Page 78 of Legend

I smiled at this thought, getting more malicious pleasure from that idea than I should have. I was still considering it, when the device in my pocket trilled.

I always brought it with me when I ran outside the academy buildings, but I was surprised that it was going off. I rarely used it within the academy, and it had been a while since I’d received a message or vid call.

I pulled it from my pants pocket and glanced at the screen before answering. “Hey, Nina, it’s been a while.”

My cousin worked on the Island, one of the Drexian space stations designed to house tribute brides and their warrior husbands. We hadn’t spoken much since I’d arrived at the academy—we were both busy with new jobs and new Drexian mates—but she knew all about Sasha and the plan to rescue her.

“No kidding.” Nina’s voice crackled as her images warbled on the screen. “I’ve been trying to reach you for days.”

“Really?” That was odd. I’d received no transmissions or attempted calls. Then again, maybe that was the weird part.

“Really.” She frowned. “I’ve been worried about you.”

“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine. We’re still working on pinpointing the place where Sasha’s being held, but I think we’re clo—”

“Ariana,” she cut me off, “how are the preparations going? Is the academy ready or can I expect you to come here until the danger has passed?”

I stared at her image for a beat. “What danger?”

She ran a hand through her dark hair and huffed out a breath. “Have you all received no transmissions?”

My heart, which had started to return to its normal patter, began to race again. “I don’t know. Why? What’s going on?”

“You know that we formed an alliance with the Taori, right? Well, they have been tracking the Sythian swarm, which is even more terrifying than the Kronock.”

I’d heard some things about the horned warriors who were traversing multiple galaxies to hunt down a deadly swarm, but my understanding was that it was far from Drex.

“Apparently, the swarm splintered and part of it went off in another direction,” Nina said, her voice dropping. “Drex and the Academy are now in its possible path.”

My stomach clenched as I backed away from the edge of the cliff and started to half run, half stumble toward the academy. “I didn’t know. No one here knows.”

“I’m telling you, your communications are down.”

My mind spun in a thousand directions as I started to run. “What about the envoy from Earth? Did he know about this?”

“You mean the guy who was sent there to warn you about it and assist with preparations and evacuations—?”

I didn’t hear the rest of what she said because as I drew closer to the towering black stone walls of the academy, the connection was lost and my cousin’s face vanished. It didn’t matter. I knew what I needed to know, and I knew who was to blame.

“Grekkingmen,” I said as I broke into a sprint.

Chapter

Sixty-One

Fiona

All I could do was stare at Devon as his words sifted into my brain. I looked at his outstretched hand, but the idea of taking it was unthinkable. Had he said what I thought he had? I gave my head a quick shake, unwilling to believe that he was serious. He was exaggerating and trying to scare me into going with him. He could not be serious. But a small voice in the back of my brain warned me that he was very serious.

“What did you say?” My voice cracked as I took a step away from him.

“I’m here to get you out before the imminent attack. If you know what’s good for you, Fi, you’ll come with me.”

“And if you know what’s good for you, Captain, you’ll never call me that again,” I spat out, each word sharp.

Whatever veil had been keeping me from seeing Devon as he truly was had been ripped away, and I could finally see him for the weak, cowardly bully that he was. Now my biggest regret was that I hadn’t actually been the one to knock him out.

He flinched but clenched his teeth until his jaw trembled. “You’d rather stay here with these jarheads than come back with me? What is it? Do you actually like it here? Do you think this crumbling castle isn’t destined for a bulldozer?” Then his eyes flickered with malice. “You really are fucking one of them, aren’t you? You lied to me before. Is that it? Did you spread your legs for one of those aliens like you did for me?”

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