Haven
Imissed my alarm by thirty minutes.
I’m tugging my foot into my pants when the door to my bedroom opens. Ender stands there, his mouth tight in his signature scowl. His pale eyes flare like lightning in a storm. I stop jumping around and squeal loudly. My pants are halfway to my thighs. He just saw an eyeful of my underwear.
Ender turns around, giving me the illusion of privacy.
“Are you insane?” I yell. “I could have been naked!”
“Why would you be naked right now when training started thirty-six minutes and fifteen seconds ago?” Ender barks.
I hastily let the band of my cotton pants snap around my waist.
“I missed my?—”
“Excuses will not fly with me,” he cuts me off.
He spins around and steps into the room. The space feels stiflingly small when his massive frame enters. I take a step back, wondering when he plans to stop, but he just marches forward until my back hits the wall.
His hand slips behind his back, and something cold presses to my head. A gun. He is pointing a weapon atme.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t blow your head off?” he asks.
Fear slides down my spine, but I lift my chin, refusing to back down.
“You’re going to kill me because I was late for a training session?”
“I kill people for looking at me wrong,” Ender says. “I don’t need a good reason to put down insects.”
I grapple for the knives on my bedside table, but he’s close enough to feel my hand shift. The gun digs deeper into my skin, and a light click sounds. He just took off the safety catch.
My heart races rapidly.
He killed a boy yesterday. He didn’t hesitate. From his cold, glass-like eyes, I know Ender Vale hates me a lot more. He would relish my death.
“It won’t happen again,” I say nervously. “You have my word.”
“Your word isn’t good enough,” Ender hisses. “You’re a filthy liar.”
“No, I’m not.”
“So, you haven’t lied to me aboutanything?” he asks.
I’m starting to suspect he might know about the twin switch. This is not the first time he’s hinted at my deception. And since that is the only thing I did that might upset him, it’s safe to presume he knows.
I run my tongue along my lips.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Are you sure,Mercy?”
Yeah, he definitely knows. He spoke my name like a curse word.
“Yes.”
His eyes burn. He doesn’t like that response. Not one bit.
The gun lowers, but he doesn’t retreat.
