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Before I could protest, she was leading us toward a small table on the outdoor patio. Tivek caught my eye as we all settled into our seats, his expression unreadable in the glow of the café's lanterns. The tension between us was so thick I could almost taste it, mingling with the coffee and caramel scents wafting from the open door.

A server approached, tablet in hand, but before they could speak, there was a blur of purple and the rapid clomp of heels.

"Well, well, well!" Serge planted both hands on his hips, one foot tapping a rapid rhythm on the cobblestones as he fixed me with a stern gaze. "You've been keeping a secret from me!"

My heart lurched into my throat. Heat flooded my cheeks as my brain frantically tried to process how he could possibly know what had happened between Tivek and me on the mission, and what had happened after.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

Chapter

Fifty

Tivek

"The Kronock weren’t as powerful as we’d heard,” I explained to Kalex as we walked behind Morgan and Zoey along the promenade. The rounded cobblestones beneath my boots felt strange after so many years of treading the smooth stone floors of the academy. "Their technology was damaged and lagging.”

Kalex nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That's reassuring but concerning in its own way. If they're weaker than expected, why risk confrontation with us at all?"

"Desperation, perhaps." I kept my voice low, though the gentle hum of environmental systems, the murmur of conversations from passing couples, and the occasional burst of laughter from nearby cafés provided sufficient cover for our conversation. "Or maybe they're testing our defenses, probing for weaknesses."

“Even more worrying.” Kalex clapped his hands behind his back as we walked. “You said they attacked you as you jumped away?”

"The jump calculations were corrupted after we took fire. We were lucky to end up anywhere habitable at all."

“But you had no idea that you were in our sector?”

“None,” I shook my head, wondering if that would have changed my actions. “Our navigational sensors were down.”

Morgan's voice drifted back to me. "Did you ever worry about what would happen if Kalex had to leave the station? I mean, would you have gone with him?"

I felt a jolt at her question. I had not broached the subject of leaving the academy or her coming with me. I would never presume to ask that of anyone.

Zoey's answer floated back. "We'd figure it out. That's what you do when you love someone. You make it work, whatever 'it' turns out to be."

Hope flickered in my chest, unwelcome and persistent. The possibility of being with Morgan both thrilled and terrified me, but I also knew I couldn't allow her to give up her promising career as an Assassin for me. The academy needed her talents, and she deserved to fulfill her potential there.

But could I pass up the chance to be with her? And making it work could mean a lot of different things.

My mind raced with possibilities. I could visit the academy regularly under the guise of official business. She could come to Earth when her training permitted. Perhaps we could arrange to meet at neutral outposts or stations. The logistics would be challenging, but not impossible. Not if we were both willing.

"You're a thousand light-years away, my friend," Kalex observed, breaking into my thoughts.

I blinked, forcing myself back to the present moment. "My apologies. It's been a trying few days."

Kalex clapped a hand on my shoulder, the weight of it grounding. "No need to apologize. After what you've been through, a little distraction is to be expected."

The scent of sugar and spice filled the air as Zoey suddenly stopped in front of a small café tucked between two larger establishments. Multicolored lanterns hung from its awning, casting warm pools of light onto the outdoor seating area.

"We have to stop here," she insisted, turning to face us. "Their desserts are incredible. They have this Gatazoid pastry chef who does things with sugar that shouldn't be physically possible."

I caught Morgan's eye as we settled around a small table on the patio. The ambient lighting softened her features, giving her skin a golden glow. She looked away quickly, but not before I noticed the hint of color in her cheeks. My own pulse quickened in response, a reaction I was still struggling to control whenever she was near.

A server approached with a tablet, but before they could speak, Serge rushed up.

"Well, well, well!" Serge planted both hands on his hips, one foot tapping a rapid rhythm on the cobblestones as he fixed Morgan with a fierce gaze. "You've been keeping a secret from me!"

My muscles tensed automatically. What did the Gatazoid know? Had he somehow discovered what had happened between Morgan and me?