“Troops!” Rafe barks out, clearly seeing what I’m seeing – what we all are. “Ready!”“I –“ I stutter, anxiety and adrenaline starting to race through me as my eyes focus properly on the two huge helicopters heading directly for us. “I thought we weren’t supposed to see action –““We weren’t,” Jackso
“Ari,” Jesse whispers, equally awed, starting to take his fingers away.“No,” I growl, leaning back, wanting to maintain contact. “Look.”I lift my chin upwards to the sky, where through the rising smoke we can see more helicopters coming. Four of them.Rafe glances at me and then touches the radio
My wolf instantly pounces on the small part of me that wonders if that makes me a monster, snarling her fury at the thought.And she is right –The Atalaxians, they started this war twenty years ago, they began their attack just when my father took his throne because they knew we were already weak.
Jackson lets out a sharp, impatient snarl, and Jesse laughs, giving me a little shove towards him. “All right, all right, I’m sorry, take him.”I stumble forward a step into Jackson’s arms, where I’m wrapped up tight. “You’re being very indiscreet, you know,” I murmur, wrapping my arms as far as the
Jackson has to pull me back into my seat when I try to jump up before the truck even stops. I scowl at him but he just smirks at me.As soon as the truck pulls to a stop, though, he lets me go and I move swiftly for the back. Something in the back of my mind registers all of the other Cadets likewis
Tony…floats.He blinks in and out of consciousness, seeing flashes of the world beneath, between, and around him. Sometimes he’s awake for a few moments or more, and then he starts to panic – because where…where is he?Where is he in space, in time but also…where is he? His body? His…his mind?His w
“Holy crap,” Tony murmurs, running a shocked hand through his hair. “What the hell did she get herself into?”The Goddess laughs, a light and tinkling sound. “Oh, Ariel’s getting all the attention right now, but my Juniper…” she sighs, shaking her head and looking into the distance almost as if she’
I lean hard against Jackson, half awake.We’re given the rest of the day to rest with plans to ship us back to school that night. Most of my fellow Cadets and friends sleep in the tents provided for us, but I’m unable to find rest. Instead I just sit in a weird little waking coma of grief, staring i
Ariel bursts out laughing and gestures out to the rest of the roof. “Of all the interference to our plans, you’re going to point out this tiny, adorable, sleeping infant pup as the problem!?” Both boys look down at the little dark-haired baby, whose amber eyes flicker open to betray her mother’s w
Jesse sighs, glancing at his watch and then looking to the door, an undrunk glass of champagne in his hand. “Where the hell is your damn sister?” “Your damn cousin,” Rafe murmurs, draining his glass and then pouring himself another. “You’d better stop that,” Jesse says, turning his head to Rafe
She goes still for a moment and then laces her fingers with his, squeezes his hand. “We’re not dating or anything,” she snaps. “Just…because you got all rejected and stuff. I didn’t come running up here just because you’re single – I thought you were going to die –“ “Sure, you didn’t,” Jesse says,
“I love you, Jesse,” Midnight whispers, watching him, her little mouth trembling, her entire body feeling weak. “I love you too, Mids,” he replies. “Always.” She nods once. And then disappears. Midnight fights hard against her emotions as she flits through the castle, moving back and forth bet
“I’m saying,” Midnight says, freely crying now, cupping Jesse’s face in her tiny hands. “That I – I don’t want to have your pups, Jesse. Ever. Ever. I don’t want them.” She shakes her head, vehement. “I think I’d be a bad mom. I’d leave them at the grocery store and forget they were there. I – I jus
She has to admit though…the stars are a pleasant addition. Midnight’s wolf gives a little worried howl, sprawled out in her soul, her little legs too weak to carry her much or far these days. But Midnight smiles a little and strokes a mental hand over her wolf’s fur, pleased to see her free and cl
“What,” Jackson asks, frowning down at the little rectangular stone in his hands. “Is it like, special?” “Jackson!” Midnight hisses, standing on her toes to smack him on the chest. “They’re invaluable! This is only the second I’ve ever seen in the world! And I only know of one besides that other o
I laugh, pointing at the big plate of apple pie on the table. “Well, I’m glad to see that you’re feeling cheerful,” I say, grinning at her. “I am!” she says, happily plopping down next to Jesse and reaching for the pie, pulling it all onto her lap and digging in with a fork. “I don’t think that an
Jesse’s eyes open first, and then Midnight’s, slow and sleepy. “How do you feel?” I ask quietly, leaning towards her, able to see her better now in the dawn light that streams through the windows. “What happened?” Jackson asks. I turn to see him standing at the door and I smile, reaching out a h