Page 86 of Above
While it wouldn’t be simple, I was fairly confident it would be easy. We had the element of surprise on our side, and we were far better equipped to fight.
“We’ll shadow walk in the predetermined squads,” I ordered, pointing at the map of the planet that one of the cartographers held up. “Each strategist trainee will take point, and thecombatant trainees will follow, as well as the elites in the two divisions. We move seamlessly and without hesitation, which will allow us to gain control without loss of life. There is no clear cut way to do this. While we’ve run our drills, the likelihood you’ll rely on instinct is much higher. Be smart, be vigilant, and be quick.”
Everyone nodded, their eyes not leaving mine. It felt good to stand there before them, leading as I was certainly always meant to. A throat cleared somewhere in the back, demanding my attention. With only a glance I knew exactly who it was.
“Make sure you’re all ready.” With that, I waved them off, turning to the right and waiting for Father to approach. His eyes were on me, pale hair combed back and black leathers on. He had no weapons, nor did he wear his mask. The general wouldn’t be coming then.
“Son,” he offered, acknowledging my presence officially. I nodded, standing at attention and waiting for whatever demand or order he’d place upon me. That’s how it always was with him. “Follow me.”
Rare was it that Father held me in any way. Even as a child I never seemed worthy of affection. However, he broke the pattern as he wrapped an arm around my shoulders and spoke quietly to me.
“The time has come for the akhata to die, Azazel.” I didn’t dare look at him, not wanting to show the surprise that his hissed words caused me.
“I thought we were waiting until graduation? Won’t doing it now hinder our plight?”
“I no longer care. When the trash doesn’t take itself out, then you do it yourself,” he sneered. How I wished I could understand what she had done to push him over this edge. We had both known she would serve as a tool, but we needed her to be our tool, not anyone else’s. “Nova Tershetta is not to come back toDajahim. No matter what. Under no circumstances should she survive this mission.”
Nodding, I mumbled, “Yes, Father.”
“Good.” With that he left, not bothering to offer a goodluck or goodbye.
Huffing, I practically stomped my way to Cal and Priya. And who was there to intercept me but the akhata fucker himself. The one who drew so much stars-damned attention to her. Who made it my problem. Who madehermy problem.
My fists were balled, the culmination of so much aggravation, confusion, and fury with my old best friend rising. “What do you want, Talon?”
“I saw you with your father,” he seethed. “What are you two planning?”
“That’s not really any of your business.” I waved him off, trying to get space before I did something truly dumb. “I don’t ask you what you and your father plot behind the backs of my family.”
“Yeah, well, it seems like you fucking my mother,” his finger pressed into my chest, making every word feel like a shot of burning magic to my heart, “would give you a lot of insight into that bullshit.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I was growing more furious by the second, my father’s demands and Talon’s accusations pushing me toward an edge I wasn’t sure I could step away from.
“Don’t I?”
“No, you don’t. If you did, you’d feel really fucking stupid right now.”
“Either way it doesn’t matter to me anymore,” Talon snapped. I could feel the eyes of onlookers, my shame gone with my patience. “What matters to me is Nova and keeping her safe. So what are you planning?”
“Again it’s none of your business.”
“She’s my business! She’s my everything now!”
“And why is that, Talon?” I pressed, daring to admonish him. “Why is she your everything? You’ve never shown this much interest in anybody you’ve ever dated or fucked. What is it about her?”
“Don’t pretend like you don’t feel it too!” He was growing frantic, his bellows echoing for all to hear. “I know you do. I see it in the way that you look at her. Which is why you need to stay the fuck away from her!”
“I don’t see anything in her other than a burden,” I snarled. We were nearly chest to chest, his eyes tilting up to look into mine with so much hatred my stomach twisted. “All she does is taint and poison everything! And you’re letting her! You’re encouraging her! You’re helping her!”
“She’s not doing anything wrong other than trying to survive!” Unfortunately, he had me there. “And it doesn’t matter, because she’s not like the others. Nova isn’t some useless akhata. She’s not a plague like they are. She’s different. You will all see it one day.”
Freezing, I stared down at him in bafflement. There it was, the truth I knew lurked in the depths of his calm and progressive waters, rising to the surface. “Does she know that you still think so poorly of every other person that’s just like her?”
“Nobody’s like her! Nobody will ever be like her!”
We both faced off, my chest rising and falling in such rapid succession that I felt as if I might faint. Around us, trainees and elites stood, their mouths agape, whispers beginning. Talon seemed to realize how loud we had gotten, and I saw the panic enter his eyes moments before he began whipping his head around, searching for her. But I’d already found her in the crowd, my mind somehow always knowing exactly where she was.
She stood beside the trainee she had somehow convinced to be her friend—the one with eyes like moss and a habit of talking too much. Her curls were especially wild, as if she’d been running her hands through them, the anxiety that clearly brewed inside of her bubbling up and over. I could tell by her wide eyes and slightly open mouth that she was processing all we had said. Could tell by the way she pulled her slightly larger upper lip into her mouth and drug her teeth across it, as if holding back tears.
