63

"Just make sure you don't use magic here," Iris warned, her voice barely loud for even Regan to hear, "It could screw up everything."

Regan nodded, though she wasn't even planning to use magic here. She wasn't seeking anyone's validation, but she had been caught in this now.

Before she could start her turn, the lieutenant ordered her to the other field, where the obstacles were even more intense. It wasn't fair, she thought, but she had no choice. 

She felt the other soldiers smirks and snickers as she walked there, a trail of anger rising through her. She felt like in those PE classes, except that here it was more brutal, more ruthless. The scorching sun was boiling her black uniform, and she was sweating like in inferno

The first exercise was to climb a wall, which she did, despite the time delay. She didn't want to care about being watched, being scrutinized, but she could feel their gazes burning on her back. The scorching sun didn't help, her eyes watering from the effect and she kept squinting.

"Faster!" the drill instructor yelled. Regan felt her anger grow, not to pass these damn barriers, but to release her fire and show them all what she was capable off. But she couldn't do it, unless she wanted to expose herself, and the other two friends. 

After the wall, she had to walk on a narrow piece of wood, keep balance above the mud puddle that looked like it'd swallow her whole if she fell. The next were a mass of pointy surfaces that she had to jump to. She couldn't understand, what the hell were all these exercises? She didn't land nicely, and fell on the mud straight in the face. Regan heard them laughing, and it only made her angrier. These people were actually worth to rebel.

Regan stood up, drenched in mud, her fists clenched tightly. She didn't look at Iris, and she hated the sympathetic look she got from her. 

The lieutenant approached, a cruel smirk on her lips, "You'll have to do better than that, red," she said, her voice low and filled with a hint of mockery, "I don't know what you've done in the lord's manor but life's not all luxury and wealth."

Regan wiped the mud off her face, the woman's words sounding like nails on a chalkboard. They probably were assuming she had been some concubine of Sirius. But they were wrong, so wrong. She could feel the rebellious spirit within her growing.

The next challenges were laps where she could jump over, but still, she knew it would be never enough for them. After she finally finished, with 'play again' and 'start over', she walked back to Iris, who looked equally tired, but her eyes filled with pride. Jack, on the other hand, he tried to laugh off his own failure, but Regan could see his embarrasment and frustration.

Finally, the lieutenant raised her hand, "That's enough for today! Turn back in your tents. Tomorrow, we'll continue with more intensive drills. Don't expect any leniency," she barked, her eyes scanning the exhausted faces.

The soldiers didn't need another word. They retreated away, cursing under their breaths in relief and frustration. The training field deserted slowly, and the sky had turned to a deep shade of orange and dusty clouds.

The trio were the only ones left here, fixed under the gaze of the general and lieutenant. The general walked toward them, his experience a mix of cold and a sneer.

"See, you're inexperienced amateurs," he mocked cruelly, "You've never held a weapon before, have you?" he asked Regan, a question that he had answered himself on his mind.

"More than you might think, sir," Regan retorted, not trying to keep the edge out of her voice.

The general turned to Iris instead, "You scored well, soldier. Compared to these two," he said with a hint of approval. Iris smiled cheekily in return, "But I'm going to give you a chance, little pricks. I'm not banishing you. Not yet."

Regan only glared at the general and the lieutenant who was coming to them too, her arms crossed tightly.

"Do we at least get a place to sleep?" Regan asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. The general looked at her, his features turned stern again, "Lead them to their tents, lieutenant."

The tall woman nodded, though she looked slightly displeased. They followed her away from the training field, and then to a complex of tents, where many soldiers were already entering or just standing out. The closeness of the tents only raised Regan's frustration. She couldn't talk freely anywhere, not without the fear of someone hearing. She hated murmuring.

"Well, at least it didn't went that bad," Iris said with a sigh after the lieutenant left. Regan instead looked at her tent, it was small, with a rolling bag Iris sighed as she looked inside her tent. It was definitely not as small as it had looked. There was a rolling beg, a kitchen, and thankfully a small bathroom.

"You're saying that because you got his attention," Jack said with a sneer, a hint of smirk on his lips.

"You're just mad that you couldn't even pass the first level," Iris crossed her arms, glaring at him.

"Yeah, as if I'm here to impress the general," Jack shot back, "You're the one who finds crushes in the worst places, Iris."

If she wouldn't have been in this situation, Regan would've found their banter playful. But she couldn't help the feeling of non-belonging, of powerlessness. The soldiers now had gotten inside their tents, only some sitting near a campfire in the distance.

"Well, seriously guys, why are we here?" Regan finally asked, feeling a surge of frustration from keeping her voice low. She couldn't even express her own thoughts on this. And she hated following orders.

Jack and Iris looked at her, then back at each other, seemingly trying to find a way to explain it. "We can't talk about it like that," Iris said, her voice hushed.

Regan sighed, a wave of exhaustion falling over her, "Let's talk inside then," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Iris followed inside, her face falling. She could see the reluctance and edge on Regan's face, "Cornelia, I know that this isn't what you exactly wanted. But I trust you. I believe in you."

"Well, believing in something doesn't always make it true," Regan retorted, sitting down the rolled bed, "And you speak about rebellion, but you don't know what kind of person Sirius is, Iris. He's not some 'prince charming'. He doesn't tolerate disobedience. He is cruel, ruthless and everything els everyone calls him," Regan's words were bitter, and she was struggling to keep her voice low.

"Of course I know that," Iris shot back, her voice equally frustrated, "But that doesn't mean I won't fight for my rights. And it's not just for me, Cornelia. It's not just for this place. It's for everyone who's suffering under his rule, for everything that he had taken from them, for turning them into his minions and playing with people's fate. It's not just this land that's enslaved, it's the whole galaxy. And yes, while a rebellion might be small and we end up dead, it can influence many others. But you, I'm sure you won't end up dead."

"I don't want anyone to end up dead, Iris," Regan said, her voice lower, but not any softer, "I just want you to be sure of what you're asking for. And me here, me here is exactly what shouldn't be. You heard what the general said. He had seen me somewhere and now he's going to tell Sirius about it. He'll be here before we even start doing anything meaningful."

Jack, who had been leaning outside the tend, poked his head inside, "Hey, quiet you two," he warned seriously, "the night's not that loud."

Iris shrugged him off, "Well then, if he comes, I'll face him. I'm not some ant to be stomped on, Cornelia. And I don't care that he's powerful, sometimes even trying can shatter what seemed unbreakable."

Regan ran a hand through her hair. She could hear her own self in Iris's words, the desire to get revenge from Sirius, overthrow him and whatever else she had personally planned. But they were in a delicate situation now, "Look, Iris. I'm not saying that I'm okay with what he does. But to overthrow someone or to shatter them, the wish to do so isn't enough. You need people, plans, strategy, you need power. And we? We're just three white dots in the middle of a vast sea of darkness. And the worst? If we get caught, killing isn't the immediate thing they do. These men have dungeons, playrooms and they punish in the ways you could've never imagined."

She waited for Iris's expression to change into fear, but it didn't. "I don't think you'd ever let yourself in a situation like that," Iris said with a softer voice.

"It's not about me, Iris," Regan replied quietly, "One way or another, I'm already in too deep. Even if I don't help you, it doesn't mean I solved my thing. But you could end up worse if we don't plan this the smart way."

"We can," Iris said, her eyes flickering with hope in the soft lamp of the tent, "I'm not saying to jump in a war. We'll wait and see. And besides, if the general will or has actually informed him, it wouldn't take long, right? And how bad could it get, Cornelia? It's not like I came here, expecting it to be a fairytale. I've planned this for so long."

If he comes here, then I'm gone, Regan told herself, but she didn't say that out loud. It was a sword with two cuts on each side if the general told Sirius about it. He'd come here and get her, and Iris's plans for rebellion would falter. Regan's position wasn't going to be better either way. If she stayed here and helped them, Sirius would again reach to her.

"And we're not just three people," Iris assured, placing her hand on Regan's, "There are many people here who can help. Many people who want justice but need someone to guide them, someone who's powerful."

"And you think that's me?" Regan said in disbelief, "That I can play the role of a leader?"

"I don't think, I know you can. You're different, Cornelia. You're not like everyone else, who just follows and does as told," Iris said with a confidence that made even Regan question herself. Her words were filled with so much conviction and Regan fell silent. If not for the leader part, she knew Iris had a point.

"Fine. But we'll do things organized."

Iris smiled gently, "That's all I ask for."

Jack poked his head inside once again, "Are you finished?" he asked, his voice full of annoyance.

"What do you want, Jack?" Iris snapped back at him.

"I'm dying of hunger," Jack complained, running his hand around his stomach.

"Why don't you go and eat then?" Iris retorted.

"Because I've been watching out here," Jack said, making a face, "You too yap a lot."

Iris chuckled at his words and stood up, leaving Regan to follow. But she entered the small bathroom first, washing her hands and face, feeling a small weight lift of her shoulders. She didn't know where to start from but she had to admit that they weren't entirely unprepared.

"Where are we going?" Regan asked as they were walking through the tents and into the main road. The night was quiet, but she could hear the chatter of the soldiers, and a distant latin music. And the heat hadn't dissipated a little.

"We're going to a bar," Jack replied, his pace quickening, "and we might also find some rebels there."

Regan hated bars, but if she was going to help them, she had to take part in it. And Jack's idea was good the more people they found, the better it'd be.

They stopped at a dimly lit bar, with a faint sound coming from the inside. A drunk soldier stepped out and waved at them, before falling asleep on the near bench. Regan felt reluctance to enter, and she could smell from even here the smoke or something similar to it.

But they entered and Regan tried to not breathe the overwhelming smell. The bar was actually good occupied, with soldiers, officers and normal species sitting around the booths. Their chatter and laugh along with the music filled the air, contrasting sharply with how tense Regan was.

The bartender, a tanned man, noticed them as they walked over to the counter, "Hey folks. Looking for a good time?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah, just some food and drinks," Jack said casually, tossing some coins across the counter, "And we're on a mission," he leaned closer, his voice a whisper, "We're here to find rebels and punish them."

The bartender was unperturbed, "Well, you've come to the right place. There's always a few trouble makers here and there." He motioned to a booth in the corner, where a group of figures were drinking. "Those guys, they think they're so smart. They've been talking about starting a revolution for weeks now."

"Thanks, dude," Jack said, walking over to sit at a booth. Regan felt everyone's eyes on her, and the fact that they were all men didn't make it any better. She had Iris, but she couldn't shake off the discomfort.

Jack's eyes scanned the room, his eyes landing on the table where the bartender had pointed. There was actually a woman there, Regan noticed. She had a wolfcut haircut and was wearing clothes with chains. She looked at them with a suspicious glint in her dark eyes. A scar ran down across her jaw, making her look even more dangerous.

The waiter came back with their order, three drinks and food wrapped in paper. But Regan was more focused at her surroundings, than at her grumbling stomach.

Jack began to eat like a starved animal, while Iris sipped at her drink, eyeing the bar with a mix of curiosity and excitement. Regan, however, couldn't help the knot in her stomach as she eyed the suspicious group in the corner. They looked like an emo rock band, the four men circling the woman, their hairstyles ranging from a mohawk to a set of spikes that could poke anyone's eye if they got too close. They had black eyeliner smudged around their eyes and it made them look even more scary.

"Are you sure they're the right people, Jack?" Regan asked in a low voice, trying to ignore the way they were looking at them.

Jack nodded, chewing a mouthful of food, "Don't worry, they're the ones we're looking for." He took a swig of his drink and leaned back, "Let's see who makes the first move."

Finally, the woman, presumably their leader, stood up and walked over over to the trio's both, her eyes narrowing as she leaned on her palms on the table, "You three are looking for trouble or what?" she asked sharply, her breath smelling of alcohol.

"Depends on what you call trouble," Jack replied with a smirk, taking a bite of his bread, "But we're looking for a rebellious streak that sings against our dear emperor."

Regan's eyes widened slightly at Jack's blunt words. How could he be so sure the woman was a rebel?

The woman's brows furrowed, her dark gaze flicking to Regan and Iris, "If you're kidding with me, boy," she warned, her voice a dangerous hiss, "You'll find yourself in the stocks before you know it."

Jack chuckled awkwardly, "Very funny, emo-chick. You heard exactly what I told the bartender, didn't you?"

The woman's glare didn't fell, it actually deepened, "You're new around here, aren't you?" she retorted, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity, "but if you're sent by these sons of bitches," she spat out the words, "you've chosen the wrong people to mess with."

"If you want to talk, let's talk to a better place," Regan said, her voice coming more cutting than she intended. She couldn't help it, the bar's atmosphere was making her cringe, "But we're not looking for rebels to punish them."

"What makes you think I'd trust you?" the woman asked, leaning back and folding her arms across her chest.

"Trust comes from both sides," Regan replied, not knowing what else to say, "We trusted you enough to tell you about it."

The woman looked at her for a moment, then back at her companions, who were eyeing with an expectant and haunting gaze. "Fine," she said, her face still tight, "Let's talk outside."

Jack looked totally annoyed, everyone of them standing up, while he was in the middle of eating. But he followed suit, trying to keep his composure. They went after the woman and her group to the back of the bar, each step seeming with a deeper purpose. When they were outside, Regan felt like she could breathe again, even though the air was no less hot.

The woman's companions formed a semi circle around them, with her in the center, their thug-like expression making Regan not cower, "So what's your deal?" the woman demanded, looking at them three.

"We're here to join the rebellion," Regan said, trying to sound confident, "We want to bring justice."

"You're soldiers and you want to rebel?" the woman asked incrediously, letting out a sharp laugh, "How do I know you're not one of them?"

"Well, she's got powers," Jack said, his voice barely above a whisper, "You think they're gonna keep a soldier with powers here?"

The woman and her companions expressions changed, her eyes flickering with a hint of surprise and intrigue, "Powers? What powers?"

Regan swallowed hard. She hadn't wanted her powers to be exposed like that but it seemed as the only way to convince the woman, "Fire powers," she answered.

"Show me," the woman said, her voice now more determined. Regan hesitated and turned to look at Iris.

"It's not safe to show my powers here," Regan replied, her mind working fast for a way to show the woman they weren't on Sirius's side.

"The woman's expression didn't change, but she reached to a door at the back of the bar and opened it, revealing a small alley shrouded in darkness, "Do it," she ordered, her voice like a whip. Regan felt a surge of anger and looked back at Iris and Jack, who just nodded in response. She had to be cautious, if anyone else witnessed that, they could all be doomed.

With a flick of her fingers, a small flame danced around her nails, the light casting shadows across the alley walls. The woman's eyes widened, and the men shifted nervously on their feet. Regan quickly extinguished the fire. "Impressive," the woman conceded, "But why should we trust you?"

"Because we hate him as much as you do," Iris stepped forward, her voice firm, "He has taken our homes, our families and has enslaved our people. We want to make a difference."

The woman watched them for a moment, her eyes assessing, "What's your name, fire girl?"

"Skye," she lied, not sure which name to use, but knowing that she couldn't use her real one, "And these are my friends, Thea and Castor.

The woman nodded, "Alright, Skye. I'm Raven and these are my brothers." She gestured to the four men who were standing behind her. "You'll have my support, but we'll be quick about it. We'll attack. No delays, no 'I'm not ready'," she reached behind her and pulled out a piece of paper, handling it to Regan, "Meet me tomorrow night at the abandoned warehouse. Be prepared and armed. I'll bring as many people from the resistance as I can."

Regan couldn't help but feel a chill of fear. This was real, and it was no more assumption and guess. They were actually going for a rebellion, and they were going to fight. The piece of paper read the place's address and the h

our, but she was too focused on the deal she had made, that had now turned not just a help to Iris and Jack, but a revolt towards the one person who had saved her from drowning.