Chapter 448

"Yes, just what everyone wants when they're searching for the perfect home," dad murmurs, sending her a smirking glance. Mom nods eagerly, like that's obviously true.

Jackson and I keep quiet, standing close together. Feeling my anxiety, he sends a warm pulse of reassurance down our bond and brushes his hand against mine. I smile up at him and send my thanks, but then I sigh and turn towards the doors as they open.

It's a short, quiet walk down the hall to the room where my professors wait, and when the five of us enter the Captain raises his eyebrows in surprise. Neumann just smirks like he was expecting it and then glances at his watch like he's eager to get this over with. Alvez, to my surprise, is the warmest.

"Ella!" he says, striding eagerly over and reaching for her hand.

"John!" she says, fond, taking his hand and leaning forward to exchange brief kisses on the cheek. My eyebrows fly up and I look, a little stunned, between Rafe and Jackson, who return my expression. I mean, we knew that mom hired Alvez, but we did not know that they were friends.

My dad clears his throat and Alvez murmurs his apologies, bowing quickly to my dad and taking his spot back on the other side of the table.

"If we could?" Neumann says, his bored voice ringing out in the room. "I have prep work to do, especially as the semester is starting so much earlier than expected."

My dad smirks and nods to Neumann. I frown at this as well. How well do these two know each other?

Why are all the adults friends and no one told me?

"Of course," dad says, gesturing for us three Cadets to line up next to him, which we do. Mom stands at dad's side, her habitual place, and he puts a casual arm around her, his hand resting on her hip. Neumann, Alvez, and the captain stand across the table from us, looking towards my dad with interest, the Captain's eyes a little wary.

"Thank you for meeting with us today," dad says, his voice even and business-like. “I'm afraid that my child has been engaging in quite a bit of deception this past semester, and I'd like your opinion on how we should handle it.”

The Captain frowns as his eyes move immediately to Rafe, but Neumann and Alvez look at me, Alvez with a smirk, Neumann with a slight nod. "Ariel?" dad says, turning to me. "If you would?"

I sigh and then reach up, taking off my cap and letting my hair fall down around my shoulders. "I'm sorry," I say, looking between each of my professors. "I wouldn't have lied if I could have told you the truth and stayed in the school. But I think we're all aware that that wouldn't have happened if I had."

Neumann just looks back at my dad like he's waiting for him to make this worth his time, and Alvez looks at me with a deeper grin, his eyes moving slowly over the length of my hair like he quite likes it. A shiver passes through me and I glance at my mom, who doesn't seem to notice.

"Oh, goddess help us," the Captain murmurs, half dismayed and half frustrated. "The shrimp is a girl."

My pulse quickens as I turn to stare at my professor – as we all do. He covers his face with his hand and heaves a deep sigh, turning half away from us like he's embarrassed to have missed it.

"When I initially learned of my daughter's subterfuge I was vehement that she would not be returning to school this semester," my dad says, continuing on even as the Captain collects himself. "But my family," dad turns to frown at us like we're a great deal of trouble - which I suppose we are. "Convinced me to leave it in your hands."

The Captain drops his hand from his face with a sigh and looks at me evenly, a frown on his face.noveldrama

"Ariel has passed all of her final exams with honors," dad says, looking at me, unable to keep a bit of pride from his voice. "And, despite her injuries, she did legally pass the examination by leaning on the strength of the bonds she has with her fellow cadets. By the rules of the academy, she has every right to continue as a student. But if you, her professors, will not have her here then I will take her home with me now and we will find another way use Ariel's talents to aid the nation in this time of war."

I stop breathing, my spine going straight as I look out at my professors - these three men who hold my fate in their hands.