Page 64

Serge pressed a hand to his chest, looking genuinely distressed. "One inclinator? Stone towers? Darling, that sounds positively medieval."

"It's not that bad.” I couldn't help smiling at his reaction. “It grows on you after a while."

"Hmm." Serge tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should pay Reina a visit. Convince her that her talents are being wasted in such rustic surroundings."

"She seems happy there, though I'm sure she'd be delighted to see you."

Serge made a face but then abruptly changed tack. "So, have you given any thought to where you'll hold the wedding?"

I choked on air. "The what?"

"The wedding, dear." He waved a hand dismissively, as if I were being deliberately obtuse. "You and the handsome Drexian lieutenant. It's written all over your faces."

My mouth opened and closed several times before I managed to form words. "I'm... we're not... there are no wedding plans."

Serge clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Well, when you do make plans, you should consider hosting it here on the station. We have the most spectacular holographic wedding pavilions. You can pick from perfectly timed sunset backdrops, live butterfly canopies, waterfalls that can be programmed to flow in rhythmic synchronization with whatever music you choose. The possibilities are endless.”

As he rattled on about wedding venues, my mind went in an entirely different direction. Tivek and I had barelyacknowledged our feelings for each other, and that had been under the extreme duress of thinking we were about to die.

Now, in the peaceful luxury of this holographic paradise, reality was creeping back in. Tivek was a member of a secretive, elite force I hadn't even known existed until days ago. His life was defined by duty, secrecy, and service to Drex. And I was still proving myself as one of the first humans at the academy.

Serge hadn’t stopped talking and was completely oblivious to my internal debate. “Personally, I think the underwater chapel is a bit much. The bubble technology is impressive, but the seaweed gets everywhere."

“If Tivek and I were together, I’d consider a wedding here,” I finally said, “but we’re nothing but colleagues.”

Serge’s purple brows rose as he made a sound in the back of his throat that told me he didn’t believe me. Then he swung his legs to the floor and stood. “As you wish, sweetie. But if the Drexian doesn’t love you and you him, then I’m a monkey’s uncle.”

Then he flounced out, leaving me wondering where he’d learned his curious expressions and if it was really so obvious how I felt about Tivek.

I walked back to the balcony, bracing my hands on the railing as I gazed out at the perfect holographic horizon. The distant island shimmered in the late afternoon light, its lush foliage turning golden as the artificial sun began its descent.

The more I thought about my feelings for Tivek, the more I realized there were no easy answers. He was a Drexian spy, and I was a cadet. He had missions he couldn’t reveal, and I had a career that was still in the process of launching. I’d alwaysplanned to return to Earth after leaving the academy, but his work was clearly in space. How would that ever work?

I closed my eyes and breathed in the salty air for a few moments and tried to forget everything. Reality would come crashing back in soon enough.

Chapter

Forty-Two

Tivek

Ipeeled off my torn, dirt-encrusted uniform, striding into the attached bathing chamber. I let each grimy piece fall to the floor, feeling as though I was shedding more than just clothing.

The cream-colored stone tiles were cool beneath my feet as I stepped into an enormous shower area that opened partially to the water on one side, separated only by a half wall. What a far cry from my small and spartan bathing chamber at the academy.

I caught a glimpse of myself in the full-length mirror and winced. Bruises mottled my torso, and I boasted a nasty gash along my ribs. Stubble darkened my jaw and dirt smudged my forehead, making me look like I’d indeed escaped death several times.

The overhead shower came to life with a flick of a shiny knob, a torrent of hot water rushing instantly from overhead and pounding against my skin. I closed my eyes, letting the steam envelop me as the water sluiced away layers of grime and sweat.The heat penetrated my aching muscles, unknotting the tension that had amassed during the mission and as I’d worried about the future.

As the water worked its magic on my body, my mind continued to circle around the impending debriefing. Standard protocol dictated that I report every decision made, every action taken, and every complication encountered. But nothing about this mission had been standard.

Would I tell them that I’d revealed myself to Morgan and why? Would I reveal just how close we’d become?

I pressed my palms against the smooth stone wall and let my head hang between my shoulders, surrendering to the cascade of water down my back. Only now could I let myself dwell on the fear I’d felt being with Morgan.

The terror of seeing her in danger had been unlike anything I'd experienced before. Shadows were trained to be self-sufficient, to consider our own survival secondary to the mission, to accept that we might die unknown and unrecognized for our service. But I had never been trained to watch someone I cared about be at risk.

The relief I felt now was overwhelming. I didn't care if I never received recognition for my work. I didn't care if my brother never knew what I truly did for the Drexian empire. I didn't even care if I spent the rest of my career in the shadows, unacknowledged and invisible.