“Can I continue?” Sasha asked, glancing back at me.
I nodded mutely, still trying to wrap my mind around the revelation. Maybe my brother wasn’t just an adjunct. Maybe he was a trained operative in the Drexian intelligence network, the shadowy organization that most people believed was nothing more than rumors and hushed speculation.
It made perfect sense now. It also explained his confidence during the rescue mission, his access to classified information, and the way Zoran interacted with him as an equal despite his supposed position as a simple administrative assistant. Had Tivek been playing a role this entire time, maintaining a cover identity so deep that even his own brother had believed it?
I’d heard talk about the Shadows throughout my military career, stories of a covert school that trained operatives in espionage and infiltration. But I’d always assumed they were just rumors, the kind of stories that were told to elicit fear in our enemies.
Now I was almost certain the rumors were true. The Shadows must be real, and my brother must be one of them.
I didn’t know whether to burst with pride at his accomplishments or fury that he’d never trusted me enough to tell me the truth. How long had he been living this double life? How many times had I condescended to him, treated him like a failure, while he was actually serving Drex in ways I couldn’t even imagine?
A sharp intake of breath from Sasha snapped me back to the present. She was grinning at the tablet screen, her expression triumphant in the pale glow.
“Yes!” she whispered, her voice thick with satisfaction.
I leaned closer to see what had caught her attention, my shoulder brushing against hers as I read the message displayed on the screen.
From: Drexian High CommandTo: Admiral ZoranRe: Unauthorized Rescue Operations
Admiral, you are hereby ordered to cease all rescue operations related to captured Earth personnel. This directive comes directly from Earth Planetary Defense Command and is not subject to appeal or interpretation. Any violation of this order will result in immediate court-martial proceedings.
Furthermore, you are specifically forbidden from mounting any operation to recover the Earth pilot Sasha Bowman. This individual has been classified as an acceptable loss.
“There it is,” Sasha breathed, her finger tracing the words on the screen. “Proof that someone in Earth’s command structure wanted me left to rot.”
“Does it say who?” I asked.
“Not specifically,” she said, scrolling through the rest of the message. “But it references Earth Planetary Defense Command as the source of the directive.” She looked up at me, her eyes blazing with determination in the moonlight. “That’s what I’m going to find out when I go back to Earth.”
I stared at her. Earth? She was planning to hunt down whoever had betrayed her in the corridors of power back on her home planet? Why had I ever thought that her quest for revenge would be sated without heads rolling?
Chapter
Thirteen
Sasha
Iwalked into the staff dining room feeling better than I had in months, my steps lighter despite the lack of sleep. The scent of breakfast—fresh bread, something that smelled remarkably like coffee, and the rich aroma of grilled meat—made my stomach growl with actual hunger rather than a hollow ache.
Finally, I had proof. Undeniable evidence that I’d been right all along. Someone in Earth’s command structure had deliberately abandoned me, had written me off as an acceptable loss while I’d rotted in that Kronock prison. The memory of seeing those words on Admiral Zoran’s tablet filled me with savage satisfaction.
Now I just had to figure out how to tell Ariana that I was leaving.
The thought dampened my mood considerably. My sister would be devastated that I wasn’t staying longer, especially after we’dfinally begun to rebuild our relationship. She’d want to know why I was rushing back to Earth, and I couldn’t tell her the truth. I couldn’t tell her I was planning to hunt down whoever had betrayed me, regardless of how high up the chain of command that hunt might lead.
Maybe I could blame our father? Say he’d contacted me about something urgent? But that excuse felt weak. Our relationship with our father had always been a sore spot, and Ariana knew as well as I did that I wouldn’t rush across the galaxy just because he’d summoned me home. Not anymore.
Before I could come up with a better cover story, Ariana spotted me from across the room and waved me over with an enthusiastic gesture that made my chest tight with affection. She was sitting at a small table with Volten, both of them looking considerably more bright-eyed than I felt.
I was glad to see the Drexian with her. It meant I wouldn’t have to have an immediate heart-to-heart with my sister about my departure plans. I could ease into the conversation gradually, maybe make it sound less like a hasty retreat and more like necessary business.
“You look more rested,” Ariana said as I approached.
“I’m feeling better," I said, which was true enough. Having concrete proof of the conspiracy against me was better than any sleep I could have gotten.
Ariana pushed a plate of what looked like crispy, golden strips toward me. “Try the fried padwump. It tastes a lot like bacon.”
I took a piece and bit into it, savoring the savory, salty flavor that did indeed remind me of the breakfast meat from Earth. Thesimple pleasure of food that actually tasted good was still novel enough to make me close my eyes in appreciation.
