2 Seresstine, very late (or very early)

Nessan’s idea of a training exercise is to put objects into sleeping soldiers’ tents without disturbing them and without being insubstantial except during the time it takes to enter and leave through the wall. This strikes me as dangerous, considering that four of the five of us are women and that a soldier roused unexpectedly from sleep might assume the worst (or, from his perspective, the best) of intentions from a woman sneaking into his tent at night. Nessan said that was the point. I think if he could find a way to make these exercises life-threatening, he would.

When I asked him if there was a purpose to this (I made it sound less accusatory than I did just there) he said, “I won’t know until we see the enemy what use to make of you. So we’re going to behave as if you might face anything. Tomorrow they’ll be stealing things and then putting them back. And I’ll have a special challenge for you, since I doubt you need any practice stealing things.”

He grinned as he said that. He has very white teeth that shine in the moonlight, so he looks like he’s nothing but a canine smile. It’s eerie. I don’t know what about my performance during these exercises told him I’m a thief, but it’s comforting to have his professional respect, one sneak to another.

Nobody got caught, though Relania came close because she came through the wall into someone’s cot and panicked at passing through flesh. I panicked a little when she told us about it, remembering Jeddan’s experience, but nobody died, and we all went to bed tired but triumphant. I wonder what Nessan’s got in mind for me.