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Instead, Tivek stood there, his expression caught between surprise and apology.

"Oh," I said, my voice unnaturally high. "It's just Tivek. He, uh, came by to return something he borrowed."

"What did he borrow?" Ariana asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Thanks for the vid chat,” I said with false brightness. "I should go. Talk soon!"

"Morgan, what—" Fiona began, but I had already disconnected, my finger jabbing the end transmission button harder than necessary.

Then I turned to Tivek, staring at him through the darkness.

"I apologize for frightening you," Tivek said finally, his deep voice sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. “But I couldn’t wait any longer to talk to you.”

The moonlight illuminated half his face, leaving the other in darkness. If that wasn’t a perfect visual metaphor for the Drexian, I didn’t know what was. Half known, half mystery. And all of him currently making my heart race in a way that had nothing to do with fear.

Chapter

Fifty-Two

Tivek

The connecting balconies made it almost too easy to move between suites undetected. I slipped over the glossy railing that separated Morgan's balcony from mine, my boots landing silently on the wooden planks.

A soft breeze brushed against my face, perfumed with the scent of salt. The environmental controls in the fantasy suites were truly remarkable, with every detail perfect, from the temperature to the humidity to the moonlight casting silver patterns across the water.

Voices drifted through the partially open balcony door. I recognized Morgan's familiar cadence interspersed with several others. Had she invited people to her suite? I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt. Perhaps this was a sign I should return to my own quarters and wait until morning for this conversation.

But then I caught a fragment of what she was saying. She was discussing our ordeal. My curiosity drew me closer, silent steps bringing me to the edge of the doorway. I could see her now,lounging on the bed with a tablet propped up before her. I realized that she was talking to her academy friends, the tight-knit group of human females who’d all entered together.

I knew I should announce my presence, but something held me back. The way her face lit up as she spoke to them kept me frozen in place. I loved seeing her happy, just as I’d loved being the one to make her happy.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn’t realize that Morgan had gotten up from the bed and was walking toward the balcony. I stepped back as she approached the glass doors, but not quickly enough. She stepped out, still chatting with her friends. "And here's the balcony. The moon isn't real, but it's?—"

"There's someone behind you!" The chorus of screams that erupted from the tablet was so shrill and sudden that even I jumped.

Morgan whirled around, her eyes wide with alarm. I raised my hands slightly, a gesture of peace.

"Oh," she said, voice unnaturally high. "It's just Tivek. He, uh, came by to return something he borrowed."

"What did he borrow?" someone asked suspiciously.

“Thanks for the vid chat,” Morgan said with false brightness. "I should go. Talk soon!"

"Morgan, what aren't you telling us—" The voice was cut off as Morgan jabbed at the disconnect button.

"I apologize for frightening you," I said finally, noticing her shiver. “But I couldn’t wait any longer to talk to you.”

But before I could continue, before I could apologize for not telling her about the promotion sooner, she held up a hand to stop me.

"You have nothing to apologize for," she said firmly. She closed the distance between us and gave me a quick, impersonal hug that felt more like a dismissal than an embrace. "I'm happy for you. You've worked hard and you deserve the promotion. You should take it."

I stared at her, momentarily unable to respond. This wasn't what I'd expected. I'd been certain she was upset because she didn't want me to leave. That was precisely why I'd decided to see her. As soon as I’d seen her talking to her friends, I’d known I was going to tell her I was rejecting the promotion to stay at the academy.

But now, her eagerness for me to take it left me unbalanced and unsure. She wanted me to go?

"You think I should take it?" I asked carefully, studying her face for any sign of what she was truly feeling. "Even though it means going to Earth?"

She nodded, her smile wide. "Absolutely. It'll be a great experience for you, and you could make a real difference there." She took a step back, putting more distance between us. "I'm happy for you, Tivek. Really."