Page 10 of Deadly Alliances

Applause sounded behind me, and I turned around to see Arthur coming into the sim room wearing a proud smile. He put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed.

“Well done, my boy. That was an incredibly impressive show. Why didn’t you ever tell me about your camouflage? With your skill, we could accomplish so much in this war. Weneedyou in our ranks.”

“I agree,” Char said behind me, and I stilled.

Slowly, I turned around to find her still standing there in her military smart uniform. She hadn’t been part of the sim. I narrowed my eyes at her in silent accusation for her part in all this, for the words she’d thrown at me, and she gave me an apologetic shrug.

We would have words later. Now was not the time.

I faced my father once more. “You’re absolutely right, and it would be my honor to join the military, with my first mission being the rescue of the siren from Hadrian’s fortress.”

Arthur’s expression hardened dangerously for a moment, but he seemed to remember that he also had the eyes of his peers on him, so he chuckled dismissively. “I hardly think that’s an appropriate first assignment for a novice.”

“I’m hardly a novice,” I countered. “You’ve given me excellent military training my entire life. And with my invisibility, who is a better candidate for this assignment?”

“Tobias, my boy, you are absolutely right,” Major General Stern said as he entered the room. “It would comfort me greatly to know that my daughter, Captain Stern, will have such an asset on her team.”

My eyes widened, and I stared at Char as she came around me to stand next to her father. “You’re leading the rescue team?” I asked with surprise.

“I am,” she confirmed with a nod.

“While I appreciate your candor, Major General Stern, I think Tobias is better suited in another placement,” Arthur argued.

Char’s father cast bewildered eyes on him. “I’m surprised at you, General. After everything we just witnessed, how can you not see your son’s potential? He’s exactly who we need on the forefront of enemy lines.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Char added, giving me a wink.

“Thank you,” I said, bowing my head slightly in respect even as joyful spite for my father swelled inside me.

“Then it’s settled,” Char’s father said with a wide smile. “Congratulations on your graduation, and welcome to the shifter military.” He held out his hand, and I shook it firmly.

“Gather your things, Private Dracul,” Char said. “Your training begins at o-six-hundred.”

I gave her my well-practiced military salute, and she did the same before following her father out of the room—leaving me alone with mine.

His eyes were narrowed to slits as he looked at me, and I could feel the rage emanating from him like heat waves. “I hope you don’t come to regret this choice.”

I smirked at him. “I will never regret making the right choice.” And without another word, I walked past him out of the room.

I had a bag to pack and a mate to save.

Chapter 5

Ashlyn

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I leaned against the wall of the bathroom stall, which had already lost its cool and was quickly becoming uncomfortable.

All morning, my unruly emotions had been leaking out of me—literally. I couldn’t contain my inner fire, causing the temperature around me to spike and turning every class I’d entered into a sauna. Judging by the slanted glances I’d received from several of my classmates, they all knew it was me. I knew I needed to rein myself in, but I felt like I was completely out of control.

Just one more class. One more, and then I can relax.

But I knew that wasn’t true. Arya was gone, taken by the vampires, and who knew how long until they decided to come back and finish their assault on our school. The military had amped up security in the lake around the Dome, stationing its finest mer soldiers to stand guard day and night. But would that be enough? Faculty members had already fixed the cracks in the glass, but knowing it had begun to break at all had destroyed whatever semblance of safety I previously held down here.

And it wasn’t just the vampires we had to worry about. The new leadership at this school left much to be desired. All education had been militarized, designed to turn us into obedient little soldiers. No more arts. No more music.

Even outside the classroom, we weren’t free to enjoy ourselves. Strict curfews had been implemented around every gap between school hours. Meal times were disturbingly quiet, as no onedared step out of line. We weren’t free to roam the grounds after classes had finished, confined to our dorms and common rooms. And there was absolutely no leaving the school for any reason. We were all trapped.

And here I was, a ticking fucking time bomb.

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