An Unbroken Promise

Chapter 3: Consequences

Waking up was slow. Slower than it had ever been their whole life, and they both became aware of their position at the same time. They were on their sides, facing each other, with Cassie’s head tucked under Adria’s chin. They were in each other’s arms in an embrace that neither had ever imagined before. 

Cassie tried to fight the purr starting in her chest, but when she realized Adria had already felt it because they were so close, she let it go. It erupted between them, and Adria smiled big.

Cassie adjusted herself but stayed tucked under Adria’s chin. The rumble got louder, and Cassie bit her lip. Her heart was always on her sleeve with her stupid purr and her stupid tail, and her stupid expressive ears. She hated it. She hated that the equation between her and Adria was so unbalanced. Adria had that stupid smile and those big bright blue eyes, and admittedly she often wore her heart on her sleeve anyway, but she didn’t have to. She didn’t have a purr that betrayed her.

Adria started with a hum in her chest and then let it come out as an ‘rrrrrrrrr,’ trying her best to replicate the sound.

It took Cassie half a second too long to realize what Adria was doing. She smiled to herself but playfully pinched Adria’s side.

Adria giggled and allowed herself the indulgence of scratching the back of Cassie’s hair. “Hey, if you’re going to purr so much, I should learn to do it too.” Adria went back to making the sound as best she could.

Cassie’s face felt hot as she did it. It made her rumble get louder.

Adria reveled in it for a moment. The fantastic knowledge that Cassie’s purr was responsive- that was new. She had never been allowed to play with it so openly. She scratched Cassie’s hair a bit more, and the rumble just got worse. Adria practically beamed.

Cassie hid her face into her friend if only because she was full on blushing now.

Adria smiled big and offered, “Oh, I think you like me.”

“Shut up,” Cassie said, half meaning it, muffled against Adria’s body.

It was an exhilarating feeling, having Cassie that close. Adria stopped smiling as her brain started reeling with the thought of what would happen if anyone saw them like this. At best, teasing for being soft. At worse, if it was Commander Shade, then a harsher punishment for daring to be weak. “We probably shouldn’t do this.”

Cassie made a half-hearted attempt to pull away before diving back in and snuggling into Adria. “f**k it. No one can see us,” she whispered.

Adria’s eyes went wide as she realized what had happened, and her chest felt warm and not just because Cassie was there. She blinked and discovered in a moment that this was more than she had ever wanted. Something she didn’t even dare to ask for, dare to wish for. For all the times they had sought solace in each other over the years, made promises, and stuck together, they had never once been allowed the simple pleasure of a heartfelt hug. Adria had been sure, all her life, that Cassie would claw her at the mere suggestion, but there she was, fully awake and choosing to be right there.

Adria, impossibly lost in the brand new world that had just opened up for her, wrapped her arms around Cassie’s body and her head and pulled her close.

For a moment, Cassie was startled at the touch. It was so alien to her, but she melted into it and closed her eyes, and they both laid there with the rumbling of Cassie’s chest to bind them.

Whatever magic existed between them was shattered when someone knocked on Adria’s door.

Adria flinched, pulling out of the hug, and rolled to look at the clock. It was well past the time the alarm should have gone off. All the warm, happy feelings she had drained out of her, replaced with pure panic. “s**t-” she muttered under her breath as she threw the blanket off and turned to sit on the edge of the bed. “Just a moment!” She called out.

Cassie was bewildered until she saw the clock while Adria got up. Reality came crashing down on her hard. 

“Squad Captain Adria, it’s Megan. Cody and Ralph are here with me.” The familiar voice was muffled through the door.

Cassie threw the blanket over her head and hissed.

Adria looked back at her, wanting to tell her to quiet, but anything she said would be evidence against them. Instead, she went to the door. “I’ll be out in a minute!”

“Cassie missed morning muster,” Megan said casually. “Commander Shade’s pissed. Sent us to go look for her and drag her back for punishment.”

Adria froze in her spot as the idea of Cassie being punished for something she had done drilled its way into her brain.

Megan continued. “Anyway, I wanted to inform our Squad Captain that we’re certainly going to look for Cassie, but we’ll be doing it in the rec room for the next two hours.”

Adria blinked, still processing why Megan would have told her that.

“We will just tell Cassie the next time we see her that she owes us. See ya’, Adria.” With that, they heard the squad walk down the hall.

Cassie threw the blanket off her head. “Did they just do something decent?”

Adria looked back and locked eyes with Cassie. “I got you in trouble. I didn’t get up with the alarm.”

Cassie shook her head and got up. “You’re worried about the wrong part. Your squad just gave me two hours to figure out a way out of this.”

Adria stared at Cassie for a long movement before blurting out, “Did they just automatically assume you would be here?”

Cassie ignored that and stretched a bit. “Two hours is plenty of time to come up with an alibi.”

As she moved, Adria tracked Cassie, her brain processing why the squad would assume Cassie was with her.

Cassie saw that poor helpless look on Adria’s face, and for a moment pitied her. Everyone loved Adria, but sometimes she could be as dense as the metal walls that surrounded them. “I’m going to go find Selene. She said a lot of s**t about watching my back. We’ll see if she’ll keep her word.”  Cassie got a devious smile. “Commander Shade can’t do s**t if I missed muster because I was following orders.”

Adria had a range of emotions. First, surprise. Who was this woman who so quickly offered protection? Then a moment of temporary relief as a solution presented itself. Then, a more complicated feeling that included her stomach, and not in a way she liked. Adria’s shoulders fell. She wanted Cassie to be safe. She desperately wanted not to be the one who put her in danger in the first place, but the idea of this woman being the solution made her feel worse.

Cassie moved in, taking Adria’s hand and squeezing it. “Hey, don’t worry. I got this. If Selene doesn’t pull through, I’ll just disappear for a week and pretend I got captured or something.”

Adria nodded as she processed all that information. The handhold was good. It was the one thing grounding her thoughts at the moment.

Cassie smiled at her. “You’ve got to go about your life like normal. I know what a bad actor you are, but you’re going to have to pretend like you’re having a really normal day, ok?”

Adria nodded, still in a daze.

Cassie squeezed Adria’s hand one more time before turning toward the door. “If I’m alive this evening, I’ll be back.”

Adria couldn’t stop the whine that came out of her as her stomach clenched at the idea of Cassie dying, let alone because of her.

Cassie winked back at Adria. “Wish me luck.” She hit the button to open the door and looked out into the hall to check for witnesses before she ran at full speed.

Adria stood in utter shock at how casual Cassie was about all of this. Adria wanted to stop her- keep her from leaving. She wanted to hold her there all morning and just keep her safe. Instead, she had to let her go and pretend as if nothing happened. 

The door slid back shut on its own, and Adria stood there lost. She looked back at the clock and realized she had only a few hours to develop a plan for the taking of Scriver. She would have to skip breakfast. She grabbed her jacket and forced herself to go to the planning room.

***

Cassie moved fast with a mix of excitement and fear that always seemed to drive her. She hadn’t known Selene for very long, so she didn’t know her schedule. Her best bet was to look in the open area near the tanks where they had met the day before. She’d start there and then ask around.

She reached the tanks. Her ears twitched, turned. She heard Selene’s voice, and her whole body reacted.

Selene laughed and jabbed someone with her closed pincers while they tried to excuse themselves when Cassie skidded to a stop in front of her new Squad Captain. 

The person Selene was trying to talk to took the moment to make a hasty exit while Selene lost her smile, looking Cassie over. “What happened?”

Cassie breathed heavily, then stood up and tried to adjust her hair to look not so frazzled. “All that stuff you said yesterday about watching my back, well- I need you to pay up.”

Selene’s eyebrows lifted. “Sure. What do you need?”

Cassie was not expecting it to be that easy. “I missed morning muster, and I need an alibi.  If I don’t have one-” She had managed to go the whole morning without thinking what would happen if she got caught. She knew Commander Shade too well. She would torture her to find out where she had been. Worst-case scenario, magic would be involved, and Cassie would have no choice but to implicate Adria. That thought gave her the first spike of fear all morning.

Selene held up a pincer. “So- you just need an excuse, right?”

Cassie nodded. 

“Say no more. I got you. We can use my tail.”

Cassie’s ears went down flat against her head. “What does your tail have to do with it?”

Selene had a proud smile as she moved forward. “I sting you, and you pass out. I tell Commander Shade it was an accident, and that’s why you were late.”

Cassie flinched back a little. “You’re going to sting me?”

“It’s not dangero-”

Before Selene could finish, Cassie felt a sharp pain in her thigh, and the world started to fade. The last thing she saw was Selene panicking. The last thing she heard was, “I’m so sorry! It’s got a mind of its own!” With that, Cassie watched the world go black.

***

Commander Shade did not spend her time idly. She had paperwork to do. She had weapons orders to organize and reports to read, but she was also distracted by thinking of where Cassie had been that morning. She had gotten lax with her attention on her most problematic ward. That thought made her eager to find the girl and use whatever power she had to exact an answer.

The door to her chamber opened, and she looked up.

Squad Captain Selene walked in with a nervous smile and Cassie on her shoulder. “Hey- so- I think I may have messed up.”  She pulled Cassie off her shoulder by her leg, dangling her in the air.

Commander Shade saw first the limp body and then the unfocused eyes. Her mask hid the face she made as a thought jumped into her brain that Cassie was dead. Her hair stood up higher with growing magic as she pulled it from the black garnet. Her fingertips crackled as she prepared to end Selene with the magic from her own runestone. Cassie had been an insolent brat, but no one was going to kill her ward but her.

Selene’s awkward smile was gone as she saw the growing magic. “She’s not dead! I just accidentally stung her.”

The magic dissipated almost instantly, and Commander Shade, for a moment, let herself wonder why she had reacted so strongly. She forced her voice to be calm. “You did what?”

Selene wasn’t trying to hurt Cassie’s leg, so she wasn’t holding firmly, and her fur made her a little difficult to grasp. Cassie slipped out of her grip and landed in a pile of limp limbs on the floor.  Selene laughed nervously. “I just accidentally stung her, and I didn’t know when it was going to wear off. I thought you might have been worried about her, so I brought her to show you she’s fine.”  She gave Commander Shade a big awkward smile while trying desperately to get a hold of Cassie in a way that wouldn’t hurt her. Trying to pick up a passed-out Cassie was like trying to pick up water.

Commander Shade stared at Selene, knowing her mask would prevent the woman from picking up the expression on her face.  She tried to tamper her voice. “Squad Captain, I asked you to keep an eye on her, not nearly kill her. I don’t need the scrutiny if one of the cadets under my authority were to be injured.”

“I get that. I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional.” She wasn’t lying. She managed to get ahold of Cassie’s middle and hoist her back onto her shoulder.

Commander Shade took a slow, steady, calming breath before declaring, “Get her out of my sight, and keep her hidden before anyone starts asking questions. Do you understand me, Squad Captain?”

“No problem! Sorry for the trouble Ma’am!” She turned and left without needing to be told twice.

***

The plan was rushed. Adria knew that, but she had a deadline and couldn’t focus. She made up for a lot by putting herself up front so she could change the plan if things got too out of control. 

In the plan, she specified that Selene’s squad would be in a tank on the eastern border in a moment of hurried worry and carelessness. It was a moment of hope, an offer to both Scopria and Cassie if they managed to survive. Cassie would get a kick out of the tank going over such rugged terrain, and Selene might appreciate the strategic importance if she cared about that kind of thing. It was a little moment of hope in Adria’s already horrible morning.

While she drew up the plans, all she could think about was what happened to Cassie, and hoping beyond hope that this Selene was as good as her word. At that thought, another mix of emotions made Adria want to skip lunch because of the way her stomach felt.

That twisting stomach went with her to Commander Shade’s chambers before noon to give her the plan and stayed with her as Adria wondered if this was the same room that Commander Shade would have punished Cassie.  She stood at attention, trying to smell the tell-tale scent of discharged magic or burnt fur. 

Commander Shade flipped through the plan. “Commendable that you would put yourself on the front line. That’s exactly the kind of initiative Lord Herman likes to see.” She looked up. “You look very pale. Are you getting sick?”

Adria shook her head on instinct. Never admit weakness. Never admit defeat.

“Well, if you are, stay in your room. I don’t need the other Squad Captains sensing weakness in you. The moment they smell blood-” She paused, reading more of the plan. “I will take this to Lord Herman later this evening. I’m sure he’ll approve it.” 

Adria felt a small relief at that. She had, at least, passed one hurdle for the day.

Commander Shade leveled her gaze at Adria. “We are at a critical juncture. I need this battle to be a success, Adria, and it all rides on your shoulders.”

Adria saluted with all the excitement she could fake.

Commander Shade took a long slow breath before offering, “If this is a success, perhaps I can set up a mission for you and Cassie.”

Adria’s face lit up, just for a moment, as she realized that meant Cassie had to be alive.

Commander Shade noticed the look and continued. “It would be a collaboration with Squad Captain Selene, of course.”

Adria’s heart was beating so hard she could feel it in her ears. She couldn’t tell if what she felt was anger or excitement.

Commander Shade continued. “You should see how well they get along. It’s good to finally see Cassie finding other friends .”

Anger. The feeling was anger. That surprised Adria.

Commander Shade smiled to herself, safely hidden by her mask, glad to see Adria was so easy to control.  “You are dismissed.”  She turned away, smug in her confidence.

Adria saluted and left to go figure out why she was angry. She should be happy. Cassie was at least not in danger anymore.

Adria went to lunch starving, and sure that eating would make her calm down.  She got a tray and got in line for a ration bar and something to drink. She couldn’t help but overhear the women in front of her talking.

“-yeah, she was carrying that cat girl. She looked rough.”

“What do you mean rough?” the other asked.

They had Adria’s full attention.

“She looked dead or passed out or something.”

“I guess Selene’s taking her to the medic.”

The woman got a look on her face like she was about to share the juiciest gossip. “Oh, no. Last I heard, she was taking the cadet to her room.”

Adria’s heart rate doubled.

The other woman made a face of scandalous shock before offering, “Well, I guess she’s gotta take what she can get.” And then they both started laughing. 

Adria dropped her tray and ran. She didn’t care who saw her. She didn’t care what they thought. At that moment, she didn’t care about the Camp a single bit. All she cared about was the thought that Cassie was in trouble and needed her.

Adria knew exactly where Scopria’s room was. She had seen the woman entering or exiting her room half a dozen times. Within minutes she was at the door her heart pounding in her chest and panic nipping at her.  She would have broken down the door if she could, but she settled for banging on it.

The door slid open, and the tall white-haired woman looked down at her. “Oh- it’s you. What do you want?”

Adria saw behind her to the bed, where Cassie was limp and motionless. Adria’s stomach clenched. “What happened?” She looked up at Selene. “What were you going to do to her?”

Selene’s eyes went wide, and she staggered back a bit at the accusatory way the new Squad Captain had just talked to her.

Adria pushed her way in, tried to move past the large woman.

Selene stopped her with a pincer. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

Adria shoved her back, and readied her fist for a fight. Adria didn’t care how tall the woman was, or how strong. “Let me see her!”

Seeing that the woman was ready to fight, Selene let her go.

Adria rushed to the bed, kneeling as she approached. Her hands halted before she touched Cassie’s limp, motionless form. “What happened?”

Selene quickly closed the door and scratched her neck. She didn’t know what to say. She didn't want to get Cassie in any more trouble, and things were getting complicated. “She’s fine. It will wear off in a bit.”

Adria was on her feet, standing between Selene and Cassie. “What were you doing with her?”

Selene put her pincers up and backed up against the wall. “Hey, I don’t like the tone. I was doing as told and keeping her out of sight.”

“In your room?”

“Yeah.”

“In your bed ?” Adria’s hands were shaking. She was running off instinct.

Selene didn't answer immediately, realizing she was dealing with someone who was on edge. “You must be her friend she gave the cookie to?”

That caught Adria off guard.

Selene chuckled a bit and relaxed. “I’m Selene, and it’s good to meet you.” She cautiously offered a pincer. Not everyone was ok treating it like a hand, but she had figured offering it to shake was better than not offering it. 

Adria looked at the offered appendage, her rage and panic starting to mellow. With some trepidation, she shook the woman’s pincer.

“I’m Adria.” Her voice was still a bit shaky.

“Cassie was late and-”

“Did Commander Shade do this to her?”  By now, Adria had tears in her eyes, expecting the worse.

“This? No. This was me.”

Adria clenched her fists, and Selene was quick to add, “It was all part of the plan. I mean, it was going to be the plan. I didn’t get the chance to make sure she was ok with it. The tail sometimes has a mind of its own.”

Adria’s eyes went wide as she saw the tail. “You stung her?”

“I know it sounds bad, but it just knocks people out. No harm done. She’ll be fine.” She laughed a little to herself. “It’s funny.

Commander Shade nearly killed me too. Thought she was dead.”

It took a moment for all of that to go through Adria’s brain, but it landed. She started to relax, or she started to crash. All that adrenaline faded and left her empty. She sat on the bed. “She got out of it then.”  She looked back at Cassie, her tongue hanging out and her eyes looking in vaguely different directions. It was a disturbing sight, but it was better than what could have happened. Adria looked back at Selene. “Thank you. I’m sorry I accused you of-” She hesitated for a moment, trying to piece together exactly what she imagined was happening. It was hard to put into words. 

“No problem.”  Selene cautioned a move forward. “You know, you’re new, so people are going to notice if you’re not at the briefing after lunch.”

Adria had forgotten about the briefing. She had forgotten about everything in that panic.

“She’ll be ok here on her own. Why don’t you and I head to the briefing together?”

Adria looked up at Selene, surprised by the genuine smile. She knew what Selene was doing. It was an unspoken act of good faith. Maybe Selene picked up on the protectiveness or the jealousy. Adria hoped Selene wasn’t picking up on the jealousy. “You’re sure she’ll be ok?”

“Absolutely. She might have a headache, and she’ll need water, but she’ll be fine.”

Adria stood up and managed a slight nod. “Sure. Ok. Let’s go. You and me.” Adria would not have left for the world if Selene wasn’t going to go with her. Something about leaving Cassie alone with anyone while passed out bothered her immensely. Maybe, if people saw them leaving together, perhaps the rumors about this morning would fade. That made Adria calmer.

Adria and Selene left her room and started walking to the briefing room. Selene seemed in good spirits, and Adria was beginning to feel better.

“So, you and Cassie are good friends, right?”

Adria nodded without really thinking about it.

“Great. I’ve wanted to talk to someone who knows her. What’s her favorite color?”

That caught Adroa off guard. “It’s blood red.” At least, that’s what Cassie always said when they were growing up. Now that she started thinking about it, maybe it had been more of a threat than it was an admission. 

Selene beamed as they entered the briefing room. “Does she like games?”

“Training simulations?”

“No, like board games.”

“Oh- I don’t know. We’ve never-”

“You’ve never played games?”

Cobalt looked up from the presentation and glared at the two of them. They were late. They quickly took their seats at the back of the room. Adria tried to focus on the screen.

Selene leaned in and whispered, “Ok, so games are a maybe. What else does she like?”

Adria couldn’t split her attention. The question bored a hole in her mind. What did Cassie like? Head scratches. Apparently hugs.

She learned that one that morning. Her face started to heat up.

***

Adria sat on the balcony overlooking the Devarion where she and Cassie had spent so many evenings. The sunset was a vibrant blood red.

She was distracted. Selene had followed her around all day asking questions, wanting to know more about Cassie’s likes, dislikes, her past. Adria should have been the perfect person to answer, but most of the time, her mind went blank. She had barely escaped Selene at dinner time by skipping out, and she was so hungry.

She heard someone behind her and closed her eyes, thankful for the fact that it sounded like Cassie’s graceful leaps up the metal pipes.

Cassie came up behind her and poked her in the middle of the back with a claw. “Miss me?”

Adria turned and pulled Cassie into a hug.

Cassie froze at first but relaxed into it and cautioned a hug back. “What’s up with you?”

Adria pushed her head into Cassie’s neck, half hiding in her hair. “I was worried about you all day.”

Cassie smiled big at that. “You didn’t have to. Selene pulled through.”

Adria pulled back, looking Cassie in the eye. “Do you like games?”

Cassie blinked. “What? Like training simulations?”

“No. Like games you play for fun.”

Cassie looked at her in shock. “Who the f**k plays games? We’re at war.”

“I know, right? It’s not weird that we’ve never played games. No one plays games.” She turned toward the sunset. 

Cassie sat next to her, dangling her feet down and leaning back a bit on her hands. “What was that about?”

Adria shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s been a bizarre day.”  She waited a moment, and they both watched the sun dip past the dark gray clouds of the Firghtzone. “You should go back to the barracks to sleep tonight. It’s too dangerous for you to come back to my room.”

Cassie laughed loud and hard at that.

Adria panicked a little, seeing some guards below them look up to see what was going on. “It’s not funny. Today was really serious.”

Cassie sat up and nudged Adria back, giving her some wiggling eyebrows. “What? You trying to get rid of me now?”

Adria pushed back. “No. I’m trying to protect you.”

“From what? From Commander Shade? f**k her.” Cassie got up. “She’s an old lady who's on the way out. Once she’s gone it will be you and me running this place. We’ll be able to do whatever we want.”

Adria got up as well, if only to meet Cassie’s unspoken challenge. The tone in Cassie’s voice made her feel a bit better. She looked at her friend and felt a flutter in her chest. “So, even after everything that happened today-”

Cassie shrugged. “I don’t care about this place. I don’t care about Commander Shade in particular.” She paused. “It’s always been you and me, Adria. No one else matters...” 

Adria felt so many things at that moment. A warm growing pride in her friend. A feeling she couldn’t quite place that felt kind of like butterflies in her stomach. She offered her hand.

Cassie took Adria’s hand without hesitation.

Adria smiled. “Ok. It’s you and me, and everyone else can deal with it.”

Cassie smiled wide while she tightened her grip on Adria’s hand. “Damn the consequences.”

They were both, at that moment, clear about what they were. They were allies- allies against a world that gave them nothing. An ally is what they both need.  Being allies apparently included cuddling in bed because that was what they both also needed. 

For a moment, they both got excited about the possibility of what else an ally could provide them that they needed. Just as that thought hit, they let go and tried to regain themselves.

Adria waited a long moment before the chill of the twilight started getting to her. “So- you want to go get warm?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”