Free The Talented by J.R. McGinnity Page A

of
experienced soldiers to help with the training of the Yearlings. I
want to see the same results with the other Yearlings that I have
seen with Rosch.”
    “ I will do my best,
Captain,” she promised.
    “ Then you are dismissed,
Lieutenant Rydaeg.”
    ••••••
    News spread like wildfire
in Kyrog, and Ricco had already heard of Adrienne’s promotion
before she had a chance to find him and tell him
herself.
    “ Congratulations on your
promotion, Lieutenant, sir.” Ricco saluted and his smile was, if
possible, even wider than usual as pleasure and pride vied for
position on his face.
    Adrienne allowed her
friend to pull her into a congratulatory hug. His massive arms
squeezed the breath from her lungs, and for a few seconds Adrienne
worried that Ricco might end up cracking a rib in his enthusiasm,
but after a few painful moments he loosened his hold enough to
eliminate that danger. “It’s about time Captain Garrett moved you
up the chain of command,” he said, ending the hug with a slap on
the back in a manner much more typical of their relationship than
the long, close hug had been.
    “ What about you?” Adrienne
asked. Ricco was older than Adrienne, and had already been at Kyrog
for six years.
    Ricco shook his head
vehemently and held his hands up in defense. “I don’t want the
responsibilities of being an officer.”
    She laughed and shoved his
shoulder. “Good, because you’d make a lousy lieutenant,” she joked,
causing Ricco to laugh.
    “ And you’ll make a great
one.” He slung his arm around Adrienne and hauled her up against
his side. “This calls for a celebration.”
    Adrienne smiled. “What
have you got in mind?”
    Ricco’s eyes cut toward
her appraisingly. “I suggest a bunch of us go to Nils’ Tavern and
get drunk.”
    Adrienne shook her head on
a laugh. “I’m a lieutenant now. I have to be responsible. It
wouldn’t be right to spend my first night as lieutenant getting
drunk in a tavern.”
    Ricco snorted. “Getting
drunk is exactly the right way to spend your first night as a
lieutenant. This is your last day before taking on more duties. Who
knows when you’ll have another chance to get ripping
drunk?”
    She thought it must be
overexcitement that made that idea sound so appealing, but Adrienne
found herself agreeing with Ricco and planning to meet him at the
tavern after the evening meal in the mess.
    Hours later, Adrienne was
sitting at the bar in Nils’ Tavern, one of the few permanent
structures in the large camp, surrounded by well-wishers and empty
mugs of ale, and was well on her way to meeting Ricco’s
expectations of drunkenness. She liked the warm glow left by the
alcohol and the continuous congratulations she was receiving, and
wondered why she did not go out with Ricco more often. Even
watching him flirt with the serving women had become more amusing
than embarrassing.
    “ It’s about time,” a man
announced in a booming baritone. Adrienne focused her eyes on
Lieutenant Curtis Turric, a man who before tonight she would have
said was only a casual acquaintance at most.
    “ Thank you, sir,” Adrienne
responded automatically. A smile still came to her face with every
congratulation she received, and her response to the dark-skinned
lieutenant was no exception.
    “ Curtis,” he corrected with
a grin. “Or Turric, if you’d rather. You don’t ‘sir’ a fellow
lieutenant.” He shifted his drink over to his left hand and
extended his right. “I’ve been wondering when Captain Garrett would
get around to promoting you.” He motioned for the bartender to
supply Adrienne with another mug of ale. “You’re one of the best
soldiers in Kyrog.”
    “ She damned well is,” Ricco
agreed, raising his mug in cheers. “She’s bloody
brilliant.”
    Adrienne accepted the mug
with a smile before turning to Ricco, amused by his current state.
The stocky soldier was imbued with a wry humor when sober, but when
drunk his joking nature came out full force,