Hyleigh’s feet moved on their own. Her mind was blank. Her heart was in her stomach. She passed the Gridania Aetheryte plaza on a mission to the dappled stalls.
“He’s going away for military duty,” Ryan had said.
“You’re joking.” Hyleigh threw a grape at him. It missed his forehead and grazed the top of his head instead.
Ryan just shook his head.
Hyleigh swallowed in a suddenly dry throat.
“My sister was crying this morning when the paper came.”
Well, Hyleigh needed to see for herself. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the low light of the Ebony Stalls. She made her way to the news stand, but she could see the headline from three yalms away.
WARRIOR OF LIGHT GOES TO CARTENEAU FLATS
She snatched up the paper and read in stunned silence.
Serpent activities are increasing in the Carteneau Flats and the Grand Company has enlisted all able-bodied Serpents, Augustine Goode included. Officials say the operation will take three years to complete.
“Ma’am? Are you going to pay for that?” Hyleigh froze as the sound invaded her awareness. Dazed, she reached for her coin purse, opened it, and handed the vendor the five gil she owed him. She didn’t look at him.
Three years. And without a delivery moogle. Yes, he’d written to her for years, but that’s not what it felt like to Hyleigh. She’d only just gotten him back, and now he was going to risk his life in some gods damned military confrontation.
She sighed. You’re being selfish, Hyleigh. She closed her eyes and held the paper to her breast.
“Be safe out there,” she whispered into the air.