“After my grandfather George.” She smiled.
“Where are you from?”
“Gyles Pare. It’s a small town in the west wing of the Court.”
“I don’t know where the west of the Court is.”
“The Annan Providence.” She eyed me as if I was the crazy one here. “Near Rabri.”
I shook my head. “Have you never heard of Georgia? The state?”
“I kind of suck at geography. Our Court is pretty much the extent of my world knowledge.”
One needed no geography class to live in the US and know there’s a state with that name. It was as if I was an alien. She had no idea. But I bet last month, she celebrated Independence Day by watching the fireworks. Or at least had a barbecue. Her kind eyes made me drop the subject, and I stood.
“The commander asked that you shower and rest and be ready for regiment placement. I’ll bring you dinner and a uniform after I know where he’ll place you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. If you could show me to the kitchen, I’ll find dinner.”
“Um, I think you’re on some sort of house arrest.”
Shit. “Why do you think that?”
“Because,” Georgia drawled out the word, “this floor houses the commander, his brothers, and you.”
“And that’s house arrest?”
“It’s a guarded floor.”
“I didn’t see anyone.” On my way up with the Guardians, nobody even passed by. The entire floor appeared deserted.
“That’s the point of them.”
“Point of who?”
“The light benders.”
I blinked. “What is a light bender?” Probably same as Guardian, as in a title or a thing I didn’t know.
“Are you well?” she finally asked. “You ask the weirdest things, as if you fell from another realm and landed here, and now you’re trying to find your way.”
I was an alien. “I do feel that way.”
“Maybe you’re suffering from amnesia?”
I scratched my head and held on to what I knew to be true, namely the faces of my family, my house, my economic professor’s ridiculous red glasses. “Maybe,” I said. I didn’t want to start doubting myself.
“Well, if I can be of help, let me know. The commander will decide your regiment placement, and you can go from there.”
“Good advice.”
She beamed at me and left.
I picked up the hot cup of coffee and sipped. At least coffee tasted the same and, strangely, grounded me.
Banging roused me from a deep sleep, and I groaned, tapping for my cell phone on the nightstand. My hand fell and hit the bedpost. Ouch. I snapped open my eyes to the darkness in the room. My body begged for more sleep. I closed my eyes.
Thump thump thump.
I sighed. “Coming,” I said and padded barefoot to the door.
I opened it to Georgia’s solemn face and messy hair pulled up in a bun. She held up a bundle of clothes. “Here’s your uniform.”
“What time is it?”
“Two forty.”
“In the middle of the night?”
“Unfortunately. I don’t know what you did to piss him off, but try not to do it again. I like sleeping at night.”
“Me too.” I accepted the bundle of white clothes with gold trim.
“Your training begins at three sharp.” With that, Georgia spun on her slippers and left. Before closing the door, I glanced to the right, down the long hallway, looking for an angel or a light bender, but found nobody.
Back in the room, I put the bundle in the closet, used the bathroom, and slid under the covers, seeking more warmth. Outside was surely way below zero, and I wasn’t going anywhere this early.
Minutes later, I couldn’t sleep. If I didn’t show up, would he get rid of me? Where the heck would I go if he kicked me out? Would he kill me? I wouldn’t put it past him. Shit. I got up and put on the white uniform. No weapons, so maybe I wasn’t a soldier, or maybe they handed out weapons outside. Maybe I could be a maid like Georgia, stay in the house and bring uniforms to various people. It sounded better than going to war.
I didn’t have a watch, so once I dressed, I opened the door.
Michael stood there, holding up his ancient pocket watch. “No excuses. It’s been an hour since I requested your presence downstairs.”
“It couldn’t have been more than fifteen minutes.”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
“No, sir.”
“Commander.”
I squared my shoulders. “I’m ready now, Commander.” Not really. I had no idea what he planned, but with limited choices, I went with the flow.
Michael smiled. “I very much doubt that, mortal.” He descended the steps, and I followed behind him, trying not to ogle the way his wings swaggered. Under the strange kilt I couldn’t see his ass, but I bet it was fine. Really fine.
Whatever warmth kept the entire House of Command heated disappeared the second the front doors opened. Howling winds blew snow inside, and I regretted saying I was ready. I was so not ready. The frost stuck to my very bones as I stood in the hallway long after Michael disappeared down the stairs. But I couldn’t stand here forever, and I couldn’t go out there without a jacket or gloves or a hat.
I’d freeze my tits off. Literally.
Michael appeared back at the entrance. “Soldier, when I walk, you follow.”
“Yes, sir.” Shivering, I stood in place.
He glared. “I am unsure why you test me, but I am certain you will regret it.”
“I need a jacket, gloves, and fur-lined boots.” And directions to my house.
“You need courage and faith. The rest of the things you mentioned, you will earn by…pleasing me. I am pleased when my soldiers behave like soldiers, not whiners.”
“I’m human. I’ll freeze out there.”
“Not to worry,” he purred, voice low, musical, inviting. “I’ll keep you warm.” He smiled one of those radiant smiles and extended a hand. I took it. It was warm.
The moment I stepped out, my teeth started chattering. Michael paid my clicking teeth no mind and practically pulled me down the steps. We arrived at the bottom, and I stopped, tugged my hand back.
Michael raised his beautiful face to the sky. “Why, oh, why do you tempt me so?”
I looked up, legit expecting God to answer.
“Soldier,” Michael barked and pierced me with a fierce stare. “You will run until you can’t run anymore, and when you stop because you think you can’t, you will get up and run some more.”
I needed a defrosting first. “Are you talking to me?”
His eyes widened.
“Okay, so you are.” I laughed, nervous about this. “I haven’t run in snow or in this weather in general except for that one time when I was ten and Dad took me to Denver for Christmas with my grandparents. I chased the mail truck.”
“Prior experience in running isn’t necessary.”
“That’s not the p-p-point,” I shiver-spoke.
“Did you get the mail?”
“No.”
“Then you didn’t want it badly enough. Come on.” He extended a hand again. When I wrapped my arms around my upper body instead, Michael swept me up. I yelped, shut my eyes, and threw my arms around his neck, clinging on to him for dear life.