Page 98 of Deadly Alliances

“Forgive me, General, but I don’t quite see the problem here,” Ignaeus hedged.

Dracul put his hands flat on his desk. “The problem, Lieutenant General, is that these students, including your daughter, have been meeting in secret, and I want to know why.”

Not one of us so much as breathed a response. Not even prim and proper Letti or goody-two-shoes Katya. We had chosen wisely for our group of rebels.

“If someone doesn’t give me an answer right now, you’ll all be severely punished!” The general roared, his voice booming through the small room and making my ears ring.

I flicked my gaze to my comrades, seeing my fear mirrored in their faces, but also their determination and unwillingness to break.

“Ugh, fine,” Jackson groaned, and all of our eyes widened with panic. He reached into his leather jacket and tossed a square box onto the desk.

The general leaned forward and picked up the carton of cigarettes, turning it over in his hand. “What is this?”

“What does it look like?” Jackson snorted. “It’s a pack of smokes, dude.”

My heart was still beating furiously in my chest as I watched with bated breath to see where he was going with this.

“Clearly, I can see that,” the general ground out. “But what I can’t see is what it has to do with you meeting in secret.”

Jackson shrugged. “Your men raided everyone’s stash, and I pride myself in being a purveyor of goods. These guys justwanted some of my product.”

Dracul eyed him for a long moment, as if debating whether or not to believe him. And even though I was metaphorically on the edge of my seat, I was majorly impressed with Jackson’s cool exterior, as well as his confession to the lesser crime.

“I’ve got cigarettes, weed, liquor, wine for the sophisticated partier—” Jackson rattled off like a salesman.

“Enough!” Dracul barked. “Is this true?” He scanned hateful eyes over our group.

We played along, nodding guiltily, even though relief was surely singing in their chests as much as it was in mine.

“You all should be ashamed of yourselves,” the general scorned. “Especially you, Miss Summers, dragging your father’s good name through the mud like this.”

Ignaeus tutted, shaking his head. “Ashlyn, I’m surprised at you.”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” I whimpered rather convincingly.

He continued to shake his head and look disappointed, and a shaky breath left my chest.

“Well, I have no choice but to punish the lot of you,” the general said, as if he took no pleasure in that decision.

“What? Why? I’m the one distributing,” Jackson argued.

“You wouldn’t need to if there wasn’t the demand,” Dracul reasoned. “You’ll all spend the rest of the day cleaning the defense room from top to bottom.”

“What?” Petra stood up, balling her fists at her sides. “But that will take us all night. You expect us not to sleep?”

The general gave her a wicked grin. “You weren’t so concerned about getting sleep the other night, were you? Not when you hadsomething to gain. And tonight, you have much to gain.”

“Like what?” she spat, throwing her hands up.

The general leaned back in his swivel chair and laced his fingers over his lap. “Character, Miss Adder. Character and discipline. One day, you’ll thank me. Now, Major Cockburn, if you’ll please escort these miscreants to the Defense room.” He waved us off with his fingers.

Petra snickered. “Cockburn,” she whispered.

“What was that?” the Major quipped.

“Nothing!” Petra chirped, grinning impishly.

Glad I wasn’t the only one who found it hilarious.

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