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As my assigned dark cloud, he can’t let me out of his sight. I’ve taken advantage of that, and there have been several instances these past few days where I’ve refused to sit still and forced him to hurriedly eat while following me around camp.

I have no issues making him do so.

I turn, beginning to walk away.

A loud sigh emerges from behind me. “I’m almost finished, Cassia. Just give me a minute.”

“I don’t care.”

I head in the direction where my scouting group was instructed to meet. After Raum announced today’s groups, everybody broke away to wrap up their final morning chores and finish preparing for the day. That was fifteen minutes ago, and I fear my group is now waiting for me.

I don’t want to be the last one to arrive. It sends a bad impression.

Rexton’s fork scrapes against his plate as he rushes through his last bites of food, and a second later, he hurries up alongside me. He’s annoyed, but it doesn’t bother me. Let him be angry. He shouldn’t have taken so long to eat.

He was taking advantage of my kindness.

He huffs. “What made you like this?” he asks. I recoil. What’s that supposed to mean? Rexton continues. “You’re intelligent. You’re powerful. You have a family that loves and supports you. Why are you so nasty?”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

I quicken my pace, my boots slamming against the mushy ground. Why is he asking me this? That’s a personal question, and the topic makes me uncomfortable. I know something’swrong with me, that my mind doesn’t work as it should, and I don’t like addressing it. Acknowledging it makes it real.

“I don’t know. I don’t…” I trail off, chewing at my bottom lip. Rexton waits, silent and patient, for me to continue. “I’ve always been like this.”

“That’s not what I’ve heard.”

“And what the fuck have you heard?”

Is Rexton talking about me? Discussing my attitude and personality behind my back? He has no right.

We reach the spot where my group is set to meet. It’s empty. Rexton and I are the first to arrive.

I suck my cheeks into my mouth, the realization making me feel slightly guilty for rushing him through breakfast. I convinced myself that everybody was waiting for me, that they were judging my inability to manage my time. They’d blame it on my lack of experience, or maybe they’d conclude that my lineage has made me spoiled.

The thoughts were swirling. I couldn’t stop them.

“Who have you been speaking to about me?” I ask. “My fathers? My mother? Raum?”

Rexton drags his hands through his hair, his chest deflating. I cock my head to the side.

“Do I stress you out, Rexton?”

“Very much so.”

Good.

I cross my arms over my chest, scanning the woods for my scouting group. Are they going to be long? I hope not. Almost ten minutes pass before my small group finally trickles in. We’re a team of seven, Rexton included.

The officer leading our group is the last to arrive. He’s strong, but his power pales in comparison to Rexton and me. It makes it hard to respect him, but I’m trying my best to follow hisleadership. Raum is in charge of this camp, and I don’t want my negative behavior to be reported back to him.

I’m desperate to be given more responsibility, and as of right now, he’s the only man with the authority to provide it. Rexton technically outranks Raum, but he’s here to babysit me, not lead. I technically outrank RextonandRaum, but my authority has been stripped.

It’s an odd situation for everybody involved.

The officer clears his throat. “Is everybody ready?” He looks around, making eye contact with each of us before nodding to himself. “Great. Let’s head out.”