“Cadet rk, keeping his damn secrets,” Jackson sighs, slipping his hands into his pockets and
heading again for the stairs.
“Just for now!” I call after him, smiling.
“Damn well better be for now,” Jackson says, turning to look me sternly up and down for a moment,
which just deepens my smile. “Or I’ll…I don’t know, beat you up or something.”
I grin,ughing at the threat. “Oh,e on, Jacks, at least challenge yourself. We all know you could
do that with your eyes closed. The secrets are worth the wait, I promise it.”
But he just growls, low in his throat, ring at me in a way that…
God, but my stomach flips over. Does somersaults, if I’m being honest or more urately hurls itself of
a cliff in freefall. And then my mate smirks at me,ughing as he shakes his head and makes his way
down the stairs, ducking his too–tall head so he doesn’t hit it on the ceiling as he goes. The moment
Jackson disappears, I slump back against my door, my knees…a little bit weaker than I’d ever want to
admit.
Time passes quickly after this, faster than I’d like to see it go because there’s just an incredible amount
to do and, it seems, not enough hours to do it.
Predictably, the insane workouts that Rafe and Jesse put me through take up the majority of my time
and energy. They really do press me to the edges of my abilities, and while the work is grueling I
understand that there’s a great deal of love behind it. My brother and my cousin, I know, are rooting for
me and are only making me fall into bed every night in at state ofplete exhaustion because they
want to set me up well for the Examination.
The rest of my time is spent working quite hard on Chemistry and Marksmanship, which quickly outstrip
Magic ss as my favorites. I don’t make the mistake of going to Alvez alone anymore, always finding
a way to casually ask Rafe or Jesse toe with me, which they always oblige. Alvez, I know, sees
right through me –
and looks at me in a way that promises retribution which I know he will enjoy. But…well, I’ll deal with
that when I have to.
None of us make any more particr progress in that ss, either because we haven’t yet figured out
how to work with our powers or like Jackson because we refuse to reveal
– them. Jesse and Rafe, I know, are disappointed that they haven’t manifested anything yet, especially
when they see Tony’s demonstration of being able to breathe under water. We all stood around
watching himy in a bathtub for about half an hour, which really was very impressive.
I haven’t figured out how to melt anything besides a little ss marble yet but…well. Considering that
Magic is a ss that doesn’t have any threats of expulsion attached to it, it does fall a bit to the
wayside, which I think pisses Alvez off.
Instead, the majority of my spare energy and attention goes to Chemistry over the next couple of
weeks the only ss that really challenges me. Marksmanship is kind of a delight – I quickly outstrip
my ssmates as the Captain’s favorite, ensuring that his bet on me at the beginning of term was
made in good faith. We’ve mastered the bow and the crossbow and are now moving on to revolvers,
because the Captain wants to make sure we can handle every weapon wee across, not just the
fancy one with powerful scopes.
But while I am clearly the Captain’s pet, Dr. Neumann…god, I don’t think he likes any of us. Or, at least
the punishing way he administers his grades on our quizzes, exams, and projects suggests that we’re
all horrible little toads who are deeply undeserving of his time. and attention.
I groan as my testes back about a week before the end of the term, missing about twenty points
worth of credit. I put my head in my hands as I stare at my grade- because I worked so hard for this,
spent hours studying. What the hell had gone wrong…
I begin to flick through the pages, looking over Alvez’s notes as I nce at the other students in the
ss, wondering if their results were as devastatingly bad as mine. Considering the horror on
everyone’s faces, though, I think they might have been. None of us have really be friends,
honestly, except for maybe Hai, who I think is funny and clever.
Instead, Neumann pits us against each other in ss, I think on purpose. He wants his espionage
students, I think, to be quite independent, not to lean on each other for support. In the field, after all,
we’ll likely be working solo.
It makes sense, even if it does make for lonely days with no one to talk to about the rigors of Chemistry
track.
“This,” Neumann says, tapping on the test still sitting on my desk at the end of ss, after almost
everyone has already left the ssroom, “has to get better, rk.”
I look up at him, surprised by the stern note of his voice. “I’m working, Sir,” I say, my eyes wide and
genuine. “Honestly, I am studying.”
“You also spend a great deal of time with your family and your friends,” he says, crossing his arms over
his chest and ring at me.
My jaw drops open a little in surprise. How how did he know that?
He just raises an eyebrow, giving nothing away. “This is serious work, rk, not a game. You have a
promising mind – don’t squander your opportunities. Save fun for your winter
break. Now? Work.”
I press my lips together and nod, guilt running through me because he’s right. It’s not that friends and
family aren’t important – of –
N?velDrama.Org holds this content.
urse they are but I’ve got a limited time to prove my worth here at this Academy, to demonstrate that I
belong here, even though I’m a girl and even though I’m a spoiled royal.
Neumann sees my renewed determination and nods once before turning away.
Exhaling, I grab my bag and my test, heading out the door and up to my room.
My brother and my cousin let me walk through the halls alone now, which is a tiny relief. Wright has
stopped bothering me, either because he’s scared of my bodyguards or has his own things to worry
about, I don’t know which. Either way, I’ve been deemed “safe enough,” and I think everyone in our
year has figured out that I’m off limits for bullying if they don’t want to face any Sinir wrath.
Which, considering the amount of muscle that Rafe and Jesse have put on this semester is… not a
small threat.
As I burst scowling into the room, though, I find that pretty much everyone is here. Rafe raises his
eyebrows in surprise. “You okay?” he asks.
Ben sends me a wave, concentrating on his essay, and Luca sits up on the couch, looking curiously at
me.
“Twenty points off on my Chem test,” I snap, tossing the shameful paper on the coffee table after I
press the door shut behind me. “I can’t believe it – I’m so mad at myself.”
Jesse clicks his tongue consolingly, ncing up at me before reaching for the test. “That sucks, Ari I
know you killed yourself studying for this. Honestly, did he make it too hard?”
“No such thing as too hard,” I scowl, flopping down on the couch and crossing my arms, still upset.
Luca turns towards me and stretches out a leg, letting the casual touch of our bodies. his warmth and
his condolence and his sorriness to see me upset.
carry
I meet his eyes, grateful, and give him a small smile with a pulse of thanks down the bond. He sends a
sweeping sense of faith and affection in response, letting me know that he
in me. It warms me, body and soul, and I can’t keep from smiling at him.
believe, it
“Do you want me to have a word with this Neumann guy?” Rafe asks, taking the test from Jesse and
studying it closely.
And I groan, knowing that if I asked him? Rafe probably would.