Free Swords of the Imperium (Dark Fantasy Novel) (The Polaris Chronicles Book 2) by Bryan Choi, E H Carson

a first-class pistol too—but he could still beat her to the draw. She flashed him a look of indignation that quickly turned to sheepishness. As far as Taki could tell, she appeared to be his age or slightly younger, with a rounded face and curly, uncontrolled hair. She wore ill-fitting battle leggings stained with mud and dust and a thin linen top that was nearly translucent with sweat. Taki’s eyes strayed involuntarily to her chest, which was still boyish in silhouette. He quickly looked away, hoping she hadn’t noticed.
    “Not so loud! I serve the padishah.” She waved her hands to shush him. “I just got here, myself.”
    “Where are your papers?”
    The girl reached carefully into a leather purse and pulled out a small pamphlet of bound parchment. Taki took it and flipped to the front page. The ink drawing was smudged but seemed to grossly match her features, and he quickly scanned over her name and company standard.
    He raised an eyebrow. “You’re with Alfa?”
    She flashed him a row of gleaming white teeth behind sunburned, chapped lips. “Yep! Enilna Shpejtspate. I’m apprenticed to Aslatiel von Halcon.” She saluted stiffly.
    “Cornet Taki Natalis.” He silently chided himself a moment later for slipping up the ranks.
    “Corn? Are you a farmer?”
    “No, I misspoke. I’m a fahnrich.”
    “That’s too bad,” she said. “An army marches on its stomach, so I thought maybe they’d put tactical farmers in the units. You know, harvest the wheat and thresh the oppressors!”
    “What are you talking about? It takes an entire season to grow crops. You can’t just plant grain on the front lines—” Taki realized with a start that he had forgotten entirely about preventing whatever mischief Hadassah was planning and also about the need to relieve himself. He shifted his feet, feeling harried again.
    “So you are a farmer after all! No one else would know the ancient secrets of agronomy.”
    “What I told you is common knowledge!”
    “You shouldn’t be embarrassed about your profession. I think it’s cool that you can coax food from the poisoned soils and stuff.”
    Taki waved his hands. “I need to get going. Nice to have met you and all…”
    Enilna sidled up to him. “Hey, can you help me?”
    Taki blinked.
    “Thanks!” she said without waiting to hear his answer. She grasped his wrists and whisked him into a gap between a pair of tin-roofed sheds.
    “What’s goi—” Taki said.
    Enilna clapped a hand over his mouth and pressed both of their bodies into a sliver of shadow. “Shush! Elsa’s coming,” she whispered.
    Taki heard the approaching footfalls of boots in the dust. He had many reasons to simply push Enilna away and report the intrusion. Though she seemed to have proper documents, they could always be forgeries. Hell, she could have killed the real Enilna Shpejtspate for all I know, and I’m next .
    The logical, proper thing to do would be to shout for the guard and especially for another member of Alfa. But logic was nothing compared to the sensation of her pressed against him. His earlobes felt pleasantly warm, and his heart thudded in his chest. Occasionally, Enilna would press even harder when she heard Elsa stop.
    Eventually, the footfalls faded after a tense, pleasant eternity. I think she forced herself on me a little, Taki thought as her hand came off his lips. Her fingers smelled earthy and sour but not unpleasant.
    “Sorry,” Enilna whispered. She looked genuinely apologetic. “I’m really sorry! I mean, not for hiding. I was supposed to be on base waiting to rendezvous with everyone, but I really wanted to explore some nearby ruins and thought I’d have time. Oberleutnant Aslatiel wouldn’t care, but Commissar Irulan is a hardass. Okay, I must be off! Thanks for your help.” She stepped away, gave a perfunctory bow, and scampered off.
    Taki ran his fingers through his hair and blinked incredulously. “What the hell just happened to me?” His bladder