➳ Jude

I stared into Camille's blue eyes. She pressed her lips together.

"I think that I should go," Camille said, standing up suddenly. My heartbeat slowed.

"Yeah- no- uh- it's fine," I stuttered. "See you at training?"

Camille nodded and meekly mumbled a goodbye before leaving my house. I deflated, falling to the ground in one sudden motion.

"Of course she doesn't like you! Just because a girl comes to you with her problems you can't assume she is in love!" I exclaimed to myself, pounding my fists on the floor that was now level to my head. "Now you've made a fool of yourself!"

Maybe I could tell her that I was just making sure that she didn't like me? That I didn't want feelings to get in the way of war? That I didn't have any feelings for her at all?

"You want to lie to her?" I asked myself, disappointment filling my voice. "You have to be truthful to her! It's what she deserves..." My voice trailed off.

"Million dumb questions," I muttered, mocking myself. "You really think she'll like that?"

I could ignore her and my feelings for her... that would be easier.

"Or I could make her fall for me," I whispered, hope rising. I stood and went to the bathroom. I turned on the shower water and began rising myself off. Shower water was expensive in Skog, but I would give all my money to win Camille's heart. Maybe I could stop by the candy shop to ask Nikki for advice?

I let out a laugh. I sounded like a love-sick fool.

The shower water cooled after a few minutes, leaving me shivering as remnants trailed down my chilling torso. I hopped out a moment later, shaking my dark hair with a bitter smile. It was already time to get to training and I was regretting throwing myself out that window for more reasons than one.

I grabbed my towel from the wall and dried off before pulling on my shirt and pants. I left my hair wet, dripping even, as I headed out the door, feet bare and cold on the hard ground toward the lake.

It was a gray day. Shadows played across the tall grass and the scent of toxic waste filled the air. A coppery tang tinted my mouth and I hacked a deep cough. A dim fog began to settle over the grassy field, watery sunlight barely shining through. A few people were already out on the field but you could hardly see them. I flapped my wings in an attempt to clear out the air around me.

Camille's familiar hair stood out enough to see through the mist. Sierrahlee, who blended in perfectly with the fog, stood beside her. I walked closer, feet sinking into the muck. My hand slipped to my side and took a reassuring grip on my gun. I let a gentle sigh slip out.

When I got closer, the evil glint of green greeted me and I froze. I bent down and drew my gun, eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right. I froze in place and waited for something to happen.

A maniacal laugh echoed across the grim field; one that didn't seem familiar. I crept closer, trying to take a relaxing breath. Big green eyes glared around the field.

Bee. She was visible even through the fog, and so was the body at her feet. Blue wings glimmered faintly from the ground and a sob that didn't sound human came from one of the onlookers. The body was colored with a bluish tinge and laid curled up on the ground.

Rikki.

My eyes clenched shut for a moment before I unfroze and approached the hurried scene. With a dagger to her neck, Bee trapped a familiar girl.

Camille.

"Grand Olea is coming to bring war!" Bee cried, a snarl on her lips. "And now they know how to stop you and your pathetic attempt to defeat them! They know everything!"

Sierrahlee took a step back, a look of pain on her pale face. "I trusted you," she whispered.

Bee smiled at her with venom. "Your mistake."

Nikki ran forward with a scream of blind rage, mouth parted in a war cry. I followed, legs pumping beneath me and raised my gun, shooting a single shot to Bee's strawberry blonde head. She fell in a spray of blood, a smile still on her lips. Nikki collapsed on the ground beside her sister, sobs wracking her body. Camille stepped over the two of them, coming toward me.

"You saved me," she whispered.

"I did," I answered. I realized it wasn't because I was her guardian, but because I needed to as her friend. Truthfully, it was even more than that.

Camille pressed her lips together like she wanted to say something else, but instead she turned and walked over to Nikki, who was still upset.

"Jude," Patty said from behind me. It looked like Bofa hadn't arrived yet. "Come here."

I walked over and sat down, ignoring the mud my pants began absorbing. "Yes?" I asked softly.

"I know you want an explanation, even though we don't have much time, so I'll be quick," Patty said, brushing the dust off her ragdoll dress. "Bee was a spy, but not an official one, I think... I think she just wanted to earn her place in Grand Olea badly. She transmitted everything to the government."

"Everything?"

"All of her memories. Now we need to do something quick, or they'll attack and we'll have to play by their corrupt rules."

I stood up. "Thank you, Patty. I need to talk to Sierrahlee now." Patty nodded sympathetically and I walked away toward Sierrahlee.

Sierrahlee stood alone, her back turned to everyone else. The fog around her was the same tone as her white skin and hair. She stood like a statue.

"Sierrahlee?" I asked. She didn't respond. "Sierrahlee, please tell me something. Anything. Are you okay? What happened-"

Sierrahlee cut me off. "I loved her. I loved Bee," she whispered. "But I'll never love again. I'll kill anyone without a second thought."

Sierrahlee turned to me and looked deep into my eyes. "Send me to battle."

"Okay," I said. "I won't stop you."

"I'll kill everyone I come face to face with."

"Okay. No one is stopping you."

"I'll probably die."

"Okay. No one is stopping you."

"What?"

"It's your life to live. Just know that some people will miss you." I smiled sadly.

Sierrahlee nodded. I walked away, leaving her to wrestle with her thoughts. When I arrived, I found that Camille had gathered up everyone who had arrived and stood above them all on top of a crate.

"Then it's decided," she said, counting a conversation that I had missed. "We'll march out in two days to Fort Elysium and attack the Major Army forces. We need two messengers to take a letter to Fort Elysium and Trijan."

"The Three Seas have joined the war too now, ma'am," Presley said. "I was designing my blue battle uniform while listening to the radio and-"

"What about Fluu Glurg?" Camille asked, cutting him off.

"Oh, yes. They've joined the Major Army," Presley said. "Didn't think it was too important... dwarves are just glorified moles in my opinion-"

"Break up into your groups! It's time for training! If you were part of Rikki's group, move to a different one or teach yourself! We need to be battle ready in two days!" Camille yelled to the group.

Everyone nodded and chorused, "yes ma'am."

I walked away, my group trailing behind me.

I decided to let them go hunting and quickly told them so. A moving, live target would be better than the frozen lake water we had used before. They scattered away and I was left alone again.

I moved to Rikki's body which was covered by the fog. An idea was beginning to form in my head. It was simple, but I knew it would change everything.

I ended up being correct... but not in the way I imagined.

I looked around, making sure that no one could see me. I smirked, thankful for the fog. Softly, I took Rikki's blue wings into my hands. I smiled, realizing they were only a few shades away from Camille's eyes.

Carefully, like tearing thin paper, I pulled the wings away from her body. I folded the wings like paper, knowing I needed to take them home soon or they would dissolve.

Nikki would be heartbroken, I knew that, but this was for Camille. It seemed like everything I did nowadays was for her.