A half hour later, Mei watched her older brother pretend to sleep. Huan had already tried to trick her once by snoring so loudly it should have roused Lord Kalan from his coma, but it hadn’t been his best effort, and since Mei had spent her whole life sleeping within earshot of him, she hadn’t been fooled. Now, Huan’s breathing slowed, and he became dormant, but his hands were pressing down on the sheets, ready to push him upright as soon as Mei left. This was the beast’s attempt. It thought it could just lie still, and she’d go away, but Mei tapped the head of her axe with her finger, the soft sound making Huan twitch.
When she did it again, he groaned. “Stop that.”
Mei laid the axe across her lap and waited. This late at night the kitchens and the workshops that filled the air with activity during the day were silent, and so her brother’s steady breathing was audible. It softened for a moment then grew steady. Huan’s hands even relaxed, but his shoulders stayed tense. He was trying to hear when she left. Mei allowed herself a small smile and tapped her axe head again.
Huan opened his eyes. “You’re not going to leave, are you?”
Mei shook her head.
He scowled. “Fine! I’ll go to sleep.”
He closed his eyes. After many minutes, his breathing slowed, his hands went limp, and his shoulders dropped. When he started to snore softly, Mei let out a breath and stood up. He didn’t move. She raised her axe, and he kept snoring, no anger from the insult, no fear from the threat interrupting his rest. Satisfied, Mei slipped out of the room and eased the door closed behind her.
“Good call.” Rodion Galkin was leaning against the wall across from the door. “He seems like the sort to sneak out of bed and do something foolish.”
Mei went rigid. She hadn’t sensed him at all. Where Tiger would have reduced his presence or her brother would have relied on distraction, the steward had somehow faded into the background. It was unsettling.
She took her hand from her axe, which she’d grabbed without noticing. “Why are you here?”
Rodion pushed away from the wall, meeting Mei’s eyes with his own. “I found some aspects of your brother’s story confusing. I have some experience with those creatures, and the idea that a lone human could stand against them for any length of time, particularly weaponless, is hard to believe.”
With a noncommittal grunt, Mei walked away.
The steward followed. “Since you’ve fought these creatures yourself, you understand, right? Taking them on alone would be a difficult, if not impossible, task.”
Mei walked faster.
The steward increased his pace. “Miss Ma, I-“
“Why are you following me?” Mei stopped and turn to face the steward, who stopped two steps away from her and bowed.
“It is my job to keep track of all of Walcrest’s guests,” he said. “Although you’re staying here in the garrison, you are still under Lord Kalan’s protection, and so it is my responsibility to make sure you’re taken care of. That includes your safety.”
“We can handle ourselves.”
Rodion’s eyes flicked to Mei’s rifle. “I can see that.”
Mei stepped back from him. “Then go away.”
“I was just wondering if your brother missed anything.”
Mei’s hand dropped to her axe. “You-“
“Mei? Galkin?” Dwayne emerged from the other end of the corridor, freshly bathed and in new clothes. “What’s going on?” He stepped back from Mei’s glare.
“Master Dwayne.” Rodion bowed. “I was just on my way back to deliver my report.”
The Wesen mage nodded slowly. “Ah, okay.” He turned to Mei. “Have you seen Magdala? I wanted to tell her something crucial about Fo magic. It’s important.”
Mei’s eyes didn’t leave the steward as she answered, “I do not know where she is.”
“Oh, okay.” Dwayne was still inching back from Mei.
Sighing, She removed her hand from her axe. She had to stop acting like a cornered beast, lashing out instead of thinking. “Sorry.”
Dwayne relaxed a fraction. “It’s been a long day for all of us, and I’m sorry I haven’t been more help with that. I know you two can handle it. How is Huan?”
“Hurt. Sleeping.”
“I hope he gets better.” Dwayne rubbed his temples. “There’s still so much to do up at the estate before Lord Gallus’s arrival. Hopefully, we can get the stables cleaned out by tomorrow.”
“Mister Forster has been helpful?” asked Galkin.
Mei’s eyes slid to door of Huan’s room. It stayed closed.
“Considering that he’s just one man. We still need, what was it, five people to muck out the stables.”
Galkin bowed. “As you wish, my lord.”
Dwayne nodded and said, “Mei, please join us for breakfast tomorrow.”
Mei refocused on the Wesen mage and nodded. “I’ll try.”
Dwayne smiled. “Magdala would like that. See you then.” He and Galkin disappeared down the corridor, leaving Mei alone.
She stepped towards Huan’s door, but then turned to the barracks instead. Passing the courtyard, she caught sight of two soldiers in fitted leather armor who were receiving a scroll. After a quick salute, they spoke a word, and wind gathered at their feet and lifted them into the night sky. Her mouth open, Mei watched them rise higher and higher into the air, then jet east along the Southern Line. Magdala had told her about fighting off flying bandits with Dwayne, but even after Yumma that had sounded ridiculous to Mei. Now Mei wondered, what would it be like to fly?
“There you are!” Maggie and Saundra ran up to her.
Mei pointed to the shadows against the moon. “Can you fly like that?” she asked Maggie.
Maggie looked up and squinted. “Oh, windsong flyers.” She shook her head. “I wish. They carry messages and the like, and they get to see so many things.”
“Those two are the only ones we’ve got,” said Saundra. “Ole Harvey’s really taking this seriously.” She turned to Mei, grinning. “Milady had an idea.”
“I can go by myself,” whined Maggie.
Mei turned to her friends. “What idea?”
“She’s going to check out the cremation pits,” said Saundra.
Mei raised an eyebrow. “Is that dangerous?”
“I’m right. Here.” Maggie composed herself. “It’s safe. It’s just where they burn dead bodies.”
Tapping her axe with a finger, Mei considered this. “There is also the place my brother found.”
“What place?”
Mei told Maggie and Saundra Huan’s report, leaving out any details about Tiger’s mask.
Like Galkin, Saundra was skeptical. “Your brother lost to just one of those things before, and then he was able to get away from two of them and their master? I don’t believe it.”
Maggie rubbed her chin. “He has… ways. I could go check out-“
“No.”
Saundra and Mei’s united refusal caught Maggie off guard.
She tried a smile to placate them. “There’s no way that the enemy stayed there after Huan escaped. That location is compromised. It’ll be perfectly safe.”
Saundra shook her head. “More likely it’ll be full of booby traps like the shop. No, milady.”
“I’ll go,” said Mei.
Saundra winced. “That’s not better. I’m sure you can take down a lot of those things-” Her eyes slid to Mei’s rifle. “-but please, take someone with you.”
“Okay.”
Saundra’s mouth fell open. “Really? You don’t mind?”
“No.” Mei cocked her head to one side. “Why would I?”
“So you’ll be going with Mei?” Maggie asked Saundra.
“No, I’ll ask Sir Pollum to send someone else.” Saundra stood straighter. “I’m a corporal after all. I can requisition resources. Assuming that’s what that means.”
“Dwayne was looking for you,” said Mei to Maggie. “He invited me to breakfast.”
Maggie’s lips pursed. “He should be far too busy to-“
“I’ll be there.”
Maggie flushed. “I was going to go to the cremation pits first thing in the morning though.”
Saundra grinned. “Breakfast is more important, milady.”
Admaeus Speaks 
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