They nodded, and the room slowly cleared. The plas blade packed a punch, and both Eli and Varro moved with careful deliberation. They nodded warily at each other on their way out the door. They weren’t bosom buddies by any stretch, but their shared pain bonded them in that strange way common to soldiers. I set a reminder to check on them both in thirty minutes. I didn’t want them in pain just because they were too proud to ask for help.

I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh. This was going to be a very long trip.

“You were reckless. You could’ve been hurt,” Torran said from directly behind me.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I thought he’d left with the others, and I hadn’t heard him move at all. I spun and my already tender right knee send a bolt of pain lancing through my leg. I gritted my teeth against the urge to curse. And the urge to tell him exactly where he could shove his commentary.

Torran took one look at my face and his brows drew together. “You are hurt.”

“Just an old injury acting up from when I landed wrong. Did you need something, General? Perhaps you’d like to undermine my authority again?”

Torran’s eyes went distant then cleared. “Havil will look at it once he’s done with the other two. And I did no such thing.”

I waved off the offer. “There’s nothing to look at. And you did.”

“Havil will look at it,” he repeated, voice firm.

I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t have the energy to fight him about it. He was a client. If he wanted his medic to look me over, then I could spare the five minutes it would take for Havil to find nothing wrong that ice and time wouldn’t fix.

“Would you have preferred for me to let Varro hit you?” Torran asked, genuine curiosity in his eyes.

“No,” I said honestly. “I appreciate that I won’t have a bruised shoulder. But then I gave you an order and you argued with me. If you don’t respect me, your team won’t either.”

Torran’s mouth flattened. He looked like he would like to argue again, but finally he dipped his chin in acknowledgment. “You are right. I apologize. I will ensure that my team understands that my failure should not be emulated.”

Torran spoke flawless Common, but sometimes his phrasing was oddly formal. Still, I got the gist. “Thank you.”