Page 105

"We may have done a mission together, but make no mistake. We arenotfriends," he snarled. "I am your keeper — and you'd do best to keep your guard up around me." His gaze swept over me with something like disgust. "I report to Frexin, remember?"

My jaw dropped as he stepped away and strode off.

What the fuck?A second earlier he'd been defending me, now he was pushing me away like I was a pest?!

We wanted the same thing, for gods sakes! And I was just trying to be nice. He didn't have to be such an asshole about it!

Besides, I didn't even WANT to be friends with him. I didn'tdofriendships. It was too dangerous.

Just look at the mess with Jaiel and Liam.

No. I was just trying to do what Frexin wanted while savingallour asses.

He turned a corner ahead of me without even looking back, as though heknewI would just follow.

Which I would — because despite his general assholebehavior, my room was probably my best option at the moment.

Still, though. Did he have to be such a bastard about everything?

We walked back to the barracks in silence as I considered my options.

Of which I had none …

I just had to trust that I'd get a chance to tell Frexin the intel in the morningbeforeshe did something terrible.

It would all be okay. Everything would be fine. We had the answers she was looking for.

My stomach rumbled, and my eyelids felt as though they'd been weighted with bricks as we passed through the common room of the barracks, and into the hallway leading to our rooms.

Just a little longer …

"What the —" a man in training gear yelled, and my attention flew to Tye in time to see him yanking a plate of steaming food from the trainee's hands.

The man's hands wrapped into fists, and he glared at Tye. "That's my dinner, ass —"

Tye tilted his head and narrowed his yellow eyes at the smaller man.

The man immediately stopped talking, gaze falling to the badge on Tye's uniform, face paling.

"I — I'm sorry, Sir," he stammered, stumbling overhis feet as he tried to get away. "Of course you can have it. Enjoy the f-f-food."

The gangly man dashed away without another peep, and Tye returned to walking down the corridor as if nothing had happened.

Seriously? He was stealing food from trainees now?

My stomach gave a loud growl as the smell trailed back to me, but I pushed away the hunger. I'd eaten some jerky on the walk, and after talking with Korym, I was too nervous to eat anything.

We reached the door to my room, and Tye cocked his head to the side, as though hearing something inside. Before I could stop him, he'd pushed the door open and was walking around.

I followed closely behind, heart in my throat as he searched beneath the bed, the wardrobe, and even out the window.

Gods — let them not be here!

"Can I go to sleep now?" I asked as he checked behind my door.

He cast one more look at the bed, then nodded and strode out of the room.

My shoulders relaxed, and I moved to shut the door. But the dinner tray taken from that man was in the way …