Augustus gripped my shoulder with painful tightness, and he didn’t let go.
“You saved me?” I whispered up at him.
Surprisingly long lashes fluttered. His expression softened. Fingers loosened.
“You saved Big Bertha, the humpback whale.”
He dropped me.
I let out the cry (aquatic moan) of my people.
In a surprising turn of events that absolutely no one saw coming, he didn’t talk to me for the rest of class.
Time shifted.
“Are you okay, kid?” someone asked.
“Who’s asking?” I looked around but didn’t see anyone, and the initiate sitting next to me—I think his name is Drex?—gave me a strange look. Behind him, a boy stared up at the rock ceiling with drool coming out of his open mouth.
“Kid, it’s Nyx,” the strange voice repeated. “Keep your voice down.”
I didn’t know any Nyx.
Pine wrote names on the board, and a four was written beside “Alexis.”
I squinted and tried to figure out the puzzle.
Alexis is my name.Satisfaction filled me that I’d figured it out.
“This is the order you placed on thetest,” Pine said.
What test?
Pine pointed at the drooling boy. “Iason Athena,” he said. “You embarrass your illustrious House. You couldn’t answer asingleThagorean question. That level of ineptitude is unacceptable for a Spartan.”
General Cleandro stood up and said, “Iason, you’re running the circuit by yourself. I’ll be leading you. Get up, let’s go.”
Iason was dragged out of the classroom with his mouth open and eyes unfocused.
Hours later, General Cleandro came back.
He was alone.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, but I couldn’t remember why it mattered.
We were given a short break in the library.
Augustus stopped me in the hall, his frown severe.
“Are you all right, Alexis?” he asked silkily, and my toes curled.
“Who—is thisall rightyou speak of?” I winced as my bloody feet scraped across the rock floor.
From Augustus’s murderous glare, I did notwant to know.
“Keep your s-secrets.” I patted his disturbingly hard chest.
Augustus stared down at where I was touching him.
