“Would you get up!?” I start awake to see Rafe’s face peering over the edge of the bunk, frowning at me. “Seriously, Ari! The bell rang like ten minutes ago – I have no idea how you’re still asleep!” I glare at my brother a little, already in a bad mood, wondering how he’d feel if he got about t
“No time,” Rafe snaps, grabbing my arm the second I finish tucking my hair in and hauling me to my feet. “We go now or we miss breakfast. And if we miss breakfast, we miss rankings, which we desperately need to know. So, let’s move!” Jesse still smirks at me as we both hurry along behind my brothe
“Oh god,” I groan, sinking my face into my hands, my dreams of becoming an Academy cadet suddenly slipping through my fingers. “Don’t worry about it, Ari,” Jesse murmurs, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and giving me a manly squeeze. “We’ll train you up good. You just had one bad day, and they
But no. Rafe grabbed my arm and hauled me towards the last task of the day: a five-mile run that left me gasping for air because Jesse and Rafe refused to let me finish last again and made me keep up with them the whole time. Honestly, I had thought I was a good runner – I’m usually pretty fast – bu
“Ari’s just curious, Rafe,” Jesse says, still laughing and grinning, looking around to see if anyone noticed, but there’s no one behind us in line for the shower stalls yet and everyone else is too busy to care. “He’s led a sheltered life.” “And he’s going to continue to lead a sheltered life,” Ra
When Rafe strides away, Jesse finishes dressing and sits down on his bunk, patting the spot next to him in invitation. Knowing I can’t avoid it, I sigh and sit down. “Come on, Ari,” he says, friendly but stern. “Spill. I know something’s up.” “It’s nothing,” I mutter, not able to look him in the
“Cut the crap, Rafe,” dad snaps, and my eyes go immediately wide because dad only uses that tone when he’s really mad. “What the hell are you doing at the Academy when you told us two nights ago that you were taking your sister somewhere safe?!” Jesse visibly gulps while Rafe struggles to keep his
“To brush my teeth, Rafe,” I growl, turning stop so abruptly that he smacks into me and makes me stumble a few steps back. His mouth pops open in surprise and I see the apology on his tongue for almost knocking me over, but I wave a hand in his face, dismissing it. “What, I can’t even do this alone!