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I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. My mind raced, replaying every word, every glance from Morgan. The way she'd pulled away. The careful distance in her voice when she'd said goodbye. Had I misread everything? Had she pushed me away not because she didn't care, but because she thought I didn't?

A torrent of emotions crashed over me, but behind the confusion, frustration, and anger was a possessiveness that shocked me with its intensity. The thought of Morgan with anyone else—and somehowespeciallythe Taori—sent a bolt of pure rage through me.

I slammed my palm against the console, and Reina jumped. But I was already moving toward the exit ramp.

"Where are you going?" Reina called, scrambling to keep up with my long strides as I stomped down the rattling steel.

"To take back what I thought I'd lost," I growled, not slowing my pace.

I could hear Reina's quick footsteps behind me, but I didn't look back. My focus had narrowed to a single point, a single purpose.

Morgan.

Chapter

Fifty-Nine

Morgan

Iwrapped the plush white towel tightly around my body, securing it just above my chest. After the emotional whirlwind of the past few hours, I desperately needed a shower to clear my head. The bathroom was almost obscenely opulent, especially compared to my utilitarian one at the academy, and I knew I’d miss it when I was gone.

Steam had already begun to curl from the shower enclosure when I heard a noise behind me. The soft thud was followed by purposeful footsteps, and I whirled around, clutching my towel. I yelped as a familiar figure stomped inside from the balcony doors.

"Tivek!" I sputtered, shock quickly giving way to outrage. "What are you—? Why are you—?“ I gestured wildly with my free hand while the other maintained a death grip on my towel. "You can't just sneak into my room!"

He barely seemed to register my state of undress or my indignation. His normally composed features were tight withsome emotion I couldn't immediately identify as he stalked around the room, peering under the bed and opening the wardrobe doors.

"Where is he?" he demanded, voice low and tense.

"Where is who?" I asked, exasperated and utterly confused. "I thought you were leaving for Earth!"

"The Taori," he snapped, checking behind the flowing drapery by the balcony.

I blinked, wondering if I'd somehow missed part of this conversation. "What Taori?" The absurdity of standing in nothing but a towel while a clearly agitated Drexian searched my suite for a nonexistent Taori wasn't lost on me. "Do you have a fever, or are you just insane?"

Tivek stopped his frantic search, turning to face me fully. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Are you trying to tell me you weren't looking for a wedding gown this morning because you're trying to forget me by marrying the Taori Zav?"

I stared at him, mouth actually hanging open. "I—you think—" I shook my head, unable to process the sheer ridiculousness of his accusation. "You are delusional," I finally managed. "Completely and utterly delusional."

His certainty wavered visibly.

"Serge asked for my opinion on gowns this morning," I explained, readjusting my towel. “I know nothing about any Taori, and I'm certainly not marrying one!" My voice cracked on the last words, emotion suddenly threatening to overtake me. "And even if I were looking to 'forget you,'" I continued, thewords tumbling out before I could stop them, "it wouldn't work. Because if I couldn't have you, I don't want anyone."

The admission hung in the air between us, and I couldn’t believe I’d just admitted what I’d gone to great lengths to hide.

Tivek's breathing slowed, his shoulders dropping as confusion and then embarrassment washed over his features. "You don't want the Taori?"

"There is no Taori!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in frustration before quickly grabbing my slipping towel. "Who told you all this nonsense?"

Tivek's expression morphed into one of mortification. "Reina," he admitted. "She came to my ship and said—" He broke off, realization dawning. "She lied."

It hit me then what Reina had done with her hasty exit earlier, and why she'd left me with Serge after I’d told her what had happened with Tivek. The pieces clicked into place, and despite everything, I felt laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me.

"You think this is funny?" Tivek asked, his frown returning.

I couldn't help the laughter that spilled from me. "It's kind of funny," I managed between giggles, "that it took a scheming Vexling to make me realize that you actually care about me."