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“Still feeling guilty?” Linda asked after a bit. The carriage rattled along the road, passing more completed watchtowers and trenches. Creaking noises coming from a tower caught her attention. “What is that?”
Cleo raised her head and squinted at the cannon that was being placed into position. “That’s one of those shooty thingies the rebel army used,” she said. Her head tilted to one side. “How are they here?” A strange look appeared in Cleo’s eyes.
“Don’t even think about it,” Linda said and pinched Cleo’s arm. “I recognize that look.”
“No one will even notice,” Cleo said.
“Everyone will notice if something that big disappears,” Linda said and furrowed her brow. “You’re staying right here.”
“They’ll just think it was misplaced.”
“No,” Linda said and placed her hand on Cleo’s shoulder. “You’re not going anywhere until this carriage passes through the checkpoint.”
“I should just tell everyone you’re a greed angel,” Cleo grumbled as she sat back on the driver’s seat.
“Then I’ll tell everyone your secret as well,” Linda said and snorted. “If I go down, you’re coming with me.”
“No need to be so vengeful,” Cleo said and rolled her eyes. “Can’t you just die peacefully? Gosh. What happened to forgiveness and all that?”
“I never said I was an angel of patience,” Linda said and flicked Cleo’s forehead. The angel’s face turned serious as the sound of talking reached their ears. “Alright, no chattering now.”
Cleo nodded as the carriage came to a halt in front of the checkpoint. Two red gates with golden etchings towered over them. An angel floated down the wall, golden robes fluttering in the wind, and landed in front of the carriage. She glanced at the Bael family symbol etched on the side of the carriage. “Lady Bael,” the guardian said and lowered her head. “Forgive me, but I have to inspect your carriage.”
“Again?” Cleo asked and furrowed her brow. “What—“
Linda covered Cleo’s mouth with her hand. “You may proceed,” Linda said and glared at Cleo. Impudence on Cleo’s part could have the lizardman taken away. There was no way Linda was going to let that happen.
The guardian nodded, ignoring Cleo’s outburst. She floated up and landed on the carriage. From her sleeve, she retrieved an odd-looking metal device. She waved the device around a few times before storing it away. “What was that?” Linda asked, keeping a straight face.
“It’s a holy device Lady Sariel distributed amongst the guardians,” the robed angel said as she stepped deeper into the carriage. “It can detect members of the army.”
Linda nodded. It looked like she’d have to thank the previous guardians for being lenient. This one didn’t even give her a chance to turn in any deserters before checking. Never in her life had she felt so thankful for her greed. “How does it work?” Linda asked.
“If the light turns green, then an army member is nearby,” the guardian said.
Linda sighed. That wasn’t what she meant, but chances were, the angel wouldn’t tell her anyways. The guardian stepped outside, carrying the remaining stock of blankets Linda had inside of the carriage. “These items…,” the guardian said and paused. It seemed like she was trying to find the right words.
“I obtained them from the alpaca farm in the third sector,” Linda said, her face stiff. “Surely these can’t count as contraband items.”
“They’re not,” the guardian said before furrowing her brow. “It’s just … at night … it gets cold.”
Linda’s eyes lit up. “So you’re a customer then,” she said and nodded. “They cost—“
“I’m afraid I don’t have any money,” the guardian said and pursed her lips.
“What.” Linda’s mouth fell open. No money on a guardian’s wage?
The guardian lowered her head, her face redder than usual. “Our wages are temporarily withheld,” she said, hugging the blanket to her chest. “They’re going to the fund to reobtain deserters.” Linda wondered if that was why the guardian didn’t give her a chance to turn in deserters by herself. The guardian raised her head and stared at Linda with a pair of puppy eyes.
Linda stared at the guardian. The greediness inside of her was yelling no, but the rational part of her won over. A sigh escaped from her lips. “Okay,” she said. “You can have them.”
The guardian raised her head as she hugged the fluffy blankets even tighter. “I won’t forget this kindness, Lady Bael,” she said. “I’ll definitely repay this favor. My name is Miriam Ingel …stone. Miriam Ingelstone.” She nodded.
“Mm.” Linda didn’t reject the repayment or question her background. “I do have a few questions.” Miriam gulped before nodding. “I was wondering why there were so many stringent checks. This is the second time I was stopped.”
Miriam’s face fell. “Do you want the truth or the white lie?” she asked.
“The truth.”
Miriam sighed and stared at the blankets in her arms. “We’re heavily outnumbered by the rebels now that the four armies have been destroyed. There aren’t many military forces remaining inside of the first sector,” she said and bit her lower lip. “I’m sure there are a few archangels hidden within the capital, but … you’re a Bael living outside the capital. You should understand.”
Linda’s brow furrowed—she did understand. “Go on,” she said and nodded.
“Lady Sariel sent out some tools to help us with the war, but we don’t have enough people to man them. That’s why we’re trying to convince as many deserters as possible to rejoin us,” Miriam said. “We also have halflings with slave collars working for us, but they have no training and can only do basic tasks. Truth be told, if your slave was an adult, I’d have to apprehend it.”
Cleo opened her mouth to spew profanities, but Linda clamped the lizardman’s jaw shut with her hands.
Miriam narrowed her eyes at Cleo but remembered the blankets and looked away. She continued speaking, “Just a few days ago, the first sector suffered a heavy attack from the rebels. A wrath archdemon wreaked havoc on the eastern and western sides while our walls were sieged by harpies. Hailing Academy was set ablaze. The only good thing that came out of that attack was the urgency created. The other academies are willing to move, but I’m afraid it still isn’t enough.” Miriam sighed. “They’re scholars and students. How can they do what the army couldn’t?”
“The capital really thinks they’re that invulnerable?” Linda asked. “The rebels are practically right outside their door.”
“You and I both know the capital isn’t going to fall,” Miriam said and smiled wryly. “It doesn’t matter what happens to all the sinners outside, right?”
“If you and I know this, then Solra, a previous member of the top echelon of the capital, will also know this,” Linda said.
Miriam shrugged. “I’m not an important figure. The only thing I can do is follow orders,” she said. “Maybe Lady Sariel has a way to deal with Solra. We just have to believe.”
Linda grunted and turned her gaze on Cleo. “So what do you want to do? The first sector’s about to be under attack. We can wait in the second sector until everything ends or we can try to find Raea anyway,” she said. Linda found it sad how her future was being determined by a lizardman, but at the same time, the lizardman was clearly her best chance at riches and fortune. If Cleo decided to run away because Linda didn’t give her a choice, then Linda was sure she’d regret it for the rest of her life.
Cleo pursed her lips. Clearly, she could live an easy and relaxed life if she just hung around Linda. But if she wanted an easy and relaxed life, she wouldn’t be stealing for an adrenaline rush. She nodded and said, “Let’s find Raea.”