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"Of course," I agreed hastily. "Thank you for the clothes, Serge. They look lovely, and I’m sure they’ll be perfect for dinner with the captian."

He preened slightly at the compliment. "Well, I do have an eye for these things. I'll leave you to it.” Then he paused. “Did I mention the captain invited you to dine with him?”

Crap. I gulped and then beamed at him. “You did. Of course you did. How else would I know?”

He cocked his head. “How indeed?” Then he gave himself a shake and swept out of the suite, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts and the lingering scent of Tivek on my skin.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, relief washing over me. My secret was safe—for now.

Chapter

Forty-Four

Tivek

Istood motionless in the empty suite, still breathless from Morgan's hasty departure. Moving to the bed, I examined the clothes Serge had left behind. My usual attire at the academy was deliberately unassuming and designed to help me blend into the background. The clothes he’d chosen were meant to do the opposite.

“At least it isn’t pink,” I muttered to myself as I examined the royal blue pants and ivory tunic. It would never work at the academy, but it felt right for the tropical setting. Then again, there was a lot that wouldn’t work at the academy that did here.

There, we couldn't simply hop over balcony railings or steal away to private suites. There, eyes were always watching. There, I had a role to play. I was the unassuming adjunct who faded into the background and noticed everything while being noticed by no one.

But I didn't want to hide Morgan. I didn't want to relegate what we had to secret rendezvous and coded messages. She deserved better than to be another secret in my life of secrets.

But the Shadows had strict protocols about personal entanglements for a reason, and I'd just broken that rule spectacularly.

I finished dressing and stepped onto the balcony, the artificial breeze carrying the soft sound of Serge's voice from Morgan's suite. The chattering Gatazoid would likely keep her occupied for some time, which meant I had a rare moment of solitude.

Settling into one of the teak loungers that overlooked the water, I allowed myself to simply exist in the moment. It was a luxury I rarely permitted myself at the academy. There, I was always on duty in some capacity.

The simulated waves lapped gently against the stilts beneath the bungalow, creating a soothing rhythm that seemed designed to lull the mind into tranquility. I found myself wondering what it would be like to not be a spy. To shed the layers of deception that had become so integral to my identity that I sometimes struggled to remember who I was beneath them all.

Who would I be if not a Shadow? It was almost unthinkable. I'd been recruited so young, shaped so thoroughly by my training, that separating myself from my role felt impossible. Being a Shadow was who I was.

And Morgan was young, brilliant, and at the beginning of a promising career. Could I ask her to compromise any of that for me? To adapt her life to accommodate the constraints of mine?

I stood abruptly, my momentary peace shattered by traitorous thoughts. This was exactly why Shadows were discouraged fromforming attachments. They complicated everything, created impossible choices, and divided loyalties.

The beep of the door panel pulled me from my thoughts, and then gave me hope. Morgan was returning, but through the front door this time.

I crossed the suite quickly, smiling as I opened the door.

But it wasn't Morgan who stood in the corridor.

It was High Commander Kax.

My handler.

The tall, fair-haired Drexian regarded me with familiar green eyes, his expression as unreadable as it had been during countless debriefings over the years.

"Lieutenant," he said, his voice even and smooth. "May I come in?"

I stepped aside wordlessly, every muscle in my body tensing as he entered. The door slid shut behind him with a soft hiss that felt oddly final, as if stealing away the brief happiness I'd found with Morgan.

I braced myself for what was to come, already feeling the weight of my dual existence settling back onto my shoulders. Whatever dreams I'd allowed myself to entertain in Morgan's arms would have to wait.

Chapter

Forty-Five