I understood that Valek’s loyalty to the Commander was without question. His blue eyes held a fierce determination and I knew in my soul that Valek would take his own life after he had taken mine.

One, and two, and three, four, five. Keep fighting like this and you will die," Janco sang.

Lying to yourself is easy, too. I know. It's much harder to stay and deal with consequences.

Living with your decision must be hard. Nothing I or anyone can say will give you any peace. You must reconcile your actions in your heart.

Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust, even harder.

You put on such a brave front. But I know if I took another step toward you, you'd wet your pants." "With your blood." I brandished my knife. But I couldn't keep a straight face; the boast sounded ridiculous even to my own ears. I snickered. She laughed. The release of tension made me giddy, and soon I was laughing and crying.

I hate a mystery. I would have let the identity of the Commander’s successor remain a secret, as I have for fifteen years, but tonight’s opportunity was too tempting. With eight drunken Generals sleeping it off, I could have danced on their beds without waking them." - Valek