Chapter 457

Jackson hugs me tight against his chest and falls back against the wall outside the interview room, sighing deeply as he does. I tuck my head against his shoulder, letting him hold me, going almost completely limp against him. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "That was intense. And they shouldn't have sprung it on us like that."

“It's okay,” he murmurs against my hair, giving a little shrug. "They just...care. I don't mind and I've got nothing to hide."

I pull my head up a little bit, studying him, running a hand through his dark hair. "I love you too, you know."

Jackson bursts into a deep grin. "What?"

“When dad said you were in love with me? And you didn't deny it?" I look at him steadily. "I want you to know it. I'm in love with you, Jackson. And I'll fight for you and die for you too if I need to. Our allegiances are the same."

Jackson exhales, long and slow, before he closes his eyes and presses his forehead gently to mine. "I love you too, Ariel Sinclair. I always will."

I murmur his name like a prayer, raising a hand to his cheek and letting my thumb drift over his cheekbone. Jackson raises his chin and kisses me, swift and desperate, and I can feel down the bond how incredibly much it means to him to hear me say that - and then to say it back. We stay like that for a long time - connecting with each other, passing love and faith and devotion up and down the bond.

But Jackson breaks away what feels like too soon, glancing down the hall, clearly more aware than I am that we are indeed back in the Academy - that we've got to be more discreet than this. After all, I just promised the Captain that no one would know I'm a girl, and even if most of the other Cadets aren't here yet, if anyone sees us like this?noveldrama

Yeah. It's going to raise questions.

"Also," Jackson says, returning his eyes to mine when he's assured that we're alone. "No more of this talk of dying for each other, all right? Neither of us is dying for a long, long time. So. Let's just go hang out with your brother and your cousin and put that out of our minds."

"Okay,” I say, wrinkling my nose at him and pressing a kiss to his mouth. Jackson holds me tight for a second before lowering me to the ground. And then, even if it is a little less discreet than we've ever been at school, we walk back to my room hand-in-hand.

Back in the chamber, Hank, Ella, and Sinclair watch as Ariel and Jackson leave, the door closing softly behind them. All three are quiet for a long moment.

"So," Sinclair says, his voice low. "What do you really think, Hank?"

Ella squeaks in protest, her head spinning to stare at her mate. "You can't possibly disbelieve a word that boy said, Dominic!"

Sinclair laughs, turning to his wife. "I didn't say what I thought, Ella," he says, grinning at her. "I'm just asking Hank for his professional opinion." "It's not a professional opinion," Hank murmurs, still studying the door, "I'm a doctor not a...I don't know. Whatever kind of person is in charge of interrogating people who were raised in violent cults."

“So?" Sinclair asks, Ella moving to his side and wrapping her arms around his waist, leaning against him, her eyes on Hank the whole time.

Hank sighs and turns towards the two of them as Sinclair wraps his arms around Ella in kind. "I think that boy's been fucking through hell. I think he's lucky to have found his mate, to have a kind of...north star as his entire knowledge of the world falls apart and he struggles to rebuild it." Sinclair nods, accepting this. "And?"

"And I'm inclined to believe and trust him," Hank says, giving a little shrug even as he crosses his arms. "I don't think he's faking it. I don't think that anyone could pretend to be that passionately in love. He is...very dedicated to your daughter."

Ella and Sinclair grin, looking at each other, a silent communication passing between them before they look back at Hank. "We think so too," Ella says, clearly pleased.

"I'll never get used to this," Hank murmurs, gesturing between them. "The whole...mindspeak thing."

Ella grins and Sinclair just laughs.

But Hank twists his mouth to the side, looking off into the distance, his eyes unfocusing as he does.