Chapter 0226

“Mom,” I say, catching her arm and stopping her before she heads to the door. “Are you…are you

mad at me?” My voice breaks a little on my question, my eyes smarting with tears as I look at her,

worried.

“Oh, baby,” she murmurs, shock and concern suddenly on her face. “Why would you think that?”

“Because,” I say, heaving a little shrug. “We – we lied to you for months. And I did something really

dangerous. And I almost died, and showed up all bloody with two mates – and it must be so weird

–“

Mom laughs a little, taking my face between her hands and shaking her head at me. “Oh,

sweetheart,” she murmurs, and then she nods. “If I’m being honest, I could have done without the

blood and the near-death. But I’m not mad at you – sweetie, I’m proud of you.”

My mouth twists in sudden surprise, and my eyes fill with unexpected tears. “You’re – you’re what?”

“Baby,” she wraps me in a hug as she speaks, “you are doing something difficult that nobody has

done before. And it’s kind of kicking your ass!” I laugh, tears slipping down my cheeks as I nod and

hug her back.

“Yeah,” I reply, my voice shaking. “It kind of is.”

“But look at you,” she says, pulling back and beaming into my face. “Look at you, baby! You’re

kicking its ass too! You are finding your way, doing something you’re passionate about, and you’re

succeeding. Ariel, my love,” her own eyes fill with tears now, “I’m so proud of you. I’d scream it from

the rooftops for everyone to hear if it wouldn’t get you instantly kicked out.”

I laugh, and hug my mom again, and then we take a few moments to wipe my tears away before we

head off to breakfast. Before we go, I tuck the little notes left on my bed into the back pocket of my

Cadet uniform and prepare to go negotiate with my dad, the King.

Breakfast goes better than I thought it would, right from the start. It’s a short, unfrilled affair – just

the four of us gathered around for coffee, and some toast and fruit, at a little folding table in the back

hall. Cora isn’t here, unfortunately – she headed home after patching up some minorly-wounded

cadets and sending Jesse off with a kiss.

As I pour my coffee, I realize that my mom has probably been up all night – that after I fell asleep

she probably spent every minute rushing around from room to room, healing all the cadets who

were injured in the Examination. I see the signs of it now that I look for them – the slight circles

under her eyes, the yawn she hides with her hand.

But I just smile, and don’t call her out – because even though mom is full of jokes and would just

brush it off, I know that she has the biggest heart of anyone in the world.

I resolve, again – for the thousandth time – to try to be more like her.

“So,” dad says, his voice all business as he offers me the basket of toast, which I grab perhaps too

eagerly, loading up my plate with a serving size that is more like Rafe’s usual breakfast than mine.

“We’re going to strike a deal.”

“We are?” I ask, crumbs spilling from my mouth as I speak with my mouth full.

Rafe just smirks at me, and I give him a little glare before I chew and swallow, focusing on our dad.

“Despite what you all think,” dad says, looking evenly around the table at us, “I do listen to you, and

I am reasonable. I am not pleased with the fact that we were lied to, and that Ariel was put into an

unnecessarily risky situation.” He levels his gaze at me now, and I sit up straighter, as I always do

when I’m in trouble with dad.

“But,” he continues, and I go very still, hope beginning to swell in me. Dad folds his hands,

continuing to look at me evenly. “I am aware that you have proven yourself at this Academy, Ariel.

You have…passed the tests that weeded out other candidates, tests that were as much about

cleverness as they were physical prowess – about finding out how to pass, even if your physical

makeup didn’t make that easy for you.”

I frown a little bit here, my mind wandering to consider that I wouldn’t have been highly ranked

enough to enter the academy or to pass the Examination if it hadn’t been for Jackson. That Jackson

really did pull me through.

Is there something wrong with that, though? Is there a rule that every Cadet at the Academy must

be a lone island of physical strength? Is there nothing useful about having good friends, and the

right friends?

My dad continues talking, though, and so I push the question aside to mull over later, uncomfortable

with it but needing to concentrate.

“So here’s what we’re going to do,” dad says, reaching out for an orange and beginning to peel it as

he begins to lay out our plan.