Page 42 of Revenge (Warriors of the Drexian Academy #6)

Chapter

Forty-Two

Sasha

I emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a thick white robe, my hair still damp and smelling of tropical flowers from the shampoo.

The holographic sun was setting over the lagoon beyond our balcony, painting the artificial sky in shades of coral and gold that were almost too perfect to be real.

Even knowing it was all projection and environmental manipulation, I couldn’t help but admire the view.

Deklyn was asleep in the massive bed, his scruff dark against the white pillows, one bronze arm flung across the space where I’d been lying.

The sight of him made something warm and complicated swirl in my chest, like satisfaction mixed with tenderness mixed with the growing fear that I was in much deeper than was wise.

The soft beep of the door made me groan quietly. Probably Serge, ready to drag us off to another wedding planning session. I tiptoed to the entrance on bare feet, trying to move quietly enough not to wake Deklyn.

But when the door slid open, it wasn’t our enthusiastic wedding planner standing in the corridor. It was Ariana, and she looked upset.

“What’s wrong?”

She glanced past me into the suite. “Can we talk?”

I stepped back to let her in, pressing a finger to my lips and whispering, “We shouldn’t wake Deklyn.”

Ariana’s eyes popped wide as she took in the rumpled bed and my state of undress, but she didn’t comment as I crept past the sleeping figure and led her out onto the balcony.

“I didn’t think the fantasy suites would be so elaborate.” She blinked a few times as she took in the perfect sunset and pristine lagoon. “Or look so real.”

I breathed in the salty air, listening to the gentle sound of water lapping against the balcony steps that led down to the water.

The environment wasn’t the only thing that was fake but felt real, I thought, cutting a glance back at Deklyn through the open doorway.

Although things with him now felt more real than anything I’d ever experienced, which was terrifying in ways I wasn’t ready to examine.

I jerked my attention back to my sister. “Is this about Dad?”

Ariana nibbled her bottom lip and nodded, the gesture so familiar from our childhood that it made my chest ache.

I walked to the wooden railing and leaned my forearms against it, staring out at the perfect water. “I guess he isn’t happy that I’m getting married without asking his permission?”

“It’s more than that, Sash.” Ariana’s face twisted as if she were in pain. “He hates that you’re marrying a Drexian. I think he hates them, period. Hates that we have an alliance with them.”

I straightened, shaking my head in disbelief. “But the alliance is the reason the Kronock didn’t decimate Earth. He knows that. He’s a general. He understands military strategy. He was part of the group of military chiefs advising world leaders on the alliance.”

Ariana shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know what to tell you. He was going on about how the Drexians have ruined things on Earth, and how we were better off without them.”

I’d known my father revered tradition and that he was uncomfortable with change, but I’d never imagined he was this terrified of progress. The alliance had saved our planet and saved countless human lives. How could he not see that?

Ariana looked away, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “Sash, I think he would do anything to ruin the alliance with the Drexians.”

A chill made me wrap my arms around myself. “What do you mean?”

She stole a frightened glance at me. “The way he was talking, it almost sounded like he would have preferred you to be a martyr than be rescued by the Drexians. He hates that this whole rescue and wedding is making the alliance look good.”

I took a step backward, my mind reeling. “If you’re saying that our father didn’t want me rescued, that’s crazy.”

“I know,” Ariana said quickly. “I didn’t want to believe it either, but you should have heard him, Sash. The things he said about your capture being useful, about how your death would have proven his point?—”

I waved my hand sharply, cutting her off. “No way. There’s no way that my father is behind my being abandoned. You must have misunderstood.”

But even as I said the words, doubt crept in. My father’s cold reception, his obvious disapproval of my rescue, and the dismissive way he’d looked at Deklyn all formed a horrible pattern.

Then familiar pain and irrational anger rushed through me, along with the old competitive instincts that our father had programmed into us from childhood.

Maybe Ariana was trying to put a wedge between me and our father now that I’d done something he didn’t approve of.

Maybe she saw an opportunity to become the favorite daughter.

“Just because Dad is upset with me doesn’t mean you can swoop in,” I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “I’m still his favorite.”

Ariana reared back as if I’d slapped her, and I instantly regretted the outburst. The hurt in her expression was so raw, so genuine, that it made my stomach lurch.

“If that’s what you think of me, fine.” Tears thickened her voice. “I was trying to warn you, but believe what you want. I thought we’d put aside all those years of fighting for Dad’s attention, but clearly you still care more about winning than about me, about anyone.”

She glanced through the doorway at Deklyn’s sleeping form. “You and Dad might deserve each other, but I don’t know if you deserve him.”

Then she was gone, storming out of the suite and leaving me alone on the balcony with the wreckage of what I’d just done. I stood there stunned and hurt, knowing that I deserved every word she’d said.

I’d proven her right with that one cruel comment.

I was still the same person who’d put competition above connection, who’d rather win than be kind.

And she was right about Deklyn too. I questioned whether I was worthy of someone who risked everything to save me and who looked at me like I was worth protecting even when I was clearly too damaged to protect myself.

I knew for certain that he didn’t deserve my using him in my quest for revenge while pretending he was just a convenient attraction.

As I watched the holographic sun disappear below the horizon, I couldn’t stop thinking about what Ariana had told me about our father.

She must have misunderstood. There was no way he would have abandoned me.

No way would he have preferred my death to my rescue.

That would be beyond cold and cruel. He might be demanding, but I couldn’t believe he was heartless.

I closed my eyes, squeezing them tight to keep the tears at bay.