Empress of Dorsa (The Chronicles of Dorsa)

“I haven’t,” Megs said. “We spent the night repairing one of the stables so it wouldn’t collapse on us in our sleep, and by the time we finished, the sun was coming up, which meant it was our turn on the western battlements.” She stifled a yawn. “Our shift just ended.”

Akella opened her mouth to say that she could take Megs to her tiny cell inside the castle for a long nap, but the blond boy in Megs’s squad was watching and listening. Unlike Akella, Megs was cautious about publicly acknowledging her interest in women. Intimate relationships between women, or for that matter between men, were frowned upon within the Imperial Army – something about what the Wise Men had determined was or was not beneficial for cohesion and morale amongst the troops. Although Akella and Megs were not in any such relationship – yet – Akella had learned to tone down her more brazen advances when other ears were listening.

“If you want, I might be able to find someplace private for you to sleep.” Akella delivered the statement as matter-of-factly as she could manage, but Megs still raised an eyebrow.

“Is that so.” She sounded too tired to be bothered making it a question.

The boy was still watching. Akella refused to flash her trademark grin.

“I imagine you could use a good rest, and I can’t imagine the stables will be either comfortable or quiet.” Akella glanced at the boy. “And I know your squad prefers you when you’re well-rested.”

“Aye,” he put in. “The Sarge is a cranky sow when she ain’t slept.”

Akella had no idea what a cranky sow was like, or why Megs would tolerate a boy of seventeen summers under her command comparing her to an irritable pig, but Megs didn’t argue. She gave the boy a rueful smile, though it looked like the effort took most of the little energy she had left.

If the two of them had been alone, Megs might have answered with something sarcastic, flirtatious but pretending not to be, such as, Is this your way of finally getting me into a bed? But they weren’t alone, so she just nodded.

“Alright. But let’s eat first.”