The northern sky stretched gray and endless above the Combat Core stronghold. Steel towers rose through permanent frost, their dark walls disappearing into falling snow. Steam hissed from pipes along the streets, mixing with the morning fog before freezing against railings and rooftops. In the training yard below—
"Again!"
Levi's voice cut through the cold. His new company moved. Or tried to. Dozens of officers repeated the combat drill for what felt like the hundredth time. Boots struck frozen ground. Weapons moved through practiced patterns. Sweat froze against brows. Levi paced between the formations, hands clasped behind his back. The Combat Core insignia—two crossed sabers over a blazing field—was stitched onto his coat. He didn't need to raise his voice often.
His officers had already learned what happened when he did.
"Officer Gorran."
The young officer froze. Levi stopped beside him.
"Your elbow."
Gorran immediately corrected it.
"Better."
Levi started walking again. Then—
"Wrong."
Gorran's soul nearly left his body. Lily stood several yards away. Her arms were folded neatly across her chest. White hair had been pulled into a high ponytail, strands fluttering in the frozen wind.
"If I see that elbow slip again," she said calmly, "you'll repeat the drill until your bones memorize the form."
Gorran straightened.
"Yes, Lieutenant!"
Levi glanced toward her. A faint smirk crossed his face.
"You sure you're not the real commander here?"
Lily didn't even look at him.
"I merely make sure the dog doesn't bite the hand that feeds him."
Several nearby officers suddenly became extremely interested in their footing. Levi stared at her.
"Dog?"
Lily finally looked over.
"Would you prefer mutt?"
"Careful, Lieutenant."
"Is that an order, Commander?"
Levi smiled.
"Keep pushing."
Lily turned toward the company.
"You heard him!"
Every officer moved faster. Levi shook his head. Maybe she really was the commander. Training ended nearly an hour later. The company scattered toward showers, chow, or anywhere that didn't contain Levi. He and Lily walked together through the polished steel corridors of the stronghold. They'd developed a rhythm since transferring into the Combat Core.
Levi pushed and Lily refined. He attacked problems directly while she made sure he hadn't created three more in the process. Somehow, their mixture of fire and frost worked.
"What do you think of the company?" Lily asked as they walked.
Levi glanced back toward the training yard. "They're still too slow. If somebody comes at them for real, I can't ask the bastard to wait while they remember where their elbows go."
"They've been under your command for a few weeks. You're comparing officers learning to work together with a man who's had six years to make lightning an unfair advantage."
"I'm comparing them with people I'd like to bring home alive."
Lily looked at him. The complaint sounded different when he put it that way.
"Then tell them when they get something right too. They're improving. They'll improve faster if they know you can see it."
He considered that, then sighed. "They'll get there."
"You could try saying that where they can hear you."
"Let's not ruin my reputation all at once."
Lily smiled and let him have that much. Their living arrangements had changed too. Lily had suggested giving her private room to Silvia, then made the change without explaining her reasons. Silvia hadn't asked. The offer was welcome enough on its own. The arrangement gave Silvia somewhere close to the Combat Core's medical facilities while she completed the practical portion of her training. She'd taken to it quickly.
Between long shifts, field clinics, trauma exercises, and emergency treatment, she had plenty to learn. She wasn't ready to be anyone's frontline medic yet, but she was determined to become one. Levi had seen that look before. The same stubbornness he'd spent years being accused of possessing. Apparently it ran in the family. Later that afternoon, a courier arrived.
"Captain."
Levi looked up from his desk. The courier placed a sealed envelope before him. Council markings. Central Division. Lily noticed immediately.
"That looks important."
"Those usually mean paperwork."
"Open it."
Levi broke the seal. His expression changed as he read. Lily moved beside him. At the top—
TOP PRIORITY REPORT
Beneath it:
BLACK-MARKET ACTIVITY
PROTOTYPE COLLAR COMPOUND X-9
SUSPECTED DISTRIBUTION — NORTHERN SECTOR
INVESTIGATION AUTHORIZED AT COMMAND DISCRETION
Levi read it twice.
"So they're finally making a move."
Lily's eyes remained on the report.
"Or something resembling one."
Levi looked toward her.
"You don't sound convinced."
"They're giving us permission to investigate something we already know exists."
"Which means somebody finally admitted it exists."
"Fair."
Levi folded the report. Lily already knew the answer.
"You want to follow it."
"Damn right."
Levi thought of the Heart of Subjugation, the collars, and Reed. They all led back to Kestrel and X-9. Someone had taken a failed government project and turned it into something worse. Levi had no intention of letting that trail disappear.
Northern Sector
The first lead went nowhere. Their informant never appeared. The second was worse. An abandoned warehouse listed in the report contained nothing except broken crates, frozen pipes, and several rats that seemed personally offended by Levi's presence. By evening, snow had turned to freezing rain. Water struck the streets and immediately glazed the stone. Lily pulled her coat tighter.
"Productive day."
Levi shoved his hands into his pockets.
"We learned the warehouse is empty."
"Remarkable investigative work."
"We also learned our informant is unreliable."
"Truly groundbreaking."
Levi looked toward her.
"Are you hungry?" Levi asked.
"Extremely. Is that finally a question with a useful answer?"
"It means we can stop pretending we're accomplishing anything and find dinner. I think we've thoroughly investigated the rats."
That earned a small laugh. They found a restaurant tucked between two narrow alleys. Warm light filled its windows. Food first. Investigation tomorrow. At least— that was the plan. They'd barely stepped inside when a woman screamed.
"Someone stop that man!"
Levi turned. A young man crashed through the restaurant door carrying a woman's purse.
"Of course."
Levi ran. Lily followed. They cornered him behind the restaurant. The thief stumbled against a wall. He was young and thin, his eyes wild and his face covered in sweat despite the freezing temperature.
"Stay back."
Levi slowed. The man clutched his stomach.
"I just need more..."
Lily's eyes narrowed. Something moved beneath his skin. Dark markings crawled across his neck, resembling tattoos until they shifted again. Levi's expression hardened.
"Those markings look familiar," Levi said.
"I see them." Lily moved clear of his shoulder as the thief screamed.
Black tendrils erupted from the man's back and slammed into the surrounding buildings, jerking his body upward. Levi stepped back out of their reach.
"Looks like withdrawal. Keep casualties to a minimum—see if you can freeze him."
Lily extended a hand, sending ice across the alley. The tendrils struck the wall and pulled the fugitive sideways before it reached him. He snapped out of her aim again as another tendril lashed into the brickwork.
"I can't get a clean shot!"
Levi disappeared. Lightning cracked through the alley. Lily shielded her eyes. Three spears of electricity appeared around the fugitive.
"Lightning Javelin."
Levi threw the first spear. The man dodged it; the second passed above him, and the third struck the wall. He was still laughing when Levi vanished into the first bolt and emerged from the second, then the third. The spears had been anchors rather than shots meant to hit him. The fugitive barely had time to turn. Levi appeared directly in front of him.
"Oh—"
Lightning engulfed Levi's fist.
BOOM.
The right hook lifted the man from his feet. Every tendril went limp. He crashed into the snow. Unconscious. Levi stood over him. Smoke curled from his glove. Lily approached.
"You could have opened with that."
"Where's the fun in that?"
She stared.
"Right."
Levi crouched. The strange markings remained visible beneath the man's clothing. He touched nothing.
"We need him alive."
"Agreed."
Levi lifted the unconscious man over his shoulder. Lily retrieved the stolen purse and returned it to its owner. Then— applause. Slow. Deliberate. Levi stopped. Several uniformed officers stood at the alley entrance. Apprehension Core. Their leader smiled.
"Thanks for wrapping that up."
Levi stared. The officer shrugged.
"Didn't particularly feel like getting caught in that crossfire."
He gestured toward the unconscious man.
"None of us here are Star-bearers."
His smile widened.
"But we'll take custody."
Levi's eyebrow twitched.
"What kind of officer watches a Captain and Lieutenant do all the work?"
The man's smile remained.
"The smart kind."
Levi stepped closer.
"So much for the Apprehension Core."
"We were fully prepared to intervene."
"And when exactly were you planning to do that?"
"If you faltered. There was no sense getting in your way while you had the situation handled."
Lightning crawled across Levi's shoulders.
"As if some street thug was taking me down."
The officer looked at the electricity.
"Temper, temper."
He raised both hands.
"We're all friends here."
His smile sharpened.
"No need to get all charged up."
Silence. Levi took another step. Lily caught his arm.
"Let it go."
Levi looked toward her.
She gave him the look.
He knew that look. Levi exhaled. The lightning disappeared. He waited for the officer to come closer.
"I want a full report and a medical examination," Levi said as he handed the prisoner over. "Nobody removes, burns, cuts, or otherwise tampers with those markings until they're documented. Send me copies."
The officer's smile weakened slightly. "Of course, Captain. We'll make sure you're informed."
Levi noticed the change and held his gaze a moment longer.
"Wouldn't dream of keeping you in the dark."
Levi stared at him for another second. Lily tugged his arm.
"Come on."
They left. Only after turning the corner did Levi speak.
"I hate him."
"You've known him for three minutes."
"Long enough."
Later — Barracks
The door shut behind them, and Levi kicked off his boots. Their modest quarters held twin bunks, one desk, a tiny kitchenette, and a single wall hook currently attempting to hold two coats despite clearly being designed for one. Somehow, over the past few weeks, the room had stopped feeling temporary. Levi dropped into his chair. Lily removed her gloves.
"You're still thinking about him."
Levi folded his arms. "He watched the entire damn fight, then stepped in after I'd handled it and acted like he did us a favor."
Lily loosened the tie at her collar. "They weren't equipped for someone like that. He wasn't wrong about that part, however much you dislike him."
"He was smug. And irritating," Levi said.
"Extremely irritating," Lily agreed.
Levi pointed toward her. "Thank you. That's all I wanted to hear."
Lily smiled faintly.
"But we're not in Leone anymore."
Levi's expression changed.
"This place works differently."
"That's what worries me."
Lily leaned against the counter.
"We're new here, Levi. We've already been given a sensitive investigation, and we're commanding people who don't know us. All around us are officers who've been navigating these politics much longer than either of us."
She met his eyes.
"We don't know who's incompetent, who's arrogant, who's useful..." A pause. "...or who's hiding something."
Levi considered that. Lily continued.
"So maybe don't make enemies with everyone during the first month."
"I don't make enemies with everyone."
Lily stared. Levi sighed.
"Fine. I'll try to make fewer enemies." Levi looked toward the door. "Still don't trust him to file the report."
"Neither do I. We'll submit a formal request tomorrow so he has to answer it."
Levi groaned. "There it is. Your solution to everything involves paperwork."
"Only the things I'd like to have on record when somebody claims we never asked."
Lily walked toward the kitchenette.
"Drink?"
"Please."
She opened a cabinet. Several bottles sat inside. Some Silvia had brought. Some had apparently been left by whoever occupied the quarters before them. Lily grabbed one without paying much attention. Levi watched her pour it into two mugs.
"What is it?"
"Something warm."
"Very descriptive."
She handed him a mug. They drank. Levi stopped at the sweet, spiced burn running over his tongue and down his throat. He looked into the mug.
"This isn't tea. Where did you get the bottle?"
Lily frowned and turned it toward the light. Her expression changed as she read the label.
"Oh. That's not the concentrate I thought it was."
Levi raised an eyebrow.
"That's spiced rum," Levi said. "And you've poured a fairly generous serving."
Lily smelled her mug and wrinkled her nose. "No wonder it burns. How strong is it?"
He told her. She stared at the mug. Then at him.
"...Oh."
Twenty minutes later— Levi had learned something important. Lily could not hold her liquor. At all. She pointed toward him.
"I am perfectly fine," Lily insisted.
"You're slurring."
"I am articulate." She emphasized the word with a finger and knocked her mug. Levi caught it before it fell. Lily stared at his hand, then straightened with great dignity.
"I meant to do that. I was testing you."
"Naturally. Should I expect a written evaluation?"
"You passed. Don't become arrogant about it."
Levi laughed. Lily's cheeks were bright red.
"Lightweight."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
She stood. The room moved before she did. Lily grabbed the table. Levi raised an eyebrow.
"I'm."
She steadied herself.
"Fine."
"Sure."
Lily pointed toward him.
"Turn around."
"What?"
"I'm changing."
Levi immediately turned his chair.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Don't patronize me."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Behind him— fabric rustled. Her hair tie came loose. Silence. Levi glanced sideways. Just slightly.
"No peeking."
He immediately faced forward.
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"...A little."
"Levi."
"Sorry."
A pause.
"You can turn around."
He did. Then stopped. Lily stood beside her bunk. Her white hair fell freely past her shoulders. She wore a pale nightgown—simple, soft, considerably less formal than anything Levi had ever seen her wear. For a moment, she looked less guarded than Levi was used to seeing her. Levi blinked. Then deliberately looked toward her face. She sat.
"I didn't mean to make us a couple of mugs of rum," she said, gesturing at the kitchenette. "You could have warned me before I drank it."
"You handed me mine at the same time. I was occupied discovering it for myself."
"You're enjoying this now, though."
Levi smiled. "A little."
She glared, which only deepened his smile.
He stood and offered his hand. "Come on. You'll be less pleased with that bottle in the morning."
Lily took it. He helped her the few steps to the bunk, waited until she had lain down, and pulled the blanket over her.
"Get some sleep."
"Bossy."
"I'm your commander."
"Only at work."
Levi paused. Lily's eyes were already closing.
"...Fair."
He stepped away.
"Levi."
He looked back. Her voice had changed. Quiet. No teasing.
"Thank you," Lily said.
"For helping you across a room?"
She opened her eyes slightly. "For..." The thought seemed to escape her. She smiled instead. "Just let me thank you without making me explain it."
Levi nodded.
"Get some sleep."
He returned to his own bunk. Removed his coat. Then his uniform shirt. He lay back in his black undershirt and trousers, arms folded behind his head. The room became quiet. Levi stared at the ceiling.
(When did she get this comfortable around me?)
He thought back over Leone, their first patrol, the capital, Reed, and the move to Combat Core. Somewhere between investigations and near-death experiences, Lily had stopped feeling like an officer assigned to him. Her laughter came easier now. She challenged him without hesitation. Trusted him. And— if he was being honest— he trusted her more than almost anyone. Levi glanced toward the other bunk. Lily was already asleep. Her face peaceful.
Nothing like the sharp Lieutenant who terrified half his company. Levi looked back toward the ceiling.
(There's no way she'd fall for a guy like me.)
She was disciplined and precise, comfortable with a world Levi still navigated by instinct. Besides, she'd been drinking. Whatever tonight had been— he wasn't reading anything into it. Tomorrow she'd probably barely remember. Levi closed his eyes. Outside— freezing rain struck the window.
Morning
Lily remembered. Unfortunately— not everything. She stood beside her bunk with her hair neatly braided again, uniform immaculate. Her head felt like someone had driven a railroad spike through it. Levi was already dressed. He tightened one glove. Lily watched him.
"About last night," Lily began.
Levi looked up from tightening his glove. "What about it?"
She hesitated, then looked away. "Did I say anything I should be embarrassed about?"
Levi remembered her insistence that she was articulate, the supposedly deliberate attack on her mug, and the testing he'd apparently passed. He could torment her about it for months. Tempting.
"We were tired, had a few drinks, and talked," he said. "Then you went to bed."
"I remember the drinks. I'm asking about the talking."
"Nothing you need to worry about."
Lily studied him. "You're sure?"
"Positive."
He was impossible to read. After a moment, her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"...Okay."
Levi turned toward the door. Behind him, Lily's expression changed.
(So he didn't notice?)
She looked toward him.
(Or he's pretending he didn't?)
That possibility was somehow worse. Levi opened the door.
"We've got officers waiting."
He glanced back.
"And a report to chase."
Lily sighed.
"Right."
She followed. Before stepping into the corridor, Levi stopped.
"Oh."
Lily looked up.
"One more thing."
"What?"
He smiled.
"You're a lightweight."
Lily's face went crimson.
"I hate you."
Levi walked away laughing.
"Company formation in ten!"
"Levi!"
Her footsteps followed. For a moment, the frozen halls didn't seem quite as cold. Three floors below them— a prisoner sat inside an Apprehension Core holding cell. The young thief from the alley trembled violently. His wrists had been restrained. His strange markings had spread. A medic stood outside the bars.
"How long has he been like this?"
"Since intake."
"Did you give him anything?"
"No."
The prisoner suddenly lifted his head.
"Please."
The officers looked toward him. His eyes were bloodshot.
"I need it."
One officer approached.
"Need what?"
The man's breathing quickened.
"I need..."
Something moved beneath his skin.
"...another dose."
The medic froze.
"Get the Captain's office."
An Apprehension officer looked toward him.
"Which Captain?"
The medic stared at the spreading black markings.
"The one who brought him in."
Outside— freezing rain continued falling across the city. Inside the prisoner's body— something began to move.