Page 95 of Silver Elite

Below me, the heads of our fellows and instructors are getting smaller and smaller. Above me, the black sky stretches endlessly, indifferent to our presence. My heart pounds in my chest, the adrenaline in my veins heightening my senses.

Lyddie is slowing, and I offer some encouragement. “You got this, Lyds. Dig your nails into that hole in the brick and reach for the rung with your other hand.”

But she’s not as athletic as other recruits. Her strengths lie in the classroom. She struggles to find footholds, and even when she does, she has trouble heaving herself up to reach the ladder.

The cool summer air bites into my cheeks as I cling to the wall waiting for her to move, my fingers aching from the strain. Finally,finally,we reach the top. Lyddie heaves herself over the ledge. I swiftly follow suit.

When my boots hit the gravel that coats the rooftop, my heart beats even faster. The building is only five stories tall, so I can’t see the entire city from up here, but I do catch glimpses of the skyline. Winking lights. Windows emanating a pale-yellow glow. I imagine all the obedient citizens in their tidy homes and apartments, going to sleep so they can wake up and go to their jobs in the morning. They earn Req credits to use for meals, necessities. Lux credits for the shinier things. They have schools for their kids. Safety on their streets. Maybe Cross is right. Maybe I should accept this life. There are far worse things than—

I shake myself out of it. What am I even thinking? There is nothing worse than serving the General. Nothing.

“Let’s go.” Roe’s voice snaps me from my thoughts.

I approach the edge of the roof and swallow through the sudden dryness of my mouth. Oh. The jump is more daunting than I expected.

Lyddie’s face turns ashen when she follows my gaze.

“It’s fine,” I tell her. “It’ll be over in seconds.”

Roe is irritated with Lyddie’s hesitation. “Enough of this shit. You already slowed us down on the ladder. I’m not letting you lose this for us. Just run and jump.”

She visibly gulps. “I…can’t.”

I don’t even have to sabotage the drill myself, I realize. I could just let Lyddie give up. Yet as I see the anguish seep into her brown eyes, I suddenly think about all the study sessions she’s foisted upon me. How freely she offers her help when I certainly don’t deserve it.

“Hey.” I nudge her with my shoulder. “You can do this. It’s not a big drop. When you land, make sure you roll. Absorb the impact in the roll, keen?”

“Keen,” she whispers.

“Hurry up,” Roe spits out.

“She’s coming,” I growl. “Go. She’s right behind you.”

He scowls for a moment, then backs up, breaks into a run, and jumps. His black uniform blends into the darkness.

Lyddie is even paler now, her freckles becoming prominent.

“You can do it, Lyddie. I promise.”

After a final beat of hesitation, she takes off. I can’t stop the pride that fills my chest as I watch her fly through the night like a clumsy bird. She lands not very gracefully, but at least intact.

It’s my turn now, and a rush of exhilaration races through me. I focus on the second rooftop, and then, with a running start and another surge of adrenaline, I jump off the roof, my muscles coiling like a spring as I launch myself into the void.

For a heart-stopping moment, I’m weightless. Free-floating as I arch through the air, and then time speeds back to normal, gravity takes over, and my feet land with a hard thump on the cold stone of the opposing rooftop. With a triumphant grunt, I roll out of the way so Jones doesn’t barrel into me as he clears the jump.

We hurry toward the ledge and climb over it, descending another metal ladder. When all four of us are on the ground, Tyler stops our time.

Roe glances at me and says, “Wow. You didn’t fuck it up for once.”

“Must have been your incredible leadership skills.”

He chuckles at that and wanders toward Anson and Kess.

Lyddie and I watch the other heats. Kaine and Betima are on the next team and seem to make good time. The third group features Ivy and Bryce, the latter jumping with ease and confidence I don’t expect from someone wound up so tight.

As we wait at the bottom and watch bodies soar through the air, Lyddie links her arm through mine. “I can’t believe we did that.”

“I know.”

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