Page 49 of Nova Academy

Please don’t hurt me.Run.

You’ll be fine if you don’t struggle.

I’m not trying to hurt you.

We must proceed, no matter the cost.

Run, A.

Don’t let them get away!Run.

The procedure was a success.

We must implant them all before…

They’re thinking too much for themselves.

Run, A!

You’re safe, little girl.

…Fully controllable…It’s too late for me…

RUN!

???

My hand was wrapped around someone’s throat, and I wassqueezing. I blinked myself into consciousness, my mind taking a moment to process what was going on. But when I realised I had Dorian pinned to the floor while he desperately scratched at my arms and tried to dislodge me, I immediately let go and backed away.

‘Fuck,’ he coughed, scrambling away from me as if he were afraid I would try to kill him again. I hadn’t tried to kill him, not really. After the way some of the guards in The Program would sneak into our rooms in the middle of the night, or when the scientists would try to take us for more testing while we were unconscious, my subconscious mind had learned to react defensively.

It had also learned that outright killing someone would bring further pain and suffering, so Dorian was never in any real danger. It was more of an involuntary scare tactic. But there was no way I could explain that to him, so I tried not to take his reaction personally.

Sorry,’ I said. I didn’t think there was anything else Icouldsay.

When it was clear I wasn’t about to attack him, he let himself relax a little, though he didn’t come any closer. ‘That must have been some bad dream,’ he forced out, his voice scratchy and abused from the damage I’d caused.

I didn’t want to give him any information, but the brightly coloured bruise appearing on his neck caused a stab of guilt right through the gut. ‘You probably shouldn’t touch me when I’m asleep.’

‘Yeah… no kidding.’

I shot him a thin-lipped, apologetic smile, but didn’t say anything else.

‘You were screaming in your sleep,’ he explained when the silence dragged on too long to be comfortable.

‘That happens sometimes.’

He hesitated before asking his next question. ‘Wanna talk aboutit?’

‘No.’

He cleared his throat. ‘Okay…’

I stopped him when he stood, preparing to leave, my fingers stretching toward the injury. He flinched away, so I let my arm drop. ‘You should probably go the med bay for that.’

His exhale was shallow and drawn-out. ‘Nah, they’d just ask questions. I’m fine.’

I frowned. ‘You sure?’

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