The next morning, my wolf wakes me up early, knowing that I need it. I mean, she doesn’t frequently function as my internal alarm clock – we both like our sleep way too much for that – but today she gives me a sleepy little nudge with her nose before climbing to her feet and giving her fur a rough s
Jackson follows quickly – of course – and is already pulling himself up onto the platform before I’ve barely pulled the gun out of its bag. Jackson murmurs his admiration as I set up the gun and then he settles down with his back against the low rail, pulling a book out of his bag but not moving to
“I don’t know what the Games are because nobody tells me!” I growl, smacking Jackson hard on the arm as I bare my teeth at him, pissed that apparently everyone knows what these ‘Games’ are except for me.“You have a handbook in your room, Ariel,” Jackson says, laughing at me, completely ignoring my
He laughs a little, nodding to me and running forward to catch up with the other boys as I do my very best to catch up. I mean, I fail…But hell, it’s good to try.About twenty minutes later my spirits are quiet a bit lower and my feet are dragging, a little, as I haul myself into the breakfast. I m
Luca sits down and we all lean forward as Rafe and Jackson take their folded notes and quickly open them, glancing through the contents. I lean over Jackson’s arm, trying to read it myself, but he laughs and pulls it out of my sight. “Confidential, Clark.”“Oh, you’re going to tell me anyway!”“Mayb
I end each of my days with Blaze, who finally begins to teach me how to deliver a blow instead of just dodging them. Luca diligently comes along to all of Blaze’s lessons, sitting quietly and studying while I work with my instructor and, afterwards, allowing me to practice on him in his incredibly d
But my ferocious snarling into Luca’s face only lasts a second, because I instantly shift back into my human form, shrieking my delight and throwing my hands in the air as I sit on Luca’s chest, my legs sloppily straddled to either side. “I did it!” I shout, laughing with joy. “I hit you and I knock
“Come on,” Luca says, that hungry little growl still deep in his voice as he puts a hand around my waist and pulls me flush to his side. “Let’s go to dinner. Daphne’s coming up tonight, right?”“Oh yeah!” I say, my face breaking out in a smile – because I’ve seen less of my friend than I wanted to i
“We won’t be here all the time.” A new voice surprises me and I turn, starting to cry in earnest when I see my dad come around one of the houses, Rafe at his side. “We have a country to run, after all.” He grins at me, opening an arm. “Dad,” I croak, shaking my head and tucking myself against his
“Come back here,” Neumann calls, pointing at the ground in front of him. Midnight appears again in the corner, dismissing her shadows, and dashes back over, smiling her delight. “Are you seriously encouraging this?” the Captain murmurs, shaking his head and heaving a big sigh. Neuman doesn’t rep
“If I’m dismissed from the Academy now,” I interrupt, holding up a hand and conjuring up my blue flames, which make him take a step back in surprise. “Then the military of Moon Valley loses the opportunity to train and make use of its most powerful weapon. Which, if you ask me, is far too much of a
“Ut-oh,” Jesse says, turning to grin at me. “Looks like the secrets out.” “You could look less cheerful about it,” I say, glaring at him even as I climb out of bed and move towards the door as Jackson pulls on his shirt. “It’s not your education at stake, after all.” “Nooo, don’t forbid me my gl
Marigold laughs a little but just nods. “Are we doing this?” Jesse says, glancing up at the clock that looms large over the entire station. “We don’t have a ton of time.” Jackson looks at me and arches a brow. I laugh and nod, grinning at our little party. “Let’s go!” The next morning I wake u
Marigold, perched high on Jackson’s arm, looks around the train station with wide eyes as she munches on a cookie. I bite my lip for a moment, watching her, anxious that she’ll be anxious. After all, her life has already involved so much change… “She’s fine,” Jackson murmurs, smirking down at me f
I can’t help it. I just get incredibly jealous. “Tell me,” Jackson urges, feeling the shift in my emotions, tightening his arms around me. “I just want to do that,” I say, laughing a little, shaking my head, feeling petulant. “It sounds so cool, and important, and…vivid. I want to do that work,
I scootch forward on the window seat, making room behind me. Jackson takes a moment to dip low, pressing a kiss to Marigold’s cheek and then to her hair, telling her how much he missed her and how glad he is to see her. The little girl laughs, beaming up at her father, and I can feel both of our hea
“Ariel,” my mom calls after me. “Please, come and talk to us –“ “It’s time for the meeting anyway, Ella,” dad murmurs. “She needs space to think and we don’t have any more time to talk.” As I head into the darkness of the hall Jackson’s voice appears in my mind, soft and apologetic. Do you wan