the new case on his desk. “He’s lined up for a swift execution.”

I approach and touch the gray folder. It flares up with a rainbow of colors and opens, releasing clouds of information on my next – client? Project? Customer? We’ll see what terminology Algeron uses this time. It depends on the case, as well as on his mood. Occasionally, he’s even called them my victims.

“Kyle Esmer, captain of the royal guard,” Algeron begins. “Son of General Treol Esmer.”

I see a pale young man with a neat mustache, thin features, and dark, expressive eyes. I sense a slightly nervous disposition, intelligence, determination, a bit of arrogance, and a touch of wounded pride.

“His crime?” I ask, taking it all in.

“None. He was defending the castle against black ribbon rebels. They took the castle. Captain Esmer was thrown in jail. The royal army is on the way, the rebellion will be eventually crushed, but Esmer will die before that – unless you step in… Captain Blaze.”

I give Algeron a glance. “You want me to pose as a fellow captain? Do I get captured and become his cellmate?”

“No. You will be the enemy captain. The rebels have managed to put together an army of sorts, with ranks, papers and such. Nothing close to the royal guard, of course, but still. You will arrive as one of them.”

“It will put me in the position of some authority and provide easy access to the prisoner,” I gather.

“Precisely.”

I notice that the captain’s faith is barely flickering. “Losing faith, I see?”

“He’s been balancing on the brink for the last two years. Nearly stopped praying.”

“Until last night. Got it.”

I proceed to study the case and receive further instructions. Since Time flows differently here, not a fraction of a second passes in the human world, and Captain Esmer is not in greater danger when my preparation is finished.

***

I step into the human world dressed in a somber brown outfit typical for a leader of rebels, in their attempt to imitate military uniform. There is a black ribbon around my arm, three brass crosses on my left shoulder indicate my rank. My papers in the name of Captain Blaze are signed by Lagdan himself, the ambitious chieftain of the rebels who sees himself as the new king and therefore strives for order and discipline.

With my credentials, I am easily admitted to Castle Berkadar. My request to interrogate prisoner Esmer is met with some surprise but granted immediately. A rebel guard takes me down to the dungeon.

“What do you want with him, sir?” he asks on the way. “We’re about to finish him, you know.”

“Be glad you haven’t,” I answer. “Lagdan would have your head for it.”

The guard unlocks the cell door for me. I enter.

There are two prisoners in the cell, Captain Esmer and Darton, one of his warriors. Both rise from the straw bed they were sitting on and look at me, trying to conceal their alarm. They know what awaits them. Esmer’s left arm is in a sling, he is wounded.

“Captain Esmer, you will come with me.”

I say it in a calm and respectful tone, a vast difference from how he has been treated so far. His large eyes are searching my face, he is trying to guess the reason. My appearance for this case is carefully chosen to be commanding, yet not intimidating. I am tall but not huge, older than Esmer, well groomed, dressed with care more suitable for a regular army officer than a ruffian rebel.

“Move it!” barks the guard. “Hands behind your back!”

Esmer starts pulling his arm out of the sling.

I wave it off. “No need for that. He is wounded, can’t you see?”

This fixes Esmer’s attention on me even more.

“I don’t need no escapes, Captain,” the guard grumbles.

“Don’t worry, no one has yet escaped from me.”

My leniency encourages the other man, Darton.

“Permission to speak, sir!” he blurts out, taking a step in my direction.

The guard frowns, but says nothing.

“Speak,” I allow.

“Where are you taking the captain?”

Good old Darton. Even now when he cannot do much to protect his captain, he still wants to. The captain who neither knows nor appreciates it… That’s something for me to work on, among other things.

“For interrogation,” I answer, “and possibly relocation.”

I am glad to alleviate Esmer’s anxiety. At least he knows he’s not getting executed yet.

“Any more questions?”

Darton hesitates for a moment. “What about me, sir?”

It comes across as cowardly, and he knows it. It’s not himself he is worried about though; he doesn’t want to be separated from the captain. And in order to find out whether they’ll stay together, he’s willing to swallow his pride and be perceived as a coward.

Alas, I can’t reveal that I know and understand.

“You will be given a chance to save your life,” I tell him. “Wait.”

I motion to Esmer and we leave the cell. A new guard is waiting to take us to the interrogation room. It’s one of Esmer’s own men who has now taken the rebels’ side. He grins as he stares at his former commanding officer, savoring his humiliation.

“That way!” he orders, giving the captain a shove. “Go!”

Esmer is shocked to see his warrior with a black ribbon, and even more shocked by such treatment. Is this the very same man? The one who’d cling to his every word, anticipate every order, light up like a candle each time the captain would notice him?

Kelman, the guard, walks by Esmer’s side, I follow a step behind. I see the prisoner turn his head to glance at Kelman. He still can’t believe it. Immediately, the guard punches him in the back.

“Keep walking!”

All right, time for a lesson. I place my hand on Kelman’s shoulder and give it a good squeeze.

“Listen. Poor treatment of prisoners is a sign of degradation, if you know such a word. Are you telling me that Lagdan’s new army is already falling apart? He won’t be pleased to hear that.”

Kelman is duly impressed. He stammers apologies and assures me that he’ll never, ever… as long as I please don’t report to Lagdan.

“I’ll think about it,” I say as we enter the interrogation room. “Dismissed!”

The room is small and barren, only a table and two chairs. It used to be lavishly furnished, but rebels stripped everything they could.

“Thank you…” Esmer mutters. It speaks volumes about how shaken he is. He’d never express gratitude to a hated rebel.

“Don’t mention it, common decency. Sit down.”

Esmer lowers himself on a chair. I take the other one.

“Well, Captain Esmer of the royal guard…”

I cannot yet say what I need to say. Kelman is trying to eavesdrop from behind the door. I reach into my pocket, take out a parchment and unfold it.

“The brave defender of Castle Berkadar. A loyal subject of His Majesty the King, ardent persecutor of rebels, personally responsible for arresting thirteen black ribbons.”

The prisoner gives a weak nod. “That’s me. I take it you won’t be offering me a chance to save my life?”

Kelman is still listening in.

“Would you have accepted it?” I ask.

Esmer’s lip twitches. He doesn’t want to die. But he won’t compromise his honor, either.

“That… would depend on what you will ask in return,” he replies.

That guard is positively annoying. I send a wave of fear at him, through the door. He scurries away in sudden panic.

“Nothing.”

Esmer slowly raises his eyes. For several agonizing moments, he tries to figure it out, then gives up.

“If this is some cruel game, it’s beneath you. You spoke of decency. Just say what you want from me, or tell me when I will be executed.”

I don’t want to prolong his torment. “They planned execution for today. But I will not allow it.”

Once again he stares at me, daring not hope. I calmly look back.

“You said… they, not we,” Esmer whispers.

“That’s right.”

“You are not one of them.”

“No.” I lower my voice. “I am here to rescue you, Captain Esmer.”

He is still afraid to believe it. “For heaven’s sake, are you speaking the truth?!”

“Yes. Forgive me for not revealing it sooner, I couldn’t.”

Esmer lets out a shaky breath. “I… should have guessed. You don’t look like a rebel.”

“Thank you.”

“What regiment are you from?”

He thinks I am in the king’s army. That suits me just fine.

“GSF, Special Forces.”

“I’m not sure I heard –”

“Listen carefully. You must trust me and do what I say. I will get you out of here on the pretense of taking you to Lagdan. Do not act any different from how you have behaved.”

Esmer brings a hand to his forehead to wipe his brow.

“How did you even get in here?” he mutters. “Do you realize what you are risking?”

“I risk nothing, don’t worry about me. Now, quiet.”

We hear footsteps and a knock on the door. A rebel officer looks in.

“Captain Blaze? I need to talk to you.”

“Yes, of course.”

I step out of the cell. The officer, a short and stout fellow with bushy eyebrows and mustache, looks me over with keen interest.

“Commander Flams,” he introduces himself. “I hear you come from the very top? Lagdan himself?”

“Yes, sir. From the very top,” I confirm. We’re talking about different tops, mine is far higher than his, but he doesn’t need to know that. “Here’s my papers.”

I hand over the papers. Flams examines them. He can read, but with difficulty, so it takes some time.

“And what’s your interest in this prisoner?”

“Lagdan’s new kingdom needs people of merit.”

“Ha! Then you’re looking in the wrong place.”

“What do you mean? I’m checking all captives of higher rank, especially those with military experience.”

Flams shakes his head. “Well, this one is worthless! Haven’t you seen him? He’s never been a good fighter, and now that wound. Can’t even hold a shovel, if you’re planning to make him work. As to his ‘higher rank’, everyone knows he’s only a captain because he’s a general’s son. I take it you are not local?”

“Indeed I am not.”

He laughs again. “I can tell! Listen, you should have just asked me who’s worth what instead of wasting your time. And I would have told you, Esmer is useless. You know how the castle fell, right? What does that tell you? His own men had no regard for him!”

I decide to end the conversation. “Well, Commander, I am grateful for your assistance. However, I’ve got my orders. I must complete the interrogation and take the prisoner to Lagdan.”

Flams nods. “Fine, I understand. But you’ll have to feed him yourself, you know. I’ve already ordered my men not to waste food on them, him and that other guy, what’s his name. By the way, since you’re looking for merit, take that one! If you can handle him. Strong as an ox!”

“Darton?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

“Thank you, Commander. I will think about it.”

He leaves. I summon the guard, give him a few coins and order to bring a decent meal to both prisoners. Kelman hesitates. He is wary of me, but his hate of his former captain proves to be stronger.

“Commander Flams said not to feed these two,” he says, scowling. “With respect, he outranks you, sir.”

I give him a hard look. “Commander Flams has just told me it’s my responsibility to pay for their food from now on. Which is exactly what I am doing. Feel free to verify it with him. If the meal isn’t here in fifteen minutes, you’ll personally answer me for it.”

Kelman leaves, cursing under his breath.

I return to the cell. Esmer is cradling his wounded arm, eyes fixed on the floor. The door was not fully shut, and he has heard every word.

“Are you sure you’re rescuing the right man?” he asks.

His voice is flat, defeated. He is in aftershock. The numbness, however, will not last long. There will be a surge of pain.

“Quite sure,” I answer.

“So you disagree with Flams’s assessment?”

“I do.”

“And yet he’s right. Flams is right!” The pain starts seeping in. “I am no warrior. Father placed me into the army, it’s true. I flattered myself that my rank, and later experience, would earn me some respect, but no! I’ve always sensed it, and now I can see it so clearly! Just like Flams said, no regard. They despised me… laughed behind my back. Why?! What have I ever done to them? I tried to be a good officer. I don’t think I’ve been cruel or unfair. Yet they hated me! What did he say about the castle falling? There was a traitor, wasn’t there? One of my own men had let the enemy in, isn’t that right?”

“Yes. Kelman.”

This new shock renders him speechless for a whole minute.

“Kelman?! That’s why he is one of them now… But… Why? He was one of the best, he was my right hand man! I was thinking about promoting him to second lieutenant! Why would he do such a thing?”

“Because of that very promotion. You had been thinking too long. He assumed he wasn’t getting it.”

“And that was enough to –?”

“For him, yes.”

Esmer shakes his head. “Unbelievable… So I drove him to it.”

“I wouldn’t say that. It was his greed and jealousy.”

“What could he possibly be jealous of? Others were jealous of him, because… Well, I guess you can say that I favored him.”

“He thought you were going to give the promotion to Darton.”

“Darton!” The captain scoffs. “What a ridiculous idea! The man is illiterate. A strong warrior, yes, and not without brains, but second lieutenant? Ridiculous.”

“Kelman would have agreed. And now that Darton has claimed to be your lieutenant, Kelman thinks you did promote him, and hates you both.”

Esmer had no idea, and it puzzles him.

“Darton lied about his rank? Why? Rebels hate officers the most.”

“He wanted to be placed in the same cell with you.”

“But his uniform?”

“He said he just got promoted and didn’t have time to change it.”

“I don’t understand…”

A knock on the door. Kelman brings in a pot and a spoon. I give Esmer a warning look, but he can’t stop himself.

“Traitor! I know what you’ve done!”

Kelman glares. He would have had some choice words for the prisoner, if it wasn’t for my presence.

“This is why you shouldn’t be nice to them, Captain Blaze,” he says, placing the pot on the table. “They forget their place.”

“It looks like someone else is forgetting his place,” I reply. “Will you tell me how to do my job?”

“No, sir. My apologies, sir.”

He hurries to leave.

“That was not wise, Captain Esmer. I asked you to behave no different.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.”

The aroma of hot beef stew fills the room. Esmer had only bread and water yesterday and nothing at all today. This is a feast to him.

I step aside, letting him eat in peace. And think.

He quickly cleans the pot. “This was so good. Thank you, Captain Blaze. You’ve brought me back to life.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“You are an answer to prayer, do you know that?”

“I do.”

He completely misses the meaning of my response, taking me for a brag. It’s all right, he’s not the first.

“When did you talk to Kelman?” Esmer asks.

“I haven’t had the pleasure of talking to him, besides the occasions you’ve witnessed.”

“Then how do you know all the things you’ve just told me?”

Good question. He’d figure me out if he gave it a little more thought. But he is still very far from it, and I’m not going to help.

“I am with Special Forces, remember? We have our sources.”

Esmer stays silent for a while, thinking. “Perhaps your sources can explain the reasons behind Darton’s behavior? I must admit I am at a loss.”

“You surprise me, Captain. I thought you knew him better than that. There is only one reason: loyalty. He wanted to protect you, to see if there was a chance to help you escape, and if not, then stand by your side until the very end.”

Esmer looks at me in disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“What makes you doubt it?”

“Well, he never showed any… friendliness, or anything like that. He was obedient, good at his job, but that’s it. I thought he despised me just like the rest.”

“He couldn’t allow himself friendliness. You are an officer, he’s rank and file. Besides, he sensed very clearly that you looked down at him, so he wouldn’t impose.”

“I didn’t –” Esmer’s protest dies on his lips as he realizes that what I said is true. “I did look down at him, didn’t I?… Heavens forgive me, I did!”

“At least you are sorry.”

He bites his lip. “You are a bit harsh with me, Blaze, and you’re right, I deserve it. I promise you, if we get out of here alive, I will do all I can to make it up to Darton. I will apologize, and thank him. I will get him promoted two ranks ahead! I’ll put him up for a medal, I…” Esmer catches my gaze and falters. “You’re rescuing both of us, aren’t you?”

And this is where I have to be tough. “I have no orders regarding him. Sorry.”

The captain gapes at me. “What?…”

“I am sent here to deliver you.”

“But… you can’t leave Darton behind! They will execute him! Whatever ‘chance’ or deal you said he’ll be offered, he will not accept it! You must save him!”

I feel Esmer’s horror and pain, and I feel for Darton, but I have to stay firm.

“I must follow my orders. You are in the army yourself, you know how it works. And trust me, my orders are far stricter than yours.”

“I can’t believe you are saying this! Don’t you care at all? You’ve just shown me that Darton is a far better man than myself! He’s only here because of me!”

This is true, and I am glad Esmer has realized it. Darton could have fought his way out when the rebels broke in, he is an excellent warrior. But he knew that Esmer stood no chance, especially with the wound, so he had stayed back.

I say nothing. I know I come across as callous and cold. But the truth is, I can only do what I am allowed. The only thing that relieves my pain is knowing where Darton stands. His faith shines brightly like a star. That’s why he has done what he has done. He doesn’t want to die, either, but if he has to, he is ready.

Esmer gets up, comes close and takes me by the arm. “Captain Blaze, please. For heaven’s sake, for the sake of everything you have ever loved. I will not be able to live with it, with Darton dying here. Save him. If there’s anything I can do or give to repay you for it, it’s yours, I swear.”

I look him firmly in the eye. “Don’t plead with me, talk to the One who sent me. Perhaps you can convince Him to change my orders.”

He is still not getting it. “But how can I reach your commanding officer? From here, and in time to prevent execution?”

“Not officer, King. You reached Him just fine last night. That’s why I am here.”

It finally dawns on him. Esmer slowly backs away from me, bumps into the chair and falls on it. Then he clasps his hands together, squeezes his eyes shut, and, ignoring the pain in the left arm, starts praying more fervently than he ever did in his life.

I stand and wonder, as I always do when mortals pray, at his words soaring up there, right to the very Throne, where me and my kind can only dare enter when summoned.

I wait. At last, I hear Algeron’s voice in my ear.

“Permission granted. You may take them both.”

***