Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions (Death's Handmaiden Book 3) by Niall Teasdale (best summer reads txt) 📕

you didn’t– Oh, crap! That’s nasty. Yeah, you’re right, he probably did try to hit you.’ The about-face in attitude was a little surprising. The distaste had a more obvious reason since the man had half his last meal smeared across the left side of his face.

‘Rhett Allan Bishop,’ Courtney said, clearly recognising the man. ‘What a surprise. What’s this, your fifth disorderly conduct charge? And we can add assault this time.’

‘I’d prefer we didn’t,’ Nava said. ‘He missed by twelve centimetres and I think he’s paid for his mistake.’

‘Even without, you’re looking at suspension this time, Rhett. And, this time, I think Mercia Reynell will want to talk to you. You’re clearly having issues.’ Rhett moaned and tried to twist out of Nava’s hold. He was not going anywhere, however. Mercia’s name tended to strike fear into mortals, and she was just the school’s psychologist. ‘Zayden, Booker, take Rhett to the infirmary to sleep this off.’

‘Do we have to, Captain,’ Booker, Zayden’s partner, asked. Well, it was more of a whine, really.

‘Since Zayden saw fit to disparage your new captain, yes, you do. I’ll take care of the paperwork with Nava. Let whoever’s on duty at the infirmary know to treat him as hostile.’

‘Not sure that’s needed, Captain. I think he’s had the fight beaten out of him.’

Courtney looked Rhett over for a second. ‘You might be right. Let them know he’s a potential vomiting risk then. There might still be something in there to come out.’

‘Oh, God,’ Zayden said, grimacing. ‘I hope not.’

236/4/29.

Another patrol, but this one was in daylight and it was not with Courtney. Sixte Wescott walked alongside Nava, looking like a really happy puppy. It was a little weird, but Nava had specifically wanted to patrol with Sixte: she wanted to find out why he was so enthusiastic about her.

‘Do you enjoy being in the SSF?’ Nava asked. They were wandering the various areas of the campus where the after-hours clubs operated. There was no expectation of real trouble, but the SSF were expected to keep a lookout while the students were out of classes.

‘Yes,’ Sixte replied. ‘I plan to join the ASF after I graduate. Go into law enforcement. Uh, my uncle is already in the ASF, though he’s not directly involved with policing.’

That seemed to mesh with what Nava thought, so she asked. ‘Major Deveraux Wescott?’

‘That’s right. My father’s younger brother. He, uh, mentioned you. After I asked about you anyway.’

‘Hm. And what did he have to say?’

Sixte was silent for a second or two. His expression suggested that he was working out exactly how to say what he wanted to say. ‘Well… Okay, so I heard you were in Alliance City when there was that terrorist incident.’

‘It wasn’t publicised, but it’s fairly common knowledge at the school.’

‘Right. I also heard that Fawn Tyrell was there, and she’s one of Uncle Deveraux’s people.’ He paused, perhaps expecting a comment, but Nava remained silent. ‘And there have been a lot of rumours about some of the stuff you got up to last year. Like taking on an entire squad of mercs on your own. Fawn Tyrell visited you here last year, so I figure she’s your ASF liaison and the captain confirmed that in the meeting. So, I asked if he knew you and… Well, he wouldn’t say much, which means it’s all a big secret. He’s hella frustrating at times. I know he knows about stuff, but he never talks about anything he can’t talk about.’

‘I would hope his nephew has learned from his example.’

‘Oh, I’m pretty good at keeping secrets. Anyway, Uncle Deveraux would only say that, if there was ever a problem here that I thought was way over my head and I couldn’t go to the captain about it, you would probably be able to handle it. Whatever it was.’

‘I see. So, when it was announced that I would be taking over the SSF, you were quite happy.’

Sixte held up his hands. ‘Don’t get me wrong, Courtney has been a good captain. Great. The SSF has done well under her, I think. She’s good in a fight, and she knows how to command her people. But we were expecting her to stand down this year – she pretty much had to – and I have to admit I was kind of dreading who might replace her. I think Zayden might have gone for it if the captain hadn’t said her recommendation was going elsewhere. Then we heard Taryn Borchardt Firmin was applying. Zayden was sure Courtney was recommending Taryn, but I didn’t think so. I’m just really glad you got it, and your plans for next term sound amazing. Being in the SSF may be more than just a tick point on my résumé.’

‘Huh. Glad to be of help. So, I want your take on procedures. Is there anything in the patrol system you think could be improved? This is your chance to influence the future course of the SSF, Six. Don’t waste it.’

‘Oh, crap.’ He looked genuinely horrified. It was as though he had been hit with a surprise test. ‘You just want me to come up with stuff?’

‘We have a couple of hours, right? Take your time.’

‘A couple of hours. Right. I take it back. You’re going to be an evil captain.’

Nava nodded. ‘I get that kind of thing a lot.’

236/5/2.

On a Thursday afternoon at the beginning of May, the household was out of lessons and being diligent. Homework was being done. By Mitsuko and Melissa anyway. Nava was quite content to leave it for an hour since all she had to do was a research report on small unit tactics she could have written from memory while sleeping. Instead, she was watching over Courtney’s shoulder because Courtney was not doing homework either. Courtney was busy working through paperwork for the SSF.

A distraction event abruptly happened, though Nava was the kind of girl who could ignore distractions easily enough: Mitsuko paused in her work, stretched somewhat like a