Chapter 551

He laughs, tightening his arms, pulling me a bit closer.

"But Jacks," I say on a sigh, looking up at him. "If you can pass me energy in the morning after our runs and that keeps me going all day...shouldn't I take advantage of it? I mean, not forever, but right now our time is limited and I want to learn everything fast. If I can learn something that is useful - that will help us in this war..." I pause, giving a shrug, letting him finish the sentence on his own.

Jacks huffs a small sigh and I can feel his internal wish I would rest for my own sake - but it's all very fleeting as he pulls me closer, giving me another one of those long and slow kisses that makes me wonder why the hell I want to study at all when I could just do this all day.

When he breaks it, though, Jacks is smiling. I loop my arms around his neck, smiling back. "My clever, determined girl," he murmurs, raising a hand to stroke my cheek. "I'm very proud of you and all your hard work, even if all your plans are predicated on stealing my energy in the morning."

I burst out laughing. "You have more than enough!"

"It doesn't come from nowhere," he says, grinning at me. "I worked hard to build up those stores of energy that keep me going for weeks."

I frown a bit because - well, isn't it magic? "You worked hard? Where does it come from? It doesn't...hurt you, does it, when you give it to me?" "No, it doesn't hurt. It comes from food," he says, nodding to me. "I'll have to eat more if I'm giving you energy too."

"How much more?" I ask, my eyes a bit wide, worried.

He laughs a little. "Like, one more croissant in the morning, Ariel - you're very small -"

"Jackson!" I gasp, giving him a little smack and then a growl. "You had me feeling all selfish -"

"It is a burden, Ariel - you know Jesse takes all the croissants first thing when we sit down, I'm going to have to fight him for it. My friendships are at risk -"

"Oh, you poor thing," I say, deeply sarcastic as my guilt drops from me in the same moment that I drop my arms from my mate's neck, rolling my eyes and beginning to turn in his lap. "Poor Jackson needs a double helping of delicious potatoes and eggs at breakfast! Oh, what a martyr!"

He laughs and then snarls playfully, pulling my back tight against his chest as I grab for the book and open it again in my lap.

net

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself, big puppy," I say If the worst sacrifice you're going to have to make for my continued education is double cinnamon rolls? You can deal with it. Now sigh happily, looking down at the book as I feel his laughter résonating in his chest. "Where do we start?"

"Here," Jackson murmurs, pressing a kiss to my neck and pointing to the page, where a river - marked in blue - runs.

I pay rapt attention as my brilliant, super-hot command-specialized mate begins to teach me everything he knows about battle strategy.

Our lesson goes for a long time,

mostly because both of us get really

engrossed in the content. As soon

et

as I start to figure out the logic behind the battle history maps I get really excited, starting to see how they use visual symbols to encode not only what happened, but also the complicated choices that the commanders made along the

course of the battle.

"So, what happens next?" Jackson murmurs, taking on the role of teacher and quizzing me as he points to the arrow labeled "9," very close to the end of the battle.noveldrama

I exhale, leaning forward, studying the symbols around the number as well as the terrain, trying to determine...

But I sit up stark straight in the same moment that Jackson does, both of us going rigid as we hear a panicked yell echoing all around us.

"What the hell is that?" I breathe, panicked in turn, my head turning everywhere looking for the source of it - but -

I mean, nothing in the dreamscape has changed -

Jackson's arms tighten around my waist as drop the book. "I don't think it's here, Ariel," Jackson says, his voice tight. "Quick, wake up, I think it's -"

But he's interrupted when the shout comes again - louder now, unending - terror and panic and a cry for help -

And I shout too, because I recognize it this time - the sound of my cousin shouting -

I grit my teeth and press my eyes shut, willing myself awake.