Page 5 of Bonds of Starfall

"I—Yes," Rin said, but she couldn’t tear her eyes off the images on the screen. Her hands flexed by her side.

Thatwas why she wanted to help. So no one would ever have to go through what she did—so no one would ever have to experience the consequences of a Rogue on the loose.

When she entered the kitchen, Kit was already seated, his gloves lying next to his hat—without it, his brown hair fell into his eyes, making him appear boyish.

She took the seat across from him, her eyes immediately falling on the envelope resting by his side. He cut a square of lasagna and plated it, pushing it across the table to her. "Eatup, sprite. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how hard you’ve been pushing yourself with your training." He shook his head. "Just so you can put yourself in danger in the Hunter’s Guild."

Rin cut into her lasagna, barely tasting it as she chewed.

Things were strained between her and Kit now; they didn’t use to be like this when they were simply childhood best friends.

After her parents had been killed, Kit’s parents stepped in immediately, letting her live with them, which she was more than grateful for. But that wasn’t enough for the government. Even though she was seventeen when she became an orphan, she had to have a legal guardian. So, Sabine and Talor adopted her in secret, only presenting her with the papers once it was finalized.

Rin still remembered the utter shock that had befallen her when the official documents had named her as VesperinBlackfalland not Vesperin Vox. She was grateful to Sabine and Talor, but… a part of her held resentment for them—misplaced, perhaps.

"Keeping the envelope from me won’t stop me from going to the Admittance Ceremony," she said, reaching for a glass of water. "They sent me an email, you know?" She stared at Kit over the rim of the glass as she drank, trying to hide her smirk.

"You’re really set on this, then?"

Rin placed the glass down with a soft clink as it hit the wooden tabletop. "Deadly." She paused. "You know this is all I’ve wanted since the day I woke up in the hospital and found out I was alone…"

Kit’s eyes grew heavy with emotion. "You were never alone."

She licked her lips, looking away from him. "You know what I mean. I just—this is my purpose." The low drone of the newscaster on the television was a harrowing backdrop as she spoke. "I will do this with or without you, Kit—but don’t make me choose."

The strong line of his jaw ticked as he reached for the envelope lying near his gloves and hat. He held it over the table, fingers gripping it hard. Her eyes lit up as she reached for it, but he held it back at the last second, a warning in his eyes as he said:

"Don’t make me regret this, Rin. You know I’ll always support you, even if I don’t agree with you. Promise me something?"

"Depends." She raised a brow, waiting for what he would demand.

"If you get into this and your heart starts to act up, if this becomes too much for you, bow out," Kit beseeched. "I won’t think less of you, and if any of those bastards up at the Academy had half the character as you, they would understand, too."

Kit still didn’t extend the envelope, so, like any Hunter in training, she struck first, half-rising from her chair as she leaned over the table between them and snatched it from his hands. Only, it wasn’t so easy.

Fingers enclosed her wrist with a strong grip as Kit tugged her forward. She braced her other hand on the table to stop herself from falling face-first onto the plate of lasagna. Her nose nearly brushed his.

Kit’s brown eyes were filled with things better left unsaid as he held her wrist. "You forget," he said, "I trained at the Hunter’s Guild Academy, too."

"Only a year," she quipped.

Kit had dropped out after taking a mission at the Fleet Academy and seeing the spaceships. She still remembered receiving a phone call in the middle of the night from him, answering with her heart in her throat as her mind conjured up images of him, dead. Only, he had talked her ear off for hours about his assignment at the Fleet Academy. She had fallen asleep with the phone pressed against her ear and his voicelulling her to sleep. The next day, he dropped out of the Hunter’s Academy and applied to the Fleet.

His lips quirked up at the side. "I still have a year on you."

"Not for long." She mimicked his smile, and his eyes dipped to her mouth before he cleared his throat and released her hand. She sat back against her chair, cursing the tension between them. What she wouldn’t give to have things go back to the way they were five years ago. Growing serious, she said, "Kit, I love you. You’re my best friend, my… brother. Don’t make me promise things we both know I won’t keep."

"Friends," he mused with a shake of his head. Sighing, Kit handed her the envelope. "If you die, I’ll make you regret it."

Rin all but snatched it from his hands. She rotated it in front of her, watching the kitchen lights reflect off the insignia on the wax seal. "I wouldn’t expect anything less. That’s what friends are for. Just know I’ll haunt you if I die." She grinned, so focused on sliding the untouched cutlery knife across the seal that she missed the look of self-loathing that flashed across his face.

Her hands shook as she pulled the folded letter from within. The paper was thick and official. She unfolded it, squinting, unable to look.

"I thought you said you already knew you got in," said Kit.

"I know, but this is so much more real than an email." She ignored Kit’s laugh as she finally,finally, looked at the letter.

The pure joy that filled her could rival the brilliance of the sun. "Vesperin Blackfall, congratulations and welcome to the Hunter’s Guild Academy," she read, unable to contain the giddiness of her tone. "On behalf of the Hunter’s Guild, it gives us great pleasure to inform you that you have been admitted to the Hunter’s Guild Academy." The legs of her chair squeaked across the floor as she stood.