Page 39 of Black Wing and Shadows
“I’ve never really gone by that anyway, because of my dad, but yes, please let’s keep this between us.”
I turned around to face him. Got up on my knees and moved to straddle him. I flashed him a devious smile, “Okay, Roarke.”
“You got jokes, huh?” He sucked his teeth, giving me a big smile, and pulled me closer to him.
Children of novelty, only children, and those deemed not well enough were exempt from conscription, yet here we both were. We were going against what was expected of us. He should be learning about taking his father’s place as a duke, should his father pass. I could be doing anything, but I chose to be here. It seemed as if fate wanted us both here—fighting against a destiny we denied.
We sat holding each other, giving room for every heavy moment tonight. I steeped in his presence and comfort, though I knew I needed to go as I had many different things to do.
CHAPTER 15
I made my way back to the courtyard. The party was still going on, although with way fewer people. Since the first day fell on a Friday, we naturally got the following day off. I slipped right into the Rider’s stairwell and climbed up to the seventh floor. I slipped into my room—Thora sat on her bed, but Sadie’s bed was empty. There was a large pack sitting on my bed. I raised my eyebrows in confusion as I walked towards it.
“Platoon Leader Beverli came looking for you, but you weren’t here. So, she left it on the bed. She said it was from your dad.”
“Oh… Okay.”
I walked over to the bag to investigate it more. The bag was similar to a medical bag that my mom had. I rubbed my fingers down the side of the bag. Lili came looking for me, but I wasn’t in here, as I said I would be. Shit. I needed to talk to her.
“Hey, I’ll be back in a short bit.”
“I’m not your keeper,” she shrugged.
“Fair.”
I headed out the door and down to the second floor. I walked down the hall. These rooms were a bit more spaced out than ours. I found the eighth room and knocked on the door four times, precisely like we used to do when we were younger. A minute passed, and the door opened. She looked a little disheveled—maybe she was sleeping.
“Hey, sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I wasn’t sleeping… I um have company…”
“Oh… Oh… I can come back.”
“No, that’s silly. Come in.” She motionedtowards the room.
“I have some things I needed to talk to you about… without…” I nodded inside the room.
“He will be leaving.”
I entered the room to see a five-foot eleven guy with dark hair, tossing clothes around. He nodded and left the room. I thought I recognized him, but I wasn't sure—too many new faces recently.
“I thought you were going to bed earlier?”
“Yeah… um about that.”
“You keeping someone else company?” She raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah,” I looked down.
“Ohhhh, girl… It’s Zane, huh?”
I looked up at her… “Guilty as charged.”
“Oh… Fuck. I was semi-joking… Alex is going to fucking lose it.” She sucked her teeth, looking at me in that disappointed look she always had when I was bringing questionable guys home.
“I didn’t know he was Alex’s best friend, first off. Secondly, I am not Alex’s possession.”
“It wouldn’t have mattered if he knew him or not. He's always acted jealous and irrational when it came to you.”
