Chapter 5: Friday

On Friday night Linnea wore Edda's cloak with the hood pulled down over her face.

Edda had given it to her without a word and then wrapped herself in Linnea's blanket on the bunk, sick with nerves.

"If he touches you," Edda said, "scream."

"I won't be there long."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm going to listen."

The officers' quarters stood at the back of the keep, behind the training yard, with a single lit window on the upper floor.

At the ninth bell Linnea knocked.

Major Valerius opened the door himself.

He wore his shirtsleeves and no coat, and he was smiling the same open smile he gave the corporals.

"Come in, Beauvoir. It's cold out there."

Linnea walked in with her head down.

There was a table, two chairs and a decanter of red wine.

Behind a door on the far side of the room, two other minds were waiting.

She had expected one.

The first thought she heard was the shorter captain's.

Hurry up. I want my turn before the wine gets warm.

The second was the tall captain's, and it was worse than the first.

Valerius shut the door and slid the bolt.

"You don't need to be nervous," he said. "You've been a good recruit. We just want to know you're a team player."

He poured a cup of wine and held it out.

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