It all makes sense, why the guard was so familiar. Yet it only makes a million questions fill my mind.
“Why the hell would you do that? How did you even get into The Academy?”
“Cayden found a way.”
I stare at him dumbfounded, unable to speak. Cayden found a way.
Cayden was protecting me? How could he have found a way to get into The Academy? Let alone keep me alive? I don’t know whether to hate him for being the reason I was in the chair in the first place, or thank him for finding a way to keep me alive.
“Darlia, love, I’ve been waiting for you.” Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Cayden comes walking down the steps, his eyes on me and my dress before smiling. “You look beautiful in red.”
“So you’ve said,” I say guardedly. I’m on edge, and now I’m confused.
This is going to be a long night.
Cayden isn’t dressed like me and Bella. He’s in a hoodie and jeans, looking so casual while me and Bella look ready for a ball. I don’t like it. Wasn’t this supposed to be a fancy dinner?
“Don’t worry, love. You can change inside where you won’t be seen,” he says as if reading my thoughts, sending my mind into a spiral. How does he always manage to do that? What if we are still being watched from inside? Wolvrin said to be careful when we’re not alone, but does that mean I need to be careful of Marcus, too?
Just do the mission, Darlia. Make it through tonight.
I nod, picking up my dress and walking up the steps, our heels muffled on the cool stone. Cayden opens the door, letting us in, and instantly my jaw drops. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.
I have been on thirty-eight missions for The Academy, but none of the places have been as stunning as this. The floors are marble, a word I’ve come to learn through missions. The walls are a complete contrast of dark wood. It’s beautiful, so beautiful.
“Come, darling. Let me show you something.”
Cayden takes my hand, leading me to an empty ballroom. I take a moment, being more on edge than ever, searching for any obvious cameras, mics, anything The Academy would be able to use to see exactly what we’re doing, but Cayden doesn’t stop walking. He just walks out the back doors, revealing a garden just as overwhelming as the front.
Much like a driveway, there is a large fountain in the middle. The path leading to it is laid with concrete, both sides filled with ever more flowers and plants. It’s so beautiful, so luxurious.
But then Cayden’s hands are on my cheeks, cupping my face and tilting my head up, looking at my neck and cheek.
“What happened? Are you okay?” His voice cracks slightly, and I watch as he takes in every detail.
“I’m fine, The Academy just reminded me who I was,” I say calmly, pushing his hands away from my face.
“No, no, don’t you do that. Don’t you push me away.”
“I’m just wanting my personal space, Cayden.”
He scoffs, shaking his head, but his hands move back to my neck and unwrap the bandage, taking off the gauze and looking at the cut. I see him exhale when he realises it’s not as bad as it looks, but his shoulders are still tense, his body still tight with tension.
“What did they do?”
“It was kill or be killed, so I killed.” Cayden’s eyes narrow slightly, clearly not liking the casual approach I had to The Academy game. I wonder if he knows what I did just to save myself? I wonder if he cares, if he expected me to roll over and admit defeat. Hopefully not.
“Clover, is she alive?”
How the hell does he know that?
“I don’t know.” It’s the truth. I assumed she could be dead, but I never thought to check because frankly, I don’t care. I would’ve done it again to save myself, because despite hating every day in The Academy, it keeps me alive. And if I need to kill someone to stay, then I will.
“How do you know that?” My brows knit as I try to process exactly how he knows about Clover’s death. It’s been less than a few hours and I didn’t recognise Marcus as a guard.
“Sources, darling.”
I am so sick of his deflection. “Cayden, give me something,” I plead. I need a new detail, a new anything, something to be able to report back with.
