Chapter 8
The lads were thrilled to be marching off to war, but that lasted no longer than the first battle they witnessed. The sight of limbs being blown off, of soldiers being trampled by charging horses or run over by caissons, or men simply falling dead where they stood resulted in them both turning green.
“And I shouldn’t,” Owen said, almost in tears as he finished retching. Phin wasn’t much better, losing all the contents in his stomach. “I saw what happened to Remember.”
“Do you want to go home?” Gabe asked them. “I’ll send you back, and no shame will be ascribed to you.”
“No. I’m your black swan, Gabe. I’ll stay.”
“Phin?”
“No. I’m Owen’s. I’ll stay.”
“All right, then.” It hadn’t taken Gabe long to realize that the reason Owen’s family wouldn’t care that he went away was beca
