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Before bed, I pass the main command board.

Every Chief's name has a line beneath it now. PRIMARY, SECONDARY, TERTIARY No person without replacement. No role without backup.

No Wing allowed to fail because one person disappears. Smart. Necessary. Terrifying.

For months, the Academy trained us to become stronger. Today it taught us something else. How to continue when the strongest people aren't here. And for the first time since Elarion asked for them I think everyone understands why.

Chapter Fifty-seven

Breakfast begins with theft. Specifically mine.

I reach for my coffee. It's gone. I look down at the empty space beside my plate. Then across the table.

Caelen takes a drink. Of my coffee. Again. I stare. He stares back. Slowly lowers the cup. "What."

"Put it back."

"No."

"Caelen."

"You weren't drinking it."

"I was eating."

"Exactly."

I blink. "What does that even mean?"

He takes another drink. "It was unattended."

"It's coffee."

"Poorly defended."

I reach across the table. He moves it away. I hate siblings.

Cassian looks between us. "This is why vampires have such violent reputations."

Nyra doesn't look up from her book. "No. That's mostly the murder."

"Good point."

I make another attempt for the cup. Caelen catches my wrist. "Behave."

"You stole from me."

"Borrowed."

"You have your own."

He looks toward his cup. Empty. "Had."

I narrow my eyes. "You finished yours and decided mine belonged to you."

"Correct."

"At least you're honest."