Chapter 223

“There’s one last trial before you’re fully enrolled,” dad says slowly, peeling his orange in one long strip. “And that is your academic finals. If you pass those, then I won’t fight you on returning to the Academy.”

I gasp, thrilled, leaning forward to thank my dad with all of my heart.

“But!” dad says, holding up a finger. “I won’t have it a secret anymore – not from the officials, and not from your professors. At least, those you work with. If you pass your finals, we will have a word with each of your professors. And if they refuse to work with you…” he shrugs, meeting my eyes. “I’m not going to force them, Ariel. And you shouldn’t seek to either. It is…too dangerous a world, to not be working with people who are betting against you.”

I bite my lip, considering it quickly, my mind sweeping over the Captain, and Neumann, and Alvez. The last of the three, obviously – rather indecently, if I’m being honest – does not have a problem with working with a young woman. But the other two…

“And,” dad continues, focusing on the fruit, “the boy who shot you – Wright? He has not yet gone through his tribunal for attempted murder –“

My eyes go wide as I consider that…well, yeah. That Wright broke the rules when he shot me in the stomach.

“So,” dad continues, flicking his eyes to me. “I want you taking no risks, Ariel. Your tests, and the room. Those are the only places I want you until we get that boy out of that school.”

“Okay,” I say suddenly, giving a terse nod. “Okay, I accept it.”

“All right,” dad says, nodding seriously and looking down at his fruit and fighting his smile.

I take a second to look around at Rafe and mom, who are both beaming at me with excitement, but then I can’t help it – I’m up out of my seat with a shout joy and throwing myself at my dad, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Thank you, daddy,” I whisper, and a rush of warmth and joy runs through me when my dad wraps his big arms around me, hugging me back. “I love you so much.”

“I believe in you, baby,” he says, pulling back to smile at my face, his own filled with a thousand emotions I couldn’t even begin to name. “I always knew you were tough, that you’d do big things. We’re…we’re very proud. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, dad,” I say, grinning at him – feeling so, so incredibly lucky to have him as my dad, and my mom as my mom, and my brother as my brother. “Don’t worry. I know.” noveldrama

“Good,” he says, setting me on my feet and gesturing towards the table. “Then eat up, because your marksmanship final is today, and you’ll need your strength.”

“Today?” I gasp, my eyes going wide. “Wh-what!?”

“Yup,” dad says, his mouth twisting up at the corner. “Part of the joy of Examination is the second surprise – that immediately after it, your finals begin. Hope you studied, trouble.”

I look over at Rafe to see that his face is likewise pale.

“Holy crap,” he says, his eyes meeting mine. “We – we have to go.”

I throw myself back into my seat and begin eating as fast as I can. Rafe matches my pace as I slurp down my coffee and stuff toast into my mouth along with strawberries, melon – whatever will fit.

My parents just grin at each other over their plates, eating at a leisurely pace.

I haul my butt up the final two flights of stairs to our level, my head hanging back on my neck, my eyes almost shut in my exhaustion. The past thirty-six hours…

I mean, honestly, the past ninety-six hours if we’re counting the examination –

Or, wait, is it seventy-six? Or one-twenty? I groan again, hating my brain for trying to do more math as I slog towards our bedroom door. God, I feel like my brain has gone through a meat grinder.

The past day and a half has been insane with finals. Rafe and I barely showed up, via helicopter, in time for our afternoon tests. I burst into the marksmanship final panting, but on time, and the Captain shook his head at me but let me participate. I passed, of course – it’s my stronger of the my two examined subjects, and the Captain patted me on the back with a proud smile after it was done.

I almost passed out, though, when I was told that my Chemistry examination was twenty-four hours later. That night I was a mess, trying to cram the entire textbook into my head. Jackson came by the room, of course, worried – but Rafe and I managed to convince him to go away, to let me study. I think it was only the sheer anxiety in my eyes that made him agree to it. And thank god Jesse wasn’t there when Jackson came – because I could not – absolutely could not – manage any more revelations with this exam looming.