Page 63 of Nova Academy

We didn’t have much time once we entered, and there was always the possibility that someone else might try to hop on while we were going for privacy so we started speaking in hushed, hurried tones.

‘Whatever we just heard doesn’t change anything. Not for me,’ said Bromm, opening up the conversation.

‘Agreed.’

‘Arty isn’t just a cadet, is he?’ asked Bromm.

‘No. No, I don’t think so.’

‘So what is he doing here?’

The elevator stopped on deck twelve to allow someone else on board. We jumped apart as if we were doing something untoward, and the officer that joined us gave us a knowing look. It was awkward in the silence that ensued with the added implication that we’d been caught having anintimatemoment together, even if that wasn’t the case. Luckily, they exited only two floor down.

‘Do you think he’s a spy?’ Bromm picked back up where we left off. However, there twinkle in his eyes that gave me far too much information I didn’t need about what the male was into.

‘I don’t know, but he’s not here just to learn. If he’s even here for that at all.’

‘Do you think the captain knows?’

I considered the question and recalled how the captain had left the two to speak alone with the rest of us. ‘No, I don’t think so. I think Brin’s the only person who knows, and she wasn’t supposed to find out.’

‘Find outwhat, though?’

I shook my head. ‘I know about as much as you do, Bromm.’

He pouted, but then his expression became contemplative. ‘Should we get involved? CWO Brin was concerned about him acting alone in whatever it is he’s here for. Do you think he needs our help?’

I inhaled slowly as I let the situation fully sink in, the consequences of inserting ourselves into the unknown equally a mystery. ‘I think we should stay out of it but keep a look out for any trouble.’

He nodded once affirmatively. ‘Got it. Good plan.’

The door opened on the training deck then, and we shut out mouths so fast the snap of our jaws echoed down the metallic corridor. And then promptly fell open again to the scene in front of us.

The whole gang was clustered together facing off against another group of cadets, and they were led by none other than the male I hated more than anyone in the entire Intergalactic Union. Tarren Christianson pointed right at me when he noticed our entrance, his deep voice that attracted all the females in our hometown and beyond distorted into a snarl.

‘You have some gall showing your face here,rapist,’ he spat out, and Foryk moved to place himself in the middle to block them fromcoming any closer, but Henrik stopped him with a hand on his elbow.

‘I didn’t hurt her. Whoever did, it wasn’t me,’ I attempted to placate Tarren, but I knew from experience that he would refuse to listen once he’d made up his mind, regardless of the truth.

‘You hurt my sister. Don’t try to deny it. You’re nothing but a sick psycho and you deserve what’s coming to you.’ The threat in his voice was one I’d heard many times over the years as he berated house staff and service employees, but this time there was an emotional quality to it that gave it a dangerous edge that had been absent before. He truly meant it.

I was aware that his sister was the female that had been assaulted. The assault I had been framed for. I should have guessed. I’d taken it as a blessing that I hadn’t seen him around the ship much, glad to have a reprieve from his constant barbs and arrogant demands. It was the talk of the town when Katira Christianson left home to join the military, but I hadn’t realised she was stationed on this ship with this crew before I’d come on board.

My concern over my own safety skyrocketed. Tarren was a formidable foe, his wealth and his family’s political influence reached far and wide. There wasn’t much he couldn’t achieve with that sort of power backing him. This whole situation had just deteriorated in a blink, and I was glad we no longer bunked with the other cadets. Our time at Nova Academy was about to become fraught with danger with the Christiansons and their lackeys gunning for me. And the rest of my team for their association with me. If people actually started to believe the rumours we might end up run not only out of the academy and the military, but the Intergalactic Union itself.

Fuck.

Dorian stepped forward then, more than ready to square up against what he must have viewed as simple bullies following a man seeking justice. Little did he know…

‘Look, man. It wasn’t him. Ask the captain if you don’t believe us. He has evidence that proves it was someone else. Reece wasn’t even there,’ he attempted to reason. I knew even before he spoke that it wasn’t going to work. Tarren was as thick-skulled as they came, and since he had already decided I was to blame, probably because of our already established rivalry, this was the hill he intended to die on.

Arty showed up then, stepping forward to draw the attention to himself. ‘Go find someone else to harass, Christianson. Reece is innocent and there’s proof. You can’t hurt him without dragging yourself down with him,’ he warned. Turning things back onto Tarren was usually a sure-fire way to force him to back off, but this time was different. Tarren didn’t care about anyone but himself, but the one exception was his sister. Watching him now, it wasn’t difficult to surmise that he might even care for her more than himself.

That discovery made him an even greater threat, because no one went after what Tarren Christianson cared about and survived. And by the way he was glaring at me as if his gaze alone could smite me where I stood, I had a bad feeling that he may even attempt to make sure I wouldn’t survive at all.

Double fuck.

Bromm stayed close to me, silently backing me up with his presence. If anyone could combat the Christianson influence then it would be the Griknot Prince. Which gave me an idea…

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