The Half-Giant's Guide to Seeing the Future

The Day I Got My Own Room

"Your shift is over, Cullen," Alana's voice was cool and commanding. "Get some rest. Petra has computer duty now. You can see her when she gets off in three hours."

"Alana, you're doing it again," Petra said.

"Doing what?" Alana frowned.

"Being a bossy bore," Petra threw back her braids. "And robotically sucking the fun from everything with your schedule."

Alana's frown deepened. "I'm afraid I don't understand why a schedule makes me a bore. This place needs a schedule. I'm running this place just like other commanders."

"Yeah," Moreno said. "You won't win this one, Pet. Start your shift and let Cullen get his rest. He's got the early shift tomorrow."

Petra pouted her lip, but Cullen kissed her. She melted in his arms for a moment before they broke apart. Cullen stood and walked through the door and out of sight. Petra took Cullen's seat and blew a strand of hair out of her face as she looked at the monitors.

"Kimmy and Moreno will be added back on tomorrow's active duty schedule," Alana said. "I'm afraid we cannot offer any rest time. This place is understaffed as is. Now that you're back, I'll likely have to send two troops to the front at Snowdon."

"But first, you're going to write a report, and if Doc reads it and sends orders, you'll worry about that," Moreno said. "Or I can write the report..."

"No," Alana cut him off. "I can take care of that. They left me in charge. Your report is why you made the call to bring Miss Oakeley here after the king left very explicit orders that Theresa Oakeley was not to enter Jontun."

"I'll take care of it," Moreno said. "I'll call Hellene. She'll get Victor on our side. That's enough protection from Tytan."

"What if her mother comes here?" Alana demanded.

Moreno laughed. "Ellenora has a standing warrant by Tytan for her arrest. She'd have to be a moron to enter a half-giant compound to see her daughter and not realize we'd have the right to arrest her on sight."

"We both know Ellenora Nikone has become increasingly more daring in the past few years," Alana said. "Her people could attack us as easily as they've laid siege to Snowdon."

"Then we train her," Moreno said. 

Alana nodded. "Then you're overseeing the mess."

"Agreed," Moreno said. "Now, we should get Terri to her room and probably let the poor girl rest. She's had a rough day."

Alana nodded. Petra looked between Moreno and Alana as if disappointed the fight had reached an amicable agreement. 

Alana looked me up and down. Even though she was a few inches shorter than me, I felt small under her scrutiny. 

"It's good to meet you, princess," Alana said. "Even if this is a spectacularly bad idea."

"Don't call me a princess," I said. "I'm just a half-giant like you."

"Moreno, clean up," Alana said. "I'll take Miss Oakeley to her room."

"You sure?" Moreno asked. "You're not exactly a people person."

Alana gave a tight-lipped smile. "I think I can handle this."

He shrugged and headed through the door that Alana had entered, leaving me alone with Alana and Petra. 

"Try not to eat her alive," Petra smiled and turned to her monitors. 

Alana looked me up and down like an appraiser at an auction. Under her microscope, I felt small even though this girl was three inches shorter than me.