“Play nice,” Leif said.

I navigated through the quiet room. It erupted with sound as soon as I left. A mass of soldiers followed me outside.

Maren stretched her muscles before picking up her bow. Tall and lean, she made a formidable opponent. She swung her six-foot staff with deft hands. At a slight disadvantage, my bow measured only five feet. I removed my cloak and rubbed my hands along the smooth wood of my weapon, setting my mind into the zone of concentration I used when fighting. Not quite magical in origin, this mental state kept my mind open to my opponent’s intentions.

As soon as I was ready she attacked with two quick strikes toward my ribs. I blocked both, countering with a strike to her arms. The fight began in earnest.

The rhythmic crack of our weapons filled the air. I ducked a temple strike and thrust the end of my bow staff toward her stomach. She stepped back and attempted to trip me with her bow. I jumped and did a front kick in midair, hitting her shoulder. Maren retreated a few steps before coming at me with a series of jabs.

“Did you get tired of losing to Janco all the time and request a transfer?” I asked, knocking her bow aside and executing a flurry of temple strikes. Maren had been a captain in the Commander’s Special Forces, along with my friends Ari and Janco.

“I was promoted,” she said. She met my assault and feinted to the right.

Sensing her intentions, I ignored the feint and stopped the blow to my head just in time. “Promoted to adviser? Sounds shady. Bribe anyone I know?”

“Once I beat Valek, I could choose any job in Ixia.”

I froze for a moment in surprise and she hit my upper arm, knocking me over. I rolled, avoiding her jabs, but she pressed her advantage. Two moves later, she sat on my chest and pressed her bow to my neck. The crowd of soldiers cheered.

“Concede?”

“Yes.”

She grinned and pulled me to my feet. “Rematch?”

“Give me a minute.” I brushed the dirt from my clothes.

“What’s with the skirt?”

“It’s not a skirt. See?” Pulling the fabric apart, I revealed the pants.

She snorted with amusement. “We need to get you back into uniform, Yelena.”

Her use of my proper name meant that I had at least impressed her with my fighting skills. Which reminded me of her comment that had thrown me off guard. “What’s all this about you beating Valek? You’re adequate with a bow, but, come on, Valek?”

Valek had issued a challenge to everyone in Ixia. Beat him in a fight with the weapon of your choice and win the right to become his second in command. Many soldiers had tried and failed to win the right.

“Adequate?” She laughed. “I guess when I beat you again, you’ll up it to decent.”

“That’s if you beat me, and you haven’t answered my question.”

“I had help. Happy now? Valek never said we had to beat him one on one. Three of us got together and we won the right to pick any position in Ixia. I chose to become an adviser for the Commander. I’m in MD-7 on a temporary assignment to deal with some—” she glanced at the soldiers “—issues.”

Three against one was still good odds for Valek. I wondered who the other two were, and the answer came to me. “Please don’t tell me Ari and Janco were your partners.”

Her chagrined expression confirmed my guess.

“Janco was insufferably smug before. There’ll be no living with him,” I said.

“Valek’s challenge has been modified. Since Janco and Ari have been promoted to Valek’s seconds, if other soldiers want to claim the second positions they must beat Ari and Janco, but no more than six can attack at one time. Valek’s seconds should be able to handle three each. If a soldier wishes to fight Valek alone, he must beat one of us to have the chance.”

“Having Janco in charge when Valek’s away is a scary state of affairs.”

“Not as scary as when you’re begging for mercy.” Maren swung her bow.

I blocked and countered. Soon we were engaged in another brisk fight. But this time I stayed focused. I swept her feet out from under her and stepped on her bow before she could roll away. I won the match and received a few cheers from my brother, who had joined the audience. Moon Man and the others stood apart. He watched me with no expression on his face.

“Tie breaker?” Maren didn’t wait for an answer. Round three began.

We fought until we reached an impasse.

Leif’s voice interrupted us before we started another match. “As much as I enjoy watching my sister get beaten, we really need to talk to the Commander. You’re wasting time.”

Maren studied Leif with a dubious expression. “I don’t see a family resemblance.”

I introduced my brother to Maren. “Although I hate to admit it, Leif’s right. We need to go.”

Maren shook her head. “General Rasmussen wants to talk with you first. These soldiers have orders to keep you here until he gives you permission to leave.”

“But I’ve explained—”

“Everything but exactly what you need to discuss with the Commander.”

“That’s classified.”

“That’s what I was afraid of.” Maren leaned on her bow. “The general has become…cautious in his advancing years. He won’t let you leave unless you tell him the reason you came to Ixia.”

From her choice of words, I could tell there was more to the story. She worked for the Commander but was helping the general, and probably reporting every bit of information to Valek.