Children of Sotania
‘Found it, but the seal is missing,’ said Shefa. ‘Is that a problem?’ ‘Sotan ledgers aren’t valid without the Spire seal, there’s got to be a stamp around here somewhere.’ She began to search the tent thoroughly, opening and throwing out the contents of a chest in the far corner onto the floor. Hyrish scanned the makeshift room, finding it more or less empty, his gaze finally landing on the fallen legionary half laying in the doorway. This one had a blood-red cloak on, surely identifying him as a higher rank than the others they had seen. He glanced at his body, noticing a hint of gold between the plates of his gauntlets. The man was wearing a ring on the smallest finger of his left hand. He knelt beside him, inspecting it more closely. ‘He’s got a signet ring here,’ Hyrish said to Shefa over at the over side of the tent. As Shefa was about to speak, the man let out a throaty splutter and groan that startled the two of them. He continued to cough under his helmet, alerting them that he quite clearly had some life still remaining in him. ‘Bastard’s still breathing,’ Hyrish noted. ‘Deal with him and pass me that ring,’ Shefa instructed. There was something crude about her words Hyrish found, something almost insensitive. He took in an uneasy breath before standing. ‘Quickly,’ she said urgently. He sensed her standing over him. His hand fell nervously to the short blade on his back, slowly slipping it from his sheath. Shefa’s eyes narrowed in disdain. ‘Do it, then. Hurry. We don’t know how long till that second platoon gets back here.’ Another few tense moments passed, before Hyrish found himself pushed out of the way. Shefa impatiently knelt down and planted her dagger harshly into the man’s throat, silencing his moans and ceasing his choking. She pulled the ring from his finger and strode 14