Chapter 55
[Ren POV]
"It has not even been a day," I muttered, staring down at Lucas.
He knelt on the cold floor with his back straight and his eyes fixed on the ground. His hands were balled into fists on his thighs, trembling just enough to show he was still running on adrenaline.
"They cheated," he mumbled.
I rubbed my temples. "Lucas, I expected Hendrian to do something dumb before you."
"Hey," Hendrian called from behind me. "I am also here."
He stood near the wall with his arms crossed, looking far too guilty for someone who had not done anything. A few EU Marines stood off to the side, watching with the kind of careful silence soldiers used when they did not want to be dragged into command trouble.
The poker table was still set up. Cards mid-hand. Chips scattered. One chair knocked over.
No one was laughing, which told me enough.
The Saintess stood beside me with her arms folded, calm and tired in the way only healers and diplomats managed.
"So," I said, looking at her, "what happened?"
"They were playing poker," she said. "Some of the Marines cheated."
"That is it?"
Lucas flinched.
I looked back at him. "They cheated, so you pulled a weapon?"
"I wasn't thinking."
"No shit."
A Marine coughed. Someone else suddenly found the wall very interesting.
I looked around the room. "Who did he threaten?"
No one answered.
The Saintess gave me a small nod toward two Marines standing near the wall. Both looked nervous. One had the face of a man who had decided that cheating at cards was not worth dying over.
I grabbed Lucas by the back of his collar and hauled him to his feet.
"Move."
"Ren, I can walk."
"Could have thought of that before you tried to turn poker into a murder investigation."
I dragged him toward the two Marines and let go.
Lucas straightened, jaw tight. "I'm sorry I pulled a weapon on you two. My emotions got the better of me."
The apology came out stiff, but it was real enough.
One of the Marines lifted both hands. "It's alright. We shouldn't have cheated in the first place."
"No, you shouldn't have," I said.
The second Marine nodded quickly. "Won't happen again."
"It better not." I clapped Lucas on the back, hard enough to make him stumble. "And you. If you lose at cards, you lose at cards. You do not pull steel unless someone is trying to kill you."
Lucas looked down. "Understood."
"Good."
The room finally breathed again.
I turned toward the bar. "Since no one died, I am drinking."
One Marine blinked. "You drink?"
"Yes. Human liquor is stronger than demon drinks. It is one of your better inventions."
Marasuki, who had watched the whole thing from the doorway, snorted. "That explains too much."
"Quiet. You lost the vote when you let me handle discipline."
"I did not vote."
"Exactly."
A few Marines laughed, and the room settled into something less tense. Lucas stayed quiet after that, which was rare enough that I almost checked him for a head injury.
Later that night, I found myself outside with the Saintess.
The base courtyard was quieter than the bar, with only distant voices, the sound of waves, and the occasional clink of glass from inside. Kriti looked better under moonlight. Less military headache, more expensive prison with ocean air.
The Saintess sat beside me with her drink untouched.
That was suspicious.
"Hey, Ren," she said.
"Hm?"
"Is polyamory common with demons?"
I turned my head slowly. "That is a strange opening attack."
She gave a small laugh. "I was curious."
"Sure."
"I mean it."
"Fine." I leaned back in my chair. "It depends on the clan, but yes. Some care about one partner. Some do not. Demons are weirdly relaxed about it until family politics gets involved, then everyone becomes annoying."
"I see."
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why?"
She looked up at the stars instead of me. "No reason."
"Bad liar."
"I am not lying."
"You are lying politely, which is worse."
Her mouth twitched.
I took a drink. "Let me guess. One of the Marines confessed to you?"
"No."
"Two Marines?"
"No."
"Please don't tell me it was four. That sounds like paperwork."
She laughed properly this time. "No. I don't think I will ever be into men."
I blinked. "Wait. What?"
She glanced at me, a little embarrassed now. "Some humans are just like that."
"I know that. Demons too." I pointed my drink at her. "I am more surprised you said it like you were confessing to stealing bread."
"I have not really said it out loud much."
"Fair."
A few seconds passed before my brain caught up.
"Oh."
She looked at me. "What?"
"You like someone."
Her face gave her away before she answered. Terrible. Truly terrible. I had seen rookie scouts with better control.
"Maybe."
"That means yes."
"It means maybe."
"It means yes, but with fear."
She sighed. "Fine. Yes."
"Is she taken?"
"No."
"Does she like you?"
"I think so." She rubbed the side of her cup with her thumb. "I hope so."
"Then what is the problem?"
"I don't know." Her voice lowered. "I guess I am nervous. Things are complicated."
"Everything is complicated. That is not an answer."
She looked at me. "What if I ruin it?"
"Then you drink and pretend you are fine like everyone else."
She stared.
"What? That is real advice."
"Terrible advice."
"Useful advice."
She smiled despite herself.
I softened my voice a little. "Don't plan the poor girl into a corner. Talk to her. If she likes you, good. If she doesn't, you survive it."
The Saintess looked down at her drink. "You make it sound easy."
"No, I make it sound simple. Different thing."
She nodded slowly.
I reached over and ruffled her hair.
"Jean," I said. "Always overthinking."
She froze.
So did I.
I had said it too naturally. Too familiar.
Her eyes lifted to mine.
I stood. "Tomorrow problem."
"Ren."
"Nope."
"Ren."
I teleported straight back to my bed before she could start using that healer voice on me.
I dropped onto the mattress face-first.
A few seconds passed before my eyes opened.
"Did I just call her Jean?"
I stared at the bunk above me.
"Damn it."
The next day was mostly logistics, maps, and people pretending they were not watching the demons.
Marasuki and I spent most of the morning in one of the smaller operations rooms with a pile of folders and a projected map between us. Zelda had given us access to the preliminary scout routes, supply lines, and fort sector notes. Not everything, obviously. Humans loved holding back details, especially when they thought it made them look clever.
It usually did not.
Marasuki crossed her arms. "We need to settle our preferred placements before the full briefing."
"I am taking Gibraltar."
"Because of the mountains?"
"Mountains, chokepoints, supply line, and fast response needs. Also because if something goes wrong there, I can move faster than most."
She nodded. "Then I take Palerma."
"Island sector. Naval routes. Less crowding."
"And water."
"I know you can swim."
"Does not mean I like the water."
I glanced at the map. "Ismaila stays with the girls and the Saintess team. Mocha and Dhubab with Zelda and the boys."
"Lucas will hate that."
"Yes."
"You picked it partly for that reason."
"No comment."
Marasuki gave me a flat look.
I leaned back in my chair. "He needs someone he cannot posture at. Zelda looks like she eats posturing officers for breakfast."
"She does."
"You know her?"
"By reputation."
"Of course you do."
We worked for another hour before movement outside the glass wall caught my eye.
A woman passed the open corridor with two officers beside her.
I stopped breathing. Not fully. Just enough that my body forgot what it was supposed to be doing for a second.
Older. Sharper. Uniformed. Hair tied back. Fire-user posture, even without seeing the flames. Like someone had sanded down the softer parts and left steel behind.
Luna Bell.
It had been years since I last saw her, but I knew her immediately.
My hand tightened around the edge of the table.
Marasuki noticed.
"Ren?"
I stood.
Luna looked into the room at the same time. Her eyes narrowed on me.
"Who are you?" she asked.
My mouth moved before my brain agreed to it.
"Not now."
Her expression hardened. "Excuse me?"
I turned toward the door.
"Ren," Marasuki warned quietly.
Too late.
Luna stepped into the room. "I asked you a question."
"And I said not now."
Her eyes flicked to my horns, then my face. "Tsk. I told them bringing demons into this was a bad idea."
That hit the wrong nerve.
Zelda's voice cut in from down the corridor. "Luna Bell, watch your tone."
"She started it," Luna snapped, not looking away from me. "She glared at me like I kicked her dog."
I looked at her properly then.
Same eyes. Same family face. Same Bell sharpness.
My stomach twisted.
"You know what?" I said. "Let's talk now."
Marasuki moved. "Ren."
I already had Luna by the collar.
Then the room vanished.
We landed in a dry canyon far away from Kriti. The air was hot, sharp, and empty. Luna stumbled back, fire already flaring in one hand.
She threw it at me.
I slapped the flame off my sleeve and sat on a rock.
"Let's have a civil discussion."
"Civil?" she snapped. "You kidnapped me."
"I needed privacy."
"You are insane."
"Been called worse."
She kept the flame ready. "Who are you?"
"Someone who knows the Bell family well enough to know when one of you is lying."
Her face tightened. "How do you know that surname?"
"Records."
"Demons keep records on human officers?"
"The useful ones."
"How much do you know?"
"Enough to ask why you left."
Her flame wavered.
"I didn't leave," she said. "I was abandoned."
I watched her carefully.
"Same as Ren, in the end," she added.
My jaw tightened before I could stop it.
"Why?" I asked.
"What does it matter to you?"
"Because Ren was alive long enough to believe you left her."
Luna's face went still.
Then anger tried to cover the crack.
"You don't get to use her name."
"I knew her."
"You knew the sister your people killed?"
I smiled without humor. "Something like that."
Her fire dimmed slightly.
"She talked about you," I said. "Not much. She was not the type to talk about family, but she did mention an older sister who disappeared and left her behind too."
Luna looked away.
"That is what she believed?" she asked.
"What else was she supposed to believe?"
Silence settled hard between us.
Luna swallowed. "I tried."
"Did you?"
Her eyes snapped back to me. "You don't know anything."
"Then explain it."
She looked like she wanted to burn me again.
Good. Anger was easier than crying.
"I was eighteen," she said. "Riley caught me with someone she should never have cared about. A girl from the academy program. She did not scream. Did not even make a scene. She just put me on a flight to Europe with documents and a warning."
My fingers dug into my knee.
"She cut you off?"
"Completely. I tried to contact home. Tried to find Ren after she joined the military. Everything went through Owen or Riley. Messages disappeared. Requests were blocked. After a while, I stopped knowing what was real and what was being buried."
I did not answer.
I wanted to. I had plenty of words. Most of them were ugly.
Luna searched my face. "How did Ren talk about me?"
"Like someone who wanted to hate you and couldn't finish the job."
That landed.
Her fire went out.
"I deserve that."
"Probably."
She flinched.
I did not soften it.
My phone buzzed before either of us could say more.
Sara: Where did you go?
I typed back one-handed.
Me: Personal issue. Not dead.
Another buzz came almost immediately.
Sara: That is not reassuring.
Me: It was not meant to be.
Luna was looking at her own comm now, jaw tight.
"Zelda?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Tell her you are alive."
"I know how command works."
"Good. Then use that knowledge."
She glared at me, then sent a message.
A few seconds passed in hot silence before I looked at her again.
"So Riley abandoned you for being gay?"
Luna stiffened.
I shrugged. "What? It fits."
Her mouth opened, then closed.
"Yes," she said quietly.
I snorted. "Ren was into women too."
Luna stared.
"Maybe your mother secretly is and just hates herself."
For one second, Luna looked horrified.
Then she laughed.
It was short and rough, but real.
"I hate that I can see it."
"Family curse."
She lowered herself onto another rock, the anger bleeding out of her. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because the Saintess likes you."
Luna's head snapped up. "What?"
"Oh my gods," I muttered. "You really are the spark."
"The what?"
"Ren knew the Saintess for years and never looked at anyone like that. Then you show up, and suddenly the Saintess is outside asking me about polyamory like she is trying to solve a battlefield equation."
Luna's face turned red.
"She asked you that?"
"Yes."
"About me?"
"No, about the weather."
Luna stared at me.
The silence changed. Not angry this time. Sharper.
"How do you know that?" she asked.
"Know what?"
"That the Saintess knew Ren for years." Her eyes narrowed. "That Jean never looked at anyone that way. That Ren talked about me. That she thought I abandoned her."
I looked away.
Too late.
Luna took a step closer. "You keep talking like you read a file, but files don't know that kind of thing."
"Some files are detailed."
"Bullshit."
"Rude."
"You know too much." Her voice dropped. "Not military details. Not Bell records. Personal things."
I stood. "We are done here."
"We are not."
"We are, because the full briefing is about to start, and if I keep you here any longer, Zelda will either arrest me or start charging me rent for wasting command time."
"Who are you?"
"Someone who knew Ren."
"That is not an answer."
"It is the only one you are getting today."
Before she could argue, I grabbed her shoulder and teleported us back.
We appeared near the command building, not inside it. I was learning restraint. Barely.
Zelda turned as we arrived. Her face was calm, but her eyes were not.
"There you are," she said.
"Personal issue," I said. "Handled."
Zelda looked at Luna.
Luna gave a short nod. "Handled."
A nearby officer looked like he wanted to ask a question.
Zelda raised one hand without even looking at him. "No."
He closed his mouth.
Smart man.
"Briefing room," Zelda said. "Now."
The war room was packed when we entered.
Human officers, demon representatives, liaisons, sector commanders, and enough uniforms to make the air feel stiff. Marasuki stood near the demon side with her arms crossed. The siblings were scattered behind her, trying different levels of professional. Hendrian looked like he might pass an inspection. Lucas looked like he might start one just to be annoying.
The Saintess was already there.
Her eyes went to me first, then Luna.
Great.
That was a later problem trying to become a now problem.
Zelda stepped forward, and the room quieted.
"We begin assignment briefing," she said. "This operation covers four main fort sectors. Human and demon forces will operate together under assigned command. No separate heroics. No private chains. If you are assigned to a sector, you answer to that sector's command."
Good start.
She gestured toward me.
"Commander Ren Daimonas will lead the demon-side deployment with me. In joint operations, her orders carry my authority unless I countermand them directly."
The room shifted.
Not loud. Worse. Quiet tension.
A few U.S. officers did not like that at all.
I smiled at them.
Again, not nicely.
Zelda lit up the first sector on the map.
"Gibraltar."
"I'll take Gibraltar," I said. "Mountain chokepoint, northern supply line, fast response. Any units assigned there report through me or the appointed liaison."
Zelda lit up the next sector.
"Palerma."
"Marasuki takes Palerma," I said. "Island defense, naval routes, coastal logistics. Human command remains in place, but she will coordinate demon-side response."
Marasuki gave a single nod.
"Ismaila," Zelda continued.
"Julia, Serena, and Sara will be stationed there with the Saintess's team."
The Saintess nodded calmly. "We will keep the support line stable."
Sara gave a sharp salute that was almost professional.
Almost.
Serena looked relaxed. Julia looked like she was already mentally correcting everyone in the room.
Zelda lit up the final sector.
"Mocha and Dhubab."
"Hendrian, Lucas, and Tim will be assigned there under General Zelda's direct oversight."
Lucas blinked. "Direct?"
Zelda looked at him.
Lucas straightened. "Understood."
Good.
That was worth the whole plan.
Zelda continued. "Each sector will receive human and demon liaisons. No isolated command pockets. No one acts alone unless battlefield conditions force it."
I stepped forward. "Demon or human, you answer to your assigned command. No side chains. No private heroics. If you have a problem, bring it up before the shooting starts."
One U.S. officer shifted. "And if we object to demon authority over human troops?"
Zelda answered before I could.
"Then you object through proper command channels after this briefing."
He opened his mouth.
Zelda's gaze hardened.
"Not during it."
He closed his mouth.
I liked her more by the minute.
"Any other objections?" Zelda asked.
The room stayed silent.
"Good," I said. "We are not here to start another war. We are here to stop one."
That landed better than I expected.
Zelda gave one final look around the room. "Dismissed. Sector leads remain available for coordination. Full readiness checks begin tomorrow."
The room broke apart into smaller groups. Officers moved toward maps, liaisons started arguing softly, and the siblings got swallowed by their assigned responsibilities faster than they expected.
Marasuki walked up beside me. "You kidnapped a human officer before the briefing."
"Personal issue."
"That is not an explanation."
"It is the one I am using."
She glanced past me toward Luna. "Is that going to become a problem?"
"Probably."
"Wonderful."
"I know."
Zelda approached next. "That went smoother than expected."
"For now," I said. "Give it two days."
"That is not optimism."
"I save optimism for people who deserve it."
"Do I?"
"You're close."
She gave me a dry look. "Earn it first."
"Fair."
Across the room, the Saintess and Luna stood near the side exit. They were not talking yet, but the air between them was already doing enough work.
Luna looked at me once.
Not with anger this time.
Confusion. Hope. Suspicion.
A whole mess.
I looked away first.
One battlefield at a time.