Return the Favour

As Elias went on the hunt for the med kit, Callie couldn’t help but tease him. ‘It’s so much more spacious than my dorm. No wonder everyone wants to climb up the ranks, Lieutenant Colonel.’ ‘It’s Major General now,’ Elias corrected her. ‘What?’ Callie was slack-jawed with wonder. ‘Major General, huh? You’re moving up in the world.’ He looked back at her with a faint smile. ‘It’s just the way things worked out,’ he replied nonchalantly. ‘I never sought promotions, but I guess sometimes life has its plans.’ Callie raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. ‘You’re still so young for a major general. It must be quite an achievement.’ Elias shrugged. ‘Maybe. But rank and achievements aren’t what matter most to me.’ It was about serving his country, protecting its people, and fighting for what was right. It wasn’t what drew him to the military in the first place, but it was what made him stay. Callie, though not a mind-reader, could see the fire in his eyes, the dedication that fuelled him to