will. If there’s a way out of here, I’ll find it. I’ll get you away from them.”
I pressed my lips to his and kissed him deeply. He’d give up his whole life to protect me. My heart ached with that knowledge as I pulled away slightly. “When all this is over, and we graduate from the Academy, and I know my friends and Mom are safe…let’s leave Haven. Just you and me.”
“Done.” His eyes lit up. “I don’t like being in the guard, anyway.” He smiled, but then his face fell and he grunted.
“What?”
“I have watch tonight on the ship.” He kissed my forehead. “I should get going.”
“Right,” I said, standing. “I’ll walk you to your wing.”
He brought me closer, a smile sneaking across his face. “No. I’ll walk you to your wing. Let me be the tough protector guy, okay?”
I laughed. “Sure.”
He shook his head. “I still can’t believe you.”
“What?”
“I almost died when I saw you dive off the back of that airship. You’re definitely tougher than any girl—Shythe or Narco—I’ve ever met.” He moved us toward the double glass doors. “Not to mention Lana. You two are just crazy.”
My face flushed as I stepped inside the lobby. I was proud he had included Lana—that he understood how important my friends were to me. “So that’s a good thing, right?”
“More than you know.” He kissed me tenderly and then we parted ways.
I hated that Reese was in the guard. I’d meant what I told him about leaving together. As soon as we graduated and as soon as I knew my friends and family were safe, I wanted us to go—for the both of us to get out of the Councils’ reach. I hated the thought of leaving my friends behind, but I knew Lana and Devon wouldn’t stick around. If the union was set in stone, there was no way she’d stay. And as much as I loved Nick, he’d be okay. I had faith that he’d settle down with a nice Narco girl and make it work. He adapted much better than any of us.
Jace—he was the one I truly worried about. If he didn’t accept the union, I was scared of what he might do. And if he didn’t run or try to start a rebellion, I knew his hatred for the Narcos would consume him. I had to make things right between us—for him—before I even thought of leaving.
I climbed the stairs and headed to my unit with my thoughts weighing heavily. I turned the lights down low and crawled into my bed, pulling the covers close to my chin.
Convincing Jace to accept the Narcolym race was going to be a battle, especially when I didn’t trust the Councils myself. How could I? Apparently, they still wanted me dead.
While Lana and I got ready for classes, I told her about the test. She was worried for me, but I assured her that with Reese’s help, I’d pass.
As I grabbed my bag, I looked over at her. “How did Jace seem last night?”
“He was…distant,” she said, picking up her own bag. “He developed those proofs we took and is throwing himself into deciphering that scroll.”
I thumped my forehead with the heel of my hand. “I completely forgot about that. Has he figured anything out yet?”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s a two-thousand-year-old dead language. I think he’s going to need a bit of time and say, a miracle.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s being all secretive. He won’t even talk to me or Nick about it.”
I hung my head. “Maybe he just wants some time to himself.”
“Maybe. I don’t think it’s healthy for him to take on a new obsession so quickly, though.” She opened the door. “You coming?”
“Yup.” I took a deep breath and headed toward the hallway, but halted to look at her. “And what do you mean by new obsession? What was his old one?”
Lana rolled her eyes at me again. “You’re just so dense sometimes,” she said as she pushed me out the door.
I grew nervous as we entered Mr. Liam’s classroom. Reese was standing next to his desk, but when I looked toward my own, Jace wasn’t seated beside it. Glancing around the room, I spotted him in the far left corner. He was as distant from me as he could get without actually being outside the classroom.
Lana shrugged, and I followed her over to our seats. I assumed out of pity for his brother, Nick sat next to Jace. We really