Page 71 of Radiant Shadows

The sound of several marching footsteps approached, and I began shifting back to my human form. As my body popped and cracked, shrinking in the process, I was relieved to feel no breaks in my bones.

Flat on my back and in nothing but my smart shorts—in case any nosey young students came to watch—I propped myself up to see who had entered.

“Arthur!” I growled, pushing myself up. “You stopped my simulation.”

Lord Dracul was accompanied by Nikolai Candida, both in their standard military uniforms. Igneaus Summers was also among them, as well as four other shifters from the military. Behind them all, I saw Celeste. Her face was pale and filled with dread.

What the hell is going on?

I darted my narrowed gaze back to the general.

“Caesar,” Arthur said with an acknowledging nod. “I’ll have you know that I did not terminate your program. Your access to the simulation room has been removed.”

My brows scrunched as I got to my feet and flexed my sore arms. “Excuse me?”

Arthur gave me a hard look. Unnamed emotion boiled behind his eyes, just barely suppressed.

He set his jaw. “As of this morning, you are dismissed from your position as director of the Dome.”

Dismissed? Nobody had the authority to dismiss a director.

For a moment, my mind flashed back to the director of The Island—the only school director I had ever known—Zabrina Slegr. She was a brilliant leader and a quick thinker. The mao had helped hundreds of students during her time as director. But she’d never been removed from that leadership—not until a vampire murdered her. I’d witnessed the cruel death as it happened. Had I arrived at her quarters just moments before, I could have saved her.

But this was different. Ashifterhad come to toss me out. I would’ve preferred a vampire.

I laughed humorlessly as I took in the surrounding soldiers giving me distasteful looks. “Is this some kind of joke?”

Arthur’s eyes widened. “A joke? Oh, I’m quite serious, Mr. Rex. It has become very apparent that you are unfit to lead this school.”

My eyes flitted to Celeste, and I gave her a questioning glance. She cast her gaze to the white floor of the sim room. Did she have a part in this? I didn’t want to believe she did, but why else had she come? And why couldn’t she meet my eyes?

What was this madness? A bombardment of questions assailed my mind. I knew the general was a determined man, but I hadn’t anticipated a coup of this magnitude.

I straightened my back and held my head high. “Is this about Arya?”

At this, Arthur let loose a hearty laugh. “Every time I come here, that’s your assumption, isn’t it?” His humored expression dropped. “I have come this time because of your betrayal to the school and to the shifter community.”

The general’s words were icy cold, chilling me to my core. Betrayal? How could he accuse me of such a thing?

“Since the loss of the last school, as well as my parents, I have dedicated my entire life to the Dome. Everything I have done, and everything I will continue to do, is for the shifters who live here.”

Arthur snorted. “Does that include cavorting with vampires?”

I froze, my blood crystalizing inside my veins. He knew about Julian, or at least he thought he did. How was I going to explain this?

“Your silence is a testament to your guilt,” Arthur said. “Do you not deny this accusation?”

I sighed. It was best to come clean and hope they would understand. “I have had dealings withonevampire who is a defector of Hadrian’s army. His name is Julian Asher.”

Arthur narrowed his eyes to slits. “Do you think labeling any vampire as a defector makes your crime any less heinous?”

“Believe me when I say that I understand that mentality all too well,” I said. “But this particular vampire saved my life years ago. He’s on our side.”

“Then why have you not brought this individual up before?” the general hissed.

“Because you would have thrown me out!” I shouted, feeling the heat of righteousness returning to my heart. “Just like you’re doing now. Julian has been instrumental in the protection of this school and—”

“No more lies, Caesar,” Arthur barked. “We have video footage of several meetings you’ve set up with this vampire, as well as logged phone calls and text messages. Even Lady Celeste spotted you meeting with him recently in a restaurant in Chicago.”

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