Suspicion finds home between my brows. “Is there something you aren’t telling me?”
“Every adolescent enters the sleep for whatever amount of time their body needs. Hers apparently requires more than most.”
And until the last couple of weeks, she’s been waking up every time I’m distraught. Fuck. “Should I worry?”
“Worrying changes nothing. She is guarded by the elders and is sleeping safely.”
Hmm. “I’ll tell you if my punishment includes death or inconvenience.”
“I will already know, as I am continuously with you,” he grumbles. “Forced to bear witness to the awkwardness that is twenty-one-year-old humans.”
“I’ll strive to make it less awkward.”
“Could you do so, I would think you would have done it already.” He waits until I walk in front of him, heading for the stairs by the Gauntlet, and then he launches, his wings gusting wind at my back.
I can’t help but look to the left as I descend the steps. Our squad is practicing the deadly obstacle course that cost Trysten his life while we were in interrogation practice.
Aaric and Visia have already made it to the top—no surprise there—but the others are struggling. I have yet to learn any more of their names, but so far, we’ve only lost two.
Sloane bites her lower lip as she watches a girl with blue-black hair fumble along the spinning log on the fourth ascent…and fall. My heart lurches into my throat, but she grasps one of the vertical ropes along the course.
“Take that one at a run,” I tell Sloane as I walk by. “Hesitate and you’ll fall.”
“I didn’t say I need your help,” she mutters back.
“Your brother won the Gauntlet patch last year. No one expects you to fill those shoes, but try not to die, will you?” I say over my shoulder, not bothering to stop. It’s not like she’s going to let me help, and I can’t save her from this. She’ll make it or she won’t.
Fuck, I feel like Xaden of all people.
“You’ve angered the leadership, Sorrengail,” Emetterio says as I approach, the sun reflecting off his freshly shaved and oiled head.
“It couldn’t be helped,” I say quietly, pausing at his side.
He glances sideways at me. “I do not have favorites. That would be foolish in this place.”
“Noted.”
“But if I did.” He lifts his forefinger at me. “And I’m not saying I do. But if I did, I would suggest to that favored student that she stresses the undimmable bond of her legendary battle dragon and forgets any mention that perhaps strengthening her mental shields could have saved her from such a rash decision when it came to departing without leave.” He lifts both of his dark brows at me. “But, I would also hope that another favored student—were I to have such a thing—would be teaching you stronger shield techniques so it doesn’t happen again.” His gaze drops to my collar, where there’s a single silver line of lieutenant’s rank.
“I get the point.” A smile curves my mouth. “Thank you for caring, Professor Emetterio.”
“I never said I did.” He turns his attention to the Gauntlet, where Sloane has just crossed the fourth ascent.
“Right. Of course not.” I grin as I walk away, taking the rocky path to the quadrant, then fight the fear of my upcoming punishment. If Varrish tries to kill me, I’ll fight. If he wants to torture me, I’ll deal with it. Or maybe I should go straight to Panchek?
The path is crowded as another squad passes by for their turn at Gauntlet practice, and I stop stressing about stashing the dagger in my bag. At this rate, I’ll make it to my room without anyone seeing the alloy-hilted dagger.
By the time I reach the second-year floor, I’ve gone through about a dozen different scenarios of how to turn myself in.
Professor Kaori looks up from his book as he walks toward me in the main corridor, his brows furrowed in concentration, and I wave before turning into the little hallway that houses my squad’s chambers.
I stop short, my heart seizing for the length of what should be two beats when I see them.
“There she is.” Varrish’s greasy voice lifts the hairs on the back of my neck as he and his two henchmen push off the wall and head my way. “We’ve been waiting for you, Sorrengail.”
“I was going to wash the flight off and then present myself for judgment.” Close. I’m so fucking close to the safety behind my door.
“Oh, so you do realize you were absent without leave,” Varrish says, his smile anything but reassuring. The trio passes by my door and Rhiannon’s across the hall, then approaches Sawyer’s to my left and Ridoc’s to my right.
“Of course.” I nod.
Rhiannon’s door opens silently, and she peeks her head out, her eyes flying wide.
I subtly shake my head in warning, and she nods, ducking back inside and closing her door almost all the way. Good. I don’t want them looping her in on my punishment as soon as she inevitably tries to defend me as my squad leader.
“Bag,” Varrish orders.
Oh. Fuck. At least I didn’t stash the dagger in there. My mistake might just save my life.
Nora holds out her hand, and I slip my bag from my shoulder and hand it over.
“You couldn’t be bothered to wear your own uniform?” Varrish eyes Xaden’s rank on my collar. “You do know that impersonating a commissioned officer is against the Codex, do you not?”
Nora dumps my bag onto the stone floor, breaking the binding on my history book. Ouch. “Look, she has another one here.” She hands Bodhi’s jacket to Varrish.
“Collecting them, are we?” Varrish takes the jacket without looking my direction. His focus is on the bag with the other two riders’.
He’s going to take Xaden’s jacket. I fucking know it. Panic wells in my throat, threatening to cut off my oxygen. I glance up at Rhi, locking eyes with her through the slit she’s left in her door.
