Page 34 of Legend

very skillful interrogation and losing? “But he’s not here now.”

Reina’s smile didn’t falter. “Do you know where he is? Noora was hoping to give him an official welcome alongside the admiral.”

The thought that Admiral Zoran and his wife would be waiting on Devon while Vyk toured him around the school made me twitch with guilt, although I also knew that it wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t asked Vyk to show the captain around.

“He’s with Vyk.”

This surprised the lanky alien, and she steepled her thin fingers in front of her face. “I suppose it makes sense that the security chief would want to elaborate on all the safety improvements at the academy. I suppose Noora can wait to officially welcome him at the banquet.”

“Sorry.” I didn’t know why I was apologizing but I felt responsible for the missing captain. Then I blinked a few times. “Banquet?”

“We have to welcome him to the academy properly. I know we don’t have a full house of cadets, but a dinner with those remaining and the staff should impress him.”

How had I missed the memo about that? As long as I wasn’t assigned a seat next to Devon, it shouldn’t be too awkward.

“I know we can count on the Earthlings to make our visitor feel welcome. He is here to assess the exchange program, after all. We want to give him the best possible impression of life here at the academy.”

I stifled a groan. I had a sinking feeling that Vyk did not have impressing the captain at the top of mind. He might want to impress something on him, but I doubted it was anything that would help the case of the exchange program.

Reina cocked her head at me. “Is everything okay, dear? You look a bit green. I wouldn’t worry if you were a Vendelen, but the shade isn’t as flattering on Earthlings.”

“Totally fine,” I lied, as I walked her to the door of my office, “but I should probably get back to work.”

“Of course.” Reina fluttered her hands at her throat. “I’ll see you tonight.”

I waited until her brisk steps had faded before stepping into the corridor myself. I needed to find Gorman and Vyk before, well, I didn’t know what, but I had a gut feeling that it wouldn’t be good for the captain.

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Fiona

“Idon’t understand.” Ariana gave me a side-eyed look. “What do you mean you can’t find him?”

I rubbed my hands briskly over my arms and wished I’d thrown on a jacket before rushing outside. The wind off the water was biting, and even though the water was striking the bottom of the nearby cliffs, I could hear the crashing waves from where I stood.

I’d found my friend in the shipyard, inspecting one of the fighter jets and chatting with the Drexian pilot who’d transported Devon to Drex. After briefly meeting the pilot and thanking him for making all the jumps from the space station, I’d yanked her behind the nearest fighter and told her that I had no idea where Earth’s envoy had gone.

“I mean that I’ve looked everywhere, and there is no sign of him or the security chief.”

Ariana wrinkled her nose. “Why are you looking for Commander Vyk?”

I huffed out a breath, more impatient with myself for not telling my friend the entire story than at Ariana for being confused. “He’s the one who ran off with Devon.”

Ariana’s eyes widened. “Now, that’s a twist I didn’t see coming.”

“Be serious.”

“I am. I did not think Vyk was the type of Drexian to run away with anyone, male or female. He’s too stern for that.”

I wasn’t sure if I agreed with her assessment. Lately, I’d started to see glimpses of emotion in the commander, and when he’d interrupted me with Devon, I had been sure that I’d picked up a flash of something dark and dangerous in his eyes, which was why I was looking for Devon. I didn’t want Vyk to have the wrong idea about me and Gorman and somehow take it out on the guy.

“I don’t mean ran off like that.” I steadied my breath. “I mean that Vyk insisted on taking Comm—Captain Gorman around the academy and telling him about all our security measures.”

Ariana patted the side of my arm. “There you go, then. If he’s showing him the entire academy, it could take a while, especially if he’s going over all the security protocols. I’m surprised I haven’t seen them come out here yet. This is where we launch the perimeter patrols.”

“So, they haven’t been out here?”

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