Chapter 81

“Cadet Clark, keeping his damn secrets,” Jackson sighs, slipping his hands into his pockets and heading again for the stairs.

“Just for now!” I call after him, smiling.

“Damn well better be for now,” Jackson says, turning to look me sternly up and down for a moment, which just deepens my smile. “Or I’ll…I don’t know, beat you up or something.”

I grin, laughing at the threat. “Oh, come on, Jacks, at least challenge yourself. We all know you could do that with your eyes closed. The secrets are worth the wait, I promise it.”

But he just growls, low in his throat, glaring at me in a way that…

God, but my stomach flips over. Does somersaults, if I’m being honest or more accurately hurls itself of a cliff in freefall. And then my mate smirks at me, laughing as he shakes his head and makes his way down the stairs, ducking his too–tall head so he doesn’t hit it on the ceiling as he goes. The moment Jackson disappears, I slump back against my door, my knees…a little bit weaker than I’d ever want to admit.

Time passes quickly after this, faster than I’d like to see it go because there’s just an incredible amount to do and, it seems, not enough hours to do it.

Predictably, the insane workouts that Rafe and Jesse put me through take up the majority of my time and energy. They really do press me to the edges of my abilities, and while the work is grueling I understand that there’s a great deal of love behind it. My brother and my cousin, I know, are rooting for me and are only making me fall into bed every night in at state of complete exhaustion because they want to set me up well for the Examination.

The rest of my time is spent working quite hard on Chemistry and Marksmanship, which quickly outstrip Magic class as my favorites. I don’t make the mistake of going to Alvez alone anymore, always finding a way to casually ask Rafe or Jesse to come with me, which they always oblige. Alvez, I know, sees right through me –

and looks at me in a way that promises retribution which I know he will enjoy. But…well, I’ll deal with that when I have to.

None of us make any more particular progress in that class, either because we haven’t yet figured out how to work with our powers or like Jackson because we refuse to reveal

– them. Jesse and Rafe, I know, are disappointed that they haven’t manifested anything yet, especially when they see Tony’s demonstration of being able to breathe under water. We all stood around watching him lay in a bathtub for about half an hour, which really was very impressive.

I haven’t figured out how to melt anything besides a little glass marble yet but…well. Considering that Magic is a class that doesn’t have any threats of expulsion attached to it, it does fall a bit to the wayside, which I think pisses Alvez off.

Instead, the majority of my spare energy and attention goes to Chemistry over the next couple of weeks the only class that really challenges me. Marksmanship is kind of a delight – I quickly outstrip my classmates as the Captain’s favorite, ensuring that his bet on me at the beginning of term was made in good faith. We’ve mastered the bow and the crossbow and are now moving on to revolvers, because the Captain wants to make sure we can handle every weapon we come across, not just the fancy one with powerful scopes.

But while I am clearly the Captain’s pet, Dr. Neumann…god, I don’t think he likes any of us. Or, at least the punishing way he administers his grades on our quizzes, exams, and projects suggests that we’re all horrible little toads who are deeply undeserving of his time. and attention.

I groan as my test comes back about a week before the end of the term, missing about twenty points worth of credit. I put my head in my hands as I stare at my grade- because I worked so hard for this, spent hours studying. What the hell had gone wrong…

I begin to flick through the pages, looking over Alvez’s notes as I glance at the other students in the class, wondering if their results were as devastatingly bad as mine. Considering the horror on everyone’s faces, though, I think they might have been. None of us have really become friends, honestly, except for maybe Hai, who I think is funny and clever.

Instead, Neumann pits us against each other in class, I think on purpose. He wants his espionage students, I think, to be quite independent, not to lean on each other for support. In the field, after all, we’ll likely be working solo.

It makes sense, even if it does make for lonely days with no one to talk to about the rigors of Chemistry track.

“This,” Neumann says, tapping on the test still sitting on my desk at the end of class, after almost everyone has already left the classroom, “has to get better, Clark.”

I look up at him, surprised by the stern note of his voice. “I’m working, Sir,” I say, my eyes wide and genuine. “Honestly, I am studying.”

“You also spend a great deal of time with your family and your friends,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at me.

My jaw drops open a little in surprise. How how did he know that?

He just raises an eyebrow, giving nothing away. “This is serious work, Clark, not a game. You have a promising mind – don’t squander your opportunities. Save fun for your winter

break. Now? Work.”

I press my lips together and nod, guilt running through me because he’s right. It’s not that friends and family aren’t important – of –

urse they are but I’ve got a limited time to prove my worth here at this Academy, to demonstrate that I belong here, even though I’m a girl and even though I’m a spoiled royal.

Neumann sees my renewed determination and nods once before turning away.

Exhaling, I grab my bag and my test, heading out the door and up to my room.

My brother and my cousin let me walk through the halls alone now, which is a tiny relief. Wright has stopped bothering me, either because he’s scared of my bodyguards or has his own things to worry about, I don’t know which. Either way, I’ve been deemed “safe enough,” and I think everyone in our year has figured out that I’m off limits for bullying if they don’t want to face any Sinclair wrath.

Which, considering the amount of muscle that Rafe and Jesse have put on this semester is… not a small threat.

As I burst scowling into the room, though, I find that pretty much everyone is here. Rafe raises his eyebrows in surprise. “You okay?” he asks.

Ben sends me a wave, concentrating on his essay, and Luca sits up on the couch, looking curiously at me. noveldrama

“Twenty points off on my Chem test,” I snap, tossing the shameful paper on the coffee table after I press the door shut behind me. “I can’t believe it – I’m so mad at myself.”

Jesse clicks his tongue consolingly, glancing up at me before reaching for the test. “That sucks, Ari I know you killed yourself studying for this. Honestly, did he make it too hard?”

“No such thing as too hard,” I scowl, flopping down on the couch and crossing my arms, still upset.

Luca turns towards me and stretches out a leg, letting the casual touch of our bodies. his warmth and his condolence and his sorriness to see me upset.

carry

I meet his eyes, grateful, and give him a small smile with a pulse of thanks down the bond. He sends a sweeping sense of faith and affection in response, letting me know that he

in me. It warms me, body and soul, and I can’t keep from smiling at him.

believe, it

“Do you want me to have a word with this Neumann guy?” Rafe asks, taking the test from Jesse and studying it closely.

And I groan, knowing that if I asked him? Rafe probably would.