Chapter 35 Aamon's Refusal
The Assassins returned to Kyra and Red’s hideout once the sky darkened and the glowing lights of the cosmos faded into blackness. They gathered in a circle around the campfire, keeping their distance from the two girls. Aamon approached Red and Kyra, carrying the same fruit he’d brought them over the past few days.
Kyra happily accepted the fruit and immediately shared some with Red.
As Aamon turned to head back toward the other Assassins, Red slowly stood up and called after him.
“Aamon?”
The young man stopped and looked back at her with his usual cold expression. “Yes?”
“Can I talk to you?”
“About what?”
Red hesitated. She didn’t even know where to start, but she had to say it anyway.
“I want to find Kit.”
Aamon didn’t answer right away. He just stared at her silently.
“I’m worried about her,” Red continued quietly. “Especially after what Viz said about the medals.”
“So?”
“Please help me find her.”
Aamon narrowed his eyes slightly. “You’re more worried about your friend than yourself?”
Red glanced down at her bandaged arm, at the wooden splints Kyra had tied around it. Her condition still wasn’t good. But she knew she’d feel safer fighting beside Kit.
Besides… there was always the chance she’d die anyway.
“I…”
“You should be thinking about yourself right now, Red,” Aamon cut in sharply.
But Kit had nobody. Call was gone.
And Red couldn’t stop thinking about how vulnerable Kit must be without equipment or protection. Kyra survived because the Assassins accepted her. But Kit…
Red swallowed hard.
“She’s my friend,” she said firmly.
Aamon crossed his arms. “There are no friends on Ohm’s ship, Red. We’re all rivals. Didn’t I already tell you that?”
“You also said that one day I’d have to kill someone to protect the people I care about.” Red stared directly at him. “So I want to protect my friend.”
Aamon’s gaze remained unreadable.
“What’s so special about her?” he asked quietly. “What makes you willing to risk everything for her?”
“Kit isn’t like other Supports,” Red replied quickly. “She has unique abilities. The Metaphysics need her.”
“If she dies, that’s actually good for us,” Aamon said flatly. “The Metaphysics would lose their Support.”
Red stared at him in disbelief.
“How can you even say that?”
“Focus on surviving,” Aamon replied coldly. “And think about how to get a medal.”
Then he turned around and walked back toward the Assassins, leaving Red standing there frozen.
Her face went pale.
Every time she thought she understood Aamon a little better, he said something that shocked her all over again.
Maybe the best option was to leave with Ursula while the Assassins were gone. Red had to find Kit, and they needed medals.
Once they had them, maybe they could hide somewhere far away from everyone else. There had to be another area in Savage Glory where people could survive in secret.
Eventually, Red sat back down beside Kyra and quietly ate the fruit in her hands.
Kyra glanced at her carefully. “Are you okay?”
Even though Red hid her emotions well, Kyra could already guess Aamon’s answer hadn’t gone the way she hoped.
“Honestly?” Red sighed. “I don’t know.”
“Don’t think too hard about what Aamon said,” Kyra murmured softly. “I don’t know him completely either, but… I don’t think he’s a bad person.”
“Not bad?” Red lowered her eyes sadly. “He literally said it’d be better if Kit died.” Her voice dropped into a whisper. “Maybe that’s how all the Assassins think.”
Kyra stayed quiet for a moment.
If Aamon were truly cruel, he never would’ve saved either of them. Even Kyra knew he had his own goals, but he still made sure Red stayed safe.
“I think he just wants you to focus on surviving first,” Kyra said carefully. “Maybe that’s his way of protecting you. Savage Glory isn’t some harmless game, Red.”
“And that means we stop caring about everyone else?”
Kyra sighed heavily. “I’m sorry… but that’s the reality we’re stuck in.”
Suddenly, one of the Assassins approached them.
He was tall, his face hidden beneath a hood, though a few strands of blond hair slipped free near his forehead.
He nodded briefly toward Kyra.
“What is it?” Kyra asked cautiously.
Without speaking, the man opened his palm and handed her another handful of berries.
“For you,” he whispered.
Kyra blinked in surprise. “Are you sure? Aren’t you going to eat these?”
“I can forage easily,” he replied quietly. “You can’t.”
“Ah… thank you.”
“Give some to Red. She needs her strength back.”
Then he immediately turned around and disappeared back toward the other Assassins.
Kyra smiled softly and handed part of the berries to Red. “A gift for us.”
Red shook her head. “No. Just for you.”
“He specifically said you should eat too,” Kyra replied. “So you can recover faster.”
“What’s the point if I’m stuck here?”
Kyra sat beside her again. “If you get stronger, maybe you’ll be able to find Kit sooner.”
Eventually, Red accepted the berries.
But her thoughts kept drifting back to Savage Glory.
How were humans supposed to survive this? The more they fought each other, the closer they moved toward extinction. Did nobody else realize they were being manipulated by the AIs?
“I’ve said this before,” Red murmured quietly. “If all the humans on this ship worked together against the AIs, I think we could win.”
Kyra looked at her carefully. “And risk the lives of everyone left on Earth?”
Red froze.
Kyra ate the last berry before continuing. “What if sabotaging the ship leads to the AIs wiping out humanity back on Earth?”
Red frowned. “You think they could do that?”
“Viz probably has communication systems far faster than this ship,” Kyra explained softly. “Before we could ever make it back to Earth… she could already order the destruction of the remaining humans.”
Red sat there stunned.
“We’re sacrificing ourselves to protect the people still alive on Earth,” Kyra whispered.
Silence settled heavily between them.
“That’s why at least someone has to survive long enough to reach Minerva,” Red finally muttered.
Kyra nodded slowly. “I think that’s Aamon’s real goal, too. Protecting humanity. Even if he refuses to admit it.”
Red looked at her skeptically. “Aamon literally said Assassins kill no matter what. I heard him say it myself back in the Cirque.”
Kyra smiled faintly.
“And one thing you should know…” she said softly. “The Cirque is basically a giant stage for some people. They like putting on dramatic performances.”
Red blinked in confusion. “Wait… what does that even mean?”
Kyra waved her hand dismissively. “Forget it.”
Red turned toward the group of Assassins gathered around the fire.
Even from a distance, their presence felt terrifying.
Cold. Dangerous. Like killers hiding behind silence.
Red knew one thing for certain. She didn’t want to stay here forever. Once the Assassins left to search for medals…
She would leave with Ursula and find Kit herself.
“We’ll wait until the Assassins move out,” Kyra said quietly.
“To search for medals?”
Kyra nodded.
“Yes.”