Ben looks around with interest at Daphne’s room as I plop onto the bed, swinging my legs and grinning, pleased to be alone with the two friends with whom I spend the least amount of time. Ben nods appreciatively. “Nice place you’ve got here, Daph,” he says, putting his hands on his hips as he spies
“What’s going on, Daph?” I ask, frowning, genuinely concerned for her. After all, I want my friend to be happy, especially when we discuss her relationship with Rafe.“To begin,” Daphne says, straightening her shoulders and looking right at me. “Can we pretend, for a little bit, that we’re not talki
My heart sinks a bit for my friend, because I never want her to be embarrassed about something like that. How much money she grew up with – it’s never mattered to me – to any of us.“Yeah, I get that,” I say quietly, turning back to Ben’s point and looking between them. “The fear that…you’d get left
“Ben!” I object, turning to glare at him, kind of not believing that he’s pushing Daphne to face her feelings for Rafe so bluntly.“I mean, it’s true,” Ben says, turning to me.“Daphne is allowed to make her own decisions on her own time!”“Agreed,” Ben says, nodding and looking between us. “Until…w
Jackson doesn’t reply to Luca, sitting quietly on the floor, and Luca and Ben give him a strange look when they realize that he isn’t leaving with them. But Ben just shrugs and nods to the door, silently suggesting that they not worry about it. Luca bends down, giving me a kiss on the cheek, and I r
Twenty minutes later, when we’re fully ensconced in the dreamscape and sitting quietly on the side of the cliff, Jackson looks at me with raised eyebrows. “Well?”I sigh, letting my exhaustion take me as I look up into Jackson’s sapphire eyes. “Rafe got dumped. At least, I think he did. I mean, I’m
“No, Jackson,” I say, pulling away a second. “What?”“Nothing,” he whispers, his face suddenly a little said. “I was…going to ask you for a promise you couldn’t keep. So. I won’t ask it.”I tighten my hands in his shirt, desperate to know what it is that he wants, desperate to give it to him –But h
“Ariel!” The word bursts from Jackson even as he grins, I think swept away by my laughter even as he’s confused by the direction of my thoughts. “Seriously, what are you talking about? What on earth makes you want to do that?”“I was jealous!” I say, throwing my hands out, my laughter subsiding. “Wh
“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