Page 20 of Revenge (Warriors of the Drexian Academy #6)

Chapter

Twenty

Deklyn

T he inclinator whispered to a stop, and I stepped out into a brightly lit corridor that curved around the top of the station.

I tried to focus on my sleek surroundings and on the task ahead of me, basically on anything other than the memory of Sasha’s lips against mine and the way she’d felt pressed against my body.

She’d meant the kiss to prove she could fake attraction, but there had been nothing fake about the way my pulse had raced or the way every rational thought had fled my mind the moment our mouths met.

This was the problem with Sasha’s plan. I had to pretend our relationship was real while knowing it was all an elaborate deception designed to draw her enemies into the open.

I had to act like a man in love while protecting my heart from a woman who saw me as nothing more than a convenient ally in her quest for revenge.

I paused outside the wide double doors before stepping forward and letting them part.

Stepping inside the station’s command deck, the bright lighting of the corridors gave way to the dimmer, more focused illumination of a working bridge.

My shoulders relaxed as the soft beeping of computers surrounded me, the static of incoming transmissions and the low burr of officers reporting from their stations.

A massive transparent wall dominated one side of the space, offering an unobstructed view of space beyond. It was a view that never failed to remind me why I’d chosen a life among the stars, why the vast emptiness called to something deep in my soul.

“Lieutenant.”

I turned to find a tall Drexian approaching me, his dark uniform and sash telling me who he was in an instant.

“Captain Kalex,” he said when he reached me. “Welcome to the Island.”

I crossed a fist across my chest in salute. “Thank you, Captain.”

“Serge already briefed me on your situation,” he explained, his voice measured. “Congratulations are in order, I believe. It’s not often we get to host such notable guests.”

I fought the urge to cringe and thanked him again.

“You were the one who rescued the human pilot from the Kronock prison,” he said, and it wasn’t quite a question.

“I was.” I tried to inject the right amount of pride and affection into my voice. “That’s how we fell in love, actually. Hard to maintain professional distance when you’re fighting for your lives together.”

The lie came easier than it should have, probably because there was more truth in it than I wanted to admit. Something had definitely developed between us in that prison, something that went beyond mere survival partnership. Whether Sasha felt it too was another question entirely.

Captain Kalex nodded thoughtfully. “Serge tells me he wants to make your wedding a major event. He’s quite excited about the publicity potential, given who Sasha is and the dramatic circumstances of how you met.”

“Serge told us that in between throwing out theme ideas.”

“That sounds like Serge,” Kalex said with a chuckle. “In this case, I think his instincts are sound. The optics would be excellent for the Drexian-Earth alliance. There are some humans who need a reminder of how much the Drexians have done for Earth, particularly in recent conflicts.”

The comment was casual, but I caught the undercurrent beneath it. Captain Kalex knew about the tensions between Earth and Drex that went beyond simple diplomatic disagreements. That was interesting and potentially useful.

“I’ll do anything I can to aid the alliance between our peoples,” I said, meaning every word. “The cooperation between Drexian and Earth forces saved both our lives.”

“Indeed.” He studied me for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “You know, I’m having drinks with some of my staff later this evening in the officers’ lounge. You’d be welcome to join us, unless you’re busy with your fiancée.”

The invitation was unexpected but welcome.

Spending time with the station’s command staff might provide insights that could help with Sasha’s mission.

And if I was being honest with myself, the prospect of getting away from our romantic suite and the constant strain of fighting my desire was appealing.

“I can get away,” I said. “Sasha will probably be busy with wedding planning, anyway.”

Kalex shook his head and chuckled. “She certainly will be if Serge gets his way. That Gatazoid has more enthusiasm for wedding planning than should be legal. Your fiancée may find herself overwhelmed by his creative vision.”

The thought of Sasha dealing with Serge’s undoubtedly elaborate plans was amusing, but it also served as a reminder of how deep we were getting into this deception.

“What time should I be there?” I asked.

“Twenty-hundred hours,” he said. “Deck Seven, section C. Don’t worry about formal dress. We keep things casual in the officers’ lounge.”

“I’ll be there.”

As I prepared to leave the command deck, Captain Kalex placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Deklyn,” he said, his voice taking on a more serious tone.

“I want you to know that the Island’s resources are at your disposal during your stay.

If there’s anything you need, anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask. ”

“I appreciate that, Captain.”

“We take care of our guests here,” he continued. “Especially ones who’ve served both Earth and Drex with such distinction. Your service record speaks for itself.”

The comment made me wonder exactly how much research the captain had done in the short time since our arrival.

“Thank you,” I said. “That means a lot.”

As I walked back through the corridors toward our deck, I thought about the captain’s offer and what it might mean for our mission. Having the station’s resources at our disposal could be invaluable when it came time to investigate the Earth officials who would presumably attend our wedding.

But first, we had to actually convince them to come. We had to make this fake engagement and upcoming wedding seem so genuine and so newsworthy that the people who had abandoned Sasha would feel compelled to attend.

And I had to do it all while pretending to be madly in love with a woman who was becoming more dangerous to my peace of mind with every passing hour.

The inclinator ride back to our deck seemed longer than it had been earlier, giving me too much time to think about what lay ahead.

When the doors opened onto the tropical paradise of the Bali Hai level, I was struck again by the contrast between the working sections of the station and the fantasy environments created for the tribute brides.

Everything here promoted romance and encouraged couples to lose themselves in the illusion of perfect love. It wasn’t lost on me that I was about to spend the next several days or weeks surrounded by romantic fantasy while pretending to be in love.

No matter how short the engagement was, it was going to feel very long.