Page 35 of Nova Academy

When I laid down beside her, she immediately curled into my side and rested her head on my chest. Her arm and leg stretched across me as far as they could reach, but I was much too wide for her reach the other side. She was so small, so delicate, sobreakable. Even though I was well aware of her capabilities, it didn’t stop the protectiveness that swelled within me. She was mine, and I would keep her.

Always.

CHAPTER 17

Artemis

Everyone was looking at me.

At first I dismissed it. I’d assumed I was imagining things, my own mind running away with my anxiety over being around other people. But we slept and the next day came around, and everyone was still staring at me as if I’d suddenly grown an extra limb. At first I worried that Addy had reneged on her promise to keep my secret, but when no one brought anything up and they still behaved normally, aside from the staring, I was starting to get irritated.

It was an odd emotion to feel around this particular group of people, one I had yet to find cause to feel around them. But I detested being the centre of attention, and I hated not knowing even more. Growing up the way that I had, The Program ensured that any attention on you was never pleasant. In fact, it was to be actively avoided. And here, on our way to Nova Academy, anyone paying close enough attention to me would see that I was not whom I was presenting myself to be. Already, Addy had started putting the pieces together. It wouldn’t be long until others began to do the same.

I knew as soon as Adara confronted me that my time here was running out. That, and the mess I seemed to have found myself in regarding the assault had ensured that staying under the radar would be impossible from here on out. I would need to ramp up my investigation, get the information I needed, and then get out of here before I was truly discovered.

It was one thing for Addy to know that I was female, but shecouldn’tfind out about the rest. It wouldn’t only put me and my mission in danger but her, too. And everyone else here. If theyfound me they would come for me, and they’d destroy everything in their path in the process.

No one would be left alive. Witnesses – especially those from the military that were not already on their payroll – would be a devastating blow to The Program. They wouldn’t risk leaving anyone alive to spread the truth and raise unrest within the IU’s general population. There would be war.

The guilt of my decisions twisted in my gut like a writhing serpent, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the emotions from overwhelming me. I liked these people. At least the ones I had begun to get to know on a slightly deeper level. And even those I didn’t know so well, like Dorian and his crew, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to them just because of their proximity to me.

My timeline had just been hacked in half, and I needed to get a move on and get out before disaster struck or I would never forgive myself for bringing my problems to them. I had been utilising my enhanced senses to eavesdrop on the conversations on the ship, but so far I had yet to find anything worthwhile beyond the two officers in the mess hall a few days ago. While the confirmation was great, there were no other hushed discussions, no mentions of The Program or any of the scientists,nothing.

I knew I would have to double down in my efforts, start sneaking around in the night when they were more likely to hold these secret meetings, but with the scrutiny of the entire ship suddenly aimed in our direction it was making things a little – make thata lot– trickier. I wanted to murder whoever had pointed the fingers at a member of my team, because it’s put a halt on my own investigations. Even more than sharing a room had. If I tried to connect to the ship’s databases with the others around they were undoubtedly going to notice that I wasn’t normal and start asking questions.

I was struggling to maintain my optimism for the outcomeof this quest. Everything was working against me and there was nothing workingwithme. Events that I had not calculated for had created an increasing amount of obstacles. With each day I remained undercover I found myself growing more and more exhausted by the whole ordeal.

I wanted to have Libby back. I wanted to be myself again. I didn’t want to be constantly looking over my shoulder, sleeping with one eye open, or skating by in survival mode. I wanted a life, I wanted safety, I wanted peace and quiet, and I wanted my family whole again.

Cadmus and Henrik rejoined us in the morning, alongside the captain. I assumed Addy had already made her way down for the day when she failed to appear. I didn’t understand why since she posed the biggest threat to me and my intentions, but I was disappointed by her absence.

I told myself it was because I’d gotten used to seeing her every day, not because I was eager to see the woman who was adamant we were going to be friends. At the end of the day, I couldn’t trust her. I couldn’t trust anyone. Not really.

‘Alright, listen up,’ the captain called to get our attention. ‘It’s a new week and a new rotation, which means that starting from today and for the next seven days you will begin your orientation. Your schedules should already be supplied to you via your holo-tabs. You will attend classes as per usual, but your schedules have been synchronised to allow you to remain together. Your teams are now officially considered a squad under my direct command.

‘Stick together, watch each other’s backs, but you are to behave as if there is nothing wrong. I’m needed elsewhere today. If anything happens I can be contacted through my first lieutenant. Your instructors will be able to contact her as needed.’

‘Are we to eat in the mess hall, or should we avoid it like before?’ Bromm asked, and I was glad he was the one to ask for clarification.

‘Come back here for your meals. I’ll have them delivered as I didbefore. But don’t advertise it. I don’t want to be inundated with entitled cadets claiming unfair treatment and favouritism. Am I clear?’

‘Yes, sir,’ we chorused.

‘All right. Enjoy your first day of classes. Dismissed.’

He strode from the room like a man with a plan. I supposed that was true, though he hadn’t clued us in further.

A moment passed before Foryk rose and the rest of us followed him out into the hallway. It wasn’t as empty as we’d assumed it would be with the captain and Addy no longer around. Until we ran into a man a recognised from my first day as the officer with the crooked nose that had allocated me to a room. He was a lot more jovial this morning than the last time we’d met. His face lit up with a dopey smile as he exited the only other room on this deck that I hadn’t had access to. I had gathered that it belonged to the first lieutenant, but he didn’t strike me as the type to rock a feminine name like Jorna, so I wondered what he was up to.

That was until the woman who must have been Jorna also exited the room and pressed a kiss to his lips before ducking back inside.

Oh.

‘Good morning, cadets,’ the man greeted, and then did a double take. ‘Cadets that aren’t supposed to be on this deck…’

I stepped forward with my hand extended. He took it with a grip that was stronger than etiquette deemed necessary. ‘Cadet Corporal Arthur Mercer, sir. The captain has temporarily relocated us to this floor.’

His eyebrows shot straight up. ‘Did he now? And why would he do that?’

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