“Really?” I’m shocked. “I don’t think I’ve ever spoken to him.”
“Father, of course, immediately dismissed the idea,” he said wryly, “which I thought was a shame. Roman and I believed you could have flourished there.”
“You’re kidding.” I said bluntly, “I’m majoring in Literature.”
He shrugged, smiling a little devilishly. “Ah, but you’re still an Aslanov. In any case, since the Ares Academy’s origins over two hundred years ago, the first, unbreakable law is that it is neutral. There is a permanent détente between all factions. No murders, no attacks against another student.”
“What happens if someone just… snaps?” I ask.
“They’re put to death,” his expression is solemn. “It’s ugly. Very ugly. But it’s only happened three times in nearly two centuries, so those odds are good. Not to mention that all families who send a student there are required to defend the school against any attack. That has never happened. Do you see why this is the safest option for you?”
“I understand your reasoning,” I agree, “but it doesn’t change the fact that there’s no way they’re going to admit me. Particularly since the school year has already started.”
“It’s already done.” Ilia leaned back, unbuttoning his suit jacket, and finally taking a sip of the drink the flight attendant had made for him. “Adamovich messaged me an hour ago. Lev will take you toInis Mór and see you safely to the Academy.”
“I’ll stay in Kilronan Village on the island,” Lev adds, “it’s close to the Academy in case you need me, and I can keep an eye out for anyone coming to the island that shouldn’t be there.”
I’m grateful for that, but it feels selfish. “If I’m safe in this impenetrable fortress of gangsters, maybe you should be helping my brothers?”
Ilia and Lev exchange a glance, and my brother smiles at me. “What’s the Aslanov family motto?”
“Vsegda dvoynoye nazhatiye. Always double tap?”
His brow raises, “Uh, a good way to make sure your enemy stays down, but no.”
“Don’t go stingy with the bullets?”Nice, ten points for the dark humor, you idiot.
“That’s a subset of the former motto,” he corrects, but there’s a slight smile playing around the corners of his mouth.
Sighing, I drop my head. “Always watch your back?”
“That would be the one,” he says, no longer smiling. “Lev will be there to help you if you need him, but he’s not allowed on campus. You’re going to have to do that for yourself.”
“Didn’t you just make a case for how this is the safest spot on the planet for me right now?”
Ilia shakes his head. “You’ll be safer there, but you’re still among our kind. Don’t ever let your guard down. There are some people you can trust, your friend Mariya Morozova is there, and her affianced Konstantin Turgenev.”
He hands me a silver necklace with a small charm.
“What’s this?” I ask, turning it over to find a button, a bit recessed on the other side.
“No outside forms of communication are allowed on campus, though…” he grins a little, “there’s always some enterprising student making money by selling illegal cell phones.”
Rolling my eyes, I laughed, “You, most likely.”
“Maybe,” he allows. “But this device won’t get picked up on their scanners. I want you to always keep it on you. If you’re in danger, hit the button. Kilronan Village is still about ten minutes away, so no matter what is happening, you must stall for time, all right?”
Studying him, I feel the ache in my chest grow. We look the most alike of the Aslanov siblings, with blonde hair and dark green eyes. But while he’s tall and confident, and walks with a swagger, I’m the one who stays in the background and watches everyone. It’s easy to see how he ruled that campus.
“You will stand tall,Malen'kaya iskra,my little spark.You’re an Aslanov. Just like anywhere else in our world, any sign of weakness can be dangerous.” Ilia’s thumb brushes my wrist and I know he can feel my rabbiting pulse. “This is hard, I know it. Losing our parents…” his head drops for a moment until he regains his composure. “You can do hard things. You have before.”
His thumb brushes over the thick scar on my back and I twist my body away. Lifting my chin, he forces me to look at him. “You will again.”
Lucca…
“Who the hell isthat?”
I turn to look at whoever sparked Mateo’s idiotic wolf whistle. She can’t be a student; this campus is small enough that everyone knows everyone. She’s gorgeous. Lean, long legs, and blonde hair flowing down her back. Petite. She wouldn’t even come up to my shoulder. She glances over briefly at Mateo’s whistling, rolls her eyes, and continues into the main building.
