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But then he asked, “What happened to everyone in the crowd?”
The three Ralsdis across from them exchanged looks, then Alice met their gaze with a grim expression.
“About what you would expect, I think.” She clasped her hands in her lap. “Violence, terror. Fighting, screaming. There were definitely casualties. We were far enough not to get caught in it, and we evacuated quickly.”
“It was ending by the time we were getting away anyway.” Sarah sighed and grabbed another roll from the dwindling supply in the basket. “There was a breeze, and the gas was already dispersing. The target wasn’t the civilians; it was the Resistance.”
“Yeah, but it hit civilians.” Sebastian waved a hand in the air. “With TV cameras live-streaming the whole thing. What were they thinking?”
“That they couldn’t get bogged down in a war of attrition?” William sat back and drummed his fingers along his knee. “You’re right. The Klah’Eel maintain international support for their occupation by painting the Resistance as terrorists. This breaks that illusion. It gives away the desperation of their position.”
“They would have preferred to take the continent city by city. But they planned to do it with the gas.” Leon would have smiled if he’d been in control of his body, so maybe it was good that he wasn’t. It would have been a cruel smile. “You took that from them.”
“Well, write that one under the successes category, then.” Sebastian’s satisfied aggressiveness matched his own. “Better they hit us with it than the people of Libha.”
Then Sebastian pointed at William and Sarah. “Well, they’ve given you two a gift. I expect you’ll run with this?”
“Oh, I’ve already called my favorite Qeshian reporter.” Sarah gave a mischievous smile Leon could swear he’d seen on Sebastian’s face before.
William nodded. “And I’ve called an emergency meeting of the Southern Tava Congress—such as it is—for tomorrow afternoon.”
“We’ll be all over the screens by tomorrow morning, talking about how actions like these cost us our son.” Alice pressed a hand to her bosom. “And countless other sons and daughters of Southern Tava.”
Sebastian laughed. “Perfect. Thanks, Mom.”
“It’s not totally wrong, you know.” Sarah fixed Sebastian with a stern look. “We hardly ever see you.”
Leon could feel Sebastian’s tangle of guilt, tinged with resentment. “Yeah, I’m a little busy.”
“And we’re proud of you,” Alice said firmly, with her eyes trained on Sarah.
Sarah raised her hands. “I didn’t say we weren’t!”
“Alright, it’s late.” William, who sat between them, shook his head and started gathering the plates that Sebastian had cleaned off back into the tray. “You two must be tired.”
“Exhausted.” Sebastian nodded and heaved them onto their feet.
“Staff’s all gone for the day except for the security outside.” William picked up the tray and stood. “So stay away from the windows, but other than that, you should be safe here.”
“Your old room has clean bedding, so why don’t you sleep there.” Alice stood as well and came around the table to them. She put her hands on both of their shoulders and smiled at them, and Leon had to remember that that warm, motherly smile was for Sebastian and not for him. “We’ll fetch you in the morning as soon as the body is here.”
Then she gave them—Sebastian—a kiss on the forehead, squeezed their shoulders, and stepped back.
Sarah just eyed them. “I’m glad you’re okay, little brother. But I’ll hug you when you’re not…” She gestured up and down their body. “Leon Hess.”
That made William turn just as he reached the door. “And welcome to our home, Leon. It’s a pleasure to have you. A shame, under these circumstances, but I look forward to getting to know you once the body situation has been resolved.”
“Tell him thank you and that I look forward to it as well.” Leon thought that a perfectly suitable reply, but he felt Sebastian hesitate nervously. “What?”
“It’s just weird to think about you talking to my father.” Sebastian seemed to cringe, but outwardly he nodded. “He says thank you, and he looks forward to it as well.”
Leon mused on that as Sebastian finished his goodbyes and his family trickled back out of the room. On the one hand, talking to Sebastian’s father did deeply disturb him, considering he still wrestled with his feelings over Sebastian himself. But on the other, he very much did want to speak with William Ralsdi, benefactor and ally of the Resistance. The Ralsdi family kept a safe distance from the Resistance, their communications completely mediated by Martha and dead drops.
Leon had a sudden realization. “Martha knows about you, doesn’t she?”
“That I’m William Ralsdi Jr.?” Sebastian put a surprising amount of sarcasm behind his own name. “Yeah, she knows. She’s the only one. Well, Farlon did too, but…”
“Right.” Leon looked out through his own eyes that he couldn’t control on the tidy hallway they passed through. Such a warm, lived-in, happy family home. Sebastian’s home with Sebastian’s family. It had never occurred to Leon that Sebastian had a home and a family beyond the Resistance. He had always assumed Sebastian was…like him.
