The General ✔️ (Zolan Book 1)

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I take my leave without questioning her, the knife still in my hands.

I only wait a few minutes for her to return.

"He's getting ahead of himself," she sighs as she closes the door.

"I'm sorry. I promise I'm not encouraging this behavior."

"I know. I might have to report him. Who is above him? The General?"

I shudder at the mention of War.

"Do you think The General will take care of him?" Lady asks.

Yes. War would decimate Vrint with a single punch. I could easily bring an end to this by writing to him.

"I think so," I tell Lady. I don't want her to know just how close I got to War.

"Masters are so... forward!" she says. "To think I used to be lovers with one," she laughs. "That's exactly why I left him. They do and say whatever they want with no filter."

I look at her in amazement. She had a thing with a Master?

"Oh yes, child," she laughed. "That was the craziest part of my life. I would recommend a fling with a Master, but they're a hassle. The most complicated creatures in existence."

Too late. I fucked one; the most powerful one of them all. Whoops.

Lady soothingly pats my hand. "Vrint is a tyrant, and I will not have him terrorizing my orphanage. These kids have enough things going on. If he shows up again, let me know and we will make a formal complaint together."

I know a complaint will bring War on the radar. I'm not ready to see him, and I don't want Vrint's blood on my hands. At the same time, I also don't want him to hurt the orphanage.

The orphanage comes first.

— • —

"Joan!"

I cringe. It has only been twenty-four hours, and Vrint is back.

I close the scroll I had been reading for the children and I rise from my chair.

"Okay guys," I say in English. The kids find it charming and like asking me to translate.

"Give me a few. I will be right—"

The wooden, grey doors burst open, and the kids scream in fright. I watch six officers dressed in formal attire stride in, bringing nothing but trouble.

Thinking of the kids, I scramble in front of them. They can't see this. They've had enough trauma to last them a lifetime.

"Is that her?" an older soldier asks, pointing to me as I push one kid behind me.

"Yes," Vrint arises from the crowd of men. "Arrest her."

"Wait!" Lady runs into the room, her apron colored in baby vomit. "How dare you—"

"We are here on behalf of her majesty, The Queen. This female is to be arrested for theft." The bearded, older male lifts the collar I recognize all too well. It's the necklace Vrint gave me. The one I had been planning on selling for the orphanage.

"I didn't steal that!" I argue. "Vrint gave it to me. Lady, take the children away, please."

"On you go," Lady ushers the crying crowd out of the room just as I'm dragged forward.

"Vrint, tell them!" I glare. My heart is racing, but I won't let fear eat off me. I need to keep a level head to get out of this hell.

Only silence comes from him, but I know how this goes. I know what coercion he has cooked up. He'll cover for me, but the payment for his intervention is my body.

"Take her. The Queen awaits."

"Vrint!" I yell. "He'll kill you for this!"

The General will hear of this — maybe after I'm executed, maybe before. It doesn't matter. He'll know of what became of me.

"He?" one of the officers scoffs. "Do you mean she? The only person the Queen will kill is you. Dirty maggot. How dare you steal from the Crown?"

"It has been a long time since we've had a good beheading," someone else adds.

The orphanage doors open, and I enter the daylight for the first time in days. My bare feet are grated against the dirt and pebbles below, my tongue clashes with my teeth as I repeat that I'm innocent.

"Hold!"

I look at the sound of galloping. Through my blurry vision, I see two sets of broad shoulders. I see the savageness — the fur clothes, dirty boots, bloody swords. These warriors are Masters that live in the wild and tongues of storytellers.

They measure high and above the polished officers that are dragging me away.

"Malik," I recognize.

How the hell—

Why—

Malik dismounts and lands with a loud thud. The Master beside him dismounts, too.

"Unhand that female."

"Nonsense!" The leading officer counters. "This— alien, has been summoned by The Queen."

"She has been summoned by The General as well. Which do you fear more?"

War is looking for me?

"The General is below The Queen. Return to your outpost, Master. Let us officers serve the Crown."

A hint of irritation crosses Malik's face— a rare occurrence because he never shows anything.

His eyes zero on Vrint. "You are behind this, aren't you? Foolish. Resolve this at once. I need to return to camp. You won't like what happens if I return empty-handed. He will come down here himself."

"The General would not come to the city for such trivial reasons!" The officer interjects.

"He's on a rampage simply because she is no longer at camp." Malik gestures toward me. "He believes she is safe and happy here. The moment I breathe that she is hurt, he will drag himself, all of camp, and three Hells to the city. Spare yourself that destruction and hand her over."

Like a coward, Vrint says nothing.

"You will have to unsheathe your sword and take her yourself," the Officer warns. "My men and I will bring her to The Queen as we were ordered."

Malik sighs. "Without this female, there is no General. Without the General, there is no victory. Do you think The Queen will risk this? She needs us to win the war."

"This thief must pay. The General will agree."

"How much does she owe? The General will cover all expenses. Hand her over," Malik insists.

"No. Are we done here?"

Malik purses his lips and stares at me.

"Wirlock?" he calls the name of the Master with the scarred face. "Go get him."

"Malik," Wirlock finally speaks up. "That is not a good idea. You know he will—"

"I know. I warned them."

As he interjects Wirlock, he keeps looking at me. He gives me a subtle nod, telling me everything would be alright.

I know deep inside of me, though, that this sunny day will be no more.

Wirlock jumps on his beast and gallops out of the city, leaving a cloud of dirt behind.

"Tell the Queen The General will be in the city in three hours," Malik instructs.

"Impossible! The camp is a night-ride away. He cannot get here so quickly."

Malik swings on top of his beast. "He will break all rules of physics to get here. Prepare the medics. You will need them."