Daughter of Nox

Chapter Twenty-Seven

"We've got to call the dads," Etta said after Freya showed her the graffiti in her room. "Like, now."

"Uh, no thanks," Freya said stiffly. "They're the ones who got us into this mess in the first place."

"If not them, then who?" Etta said. "We obviously can't call Academy security." She gestured toward the wall. "How are we going to explain that?"

"It's an art installation," Freya said. "A commentary on the jingoistic mindset of the Ministry elite."

"I don't even know what that word means, so the chance that some knuckle-dragger security grunt is going to understand it is less than zero," Etta said. "Not to mention the mess. They're going to want to know who we flamed off bad enough to make them go psycho on our rooms."

Freya's mouth pinched into a tight scowl. She knew Etta was right, even if she didn't want to admit it.

"Fine," Freya conceded, "but let's make this quick. I don't want to spend my entire lunch listening to my dad lecture me."

Etta left to wave her father, while Freya stayed in her room to sift through the disaster of her room for her datapad. Sending a wave with the comm at her waist wouldn't reach her father off-world, so she needed the MinNet access provided by the other machine.

She found the slim device wedged between her desk at the wall, and felt relieved when the thing came alive at her touch. A message notification flashed on the screen. She sat on the edge of the bed and tapped the icon to bring the MinNet messaging app online.

The message was from her father–a response to the wave she'd sent after the Ministry officer had set them to cleaning their barracks the night before.

Freya read over the few lines of text, her stomach twisting into knots as she took it in. The message confirmed her suspicions about the Ministry officer from the night. After receiving her message, Freya's father had reached out to friendly contacts within Academy and seen to unraveling the half-hearted effort at getting her expelled.

"Etta!" she called out once she'd finished reading. "I need your face here right now."

Etta stomped into the room a second later, her comm in hand and a grim look on her face.

Freya sat up straighter. "Is everything alright?"

"Nope," Etta said as she dropped onto the bed beside Freya. "It is very much not alright."

Freya felt cold snake through her gut. "What did he say?"

"Just that the guys who broke in here probably are the Ascending Novices of our fathers' sworn enemies."

"Oh happy day," Freya said.

"The happiest," Etta said. "So now we not only have normal Novice stuff to think about, but now we get to fight the children of our fathers' enemies."

"I've always wondered what being part of a generational blood feud feels like," Freya said. "Did he mention anything else?"

"Only that I need to 'watch Freya's six'," Etta said. "Which was super helpful advice, because until then I had planned on leading you into an ambush."

"I guess I'm glad you talked to him then," Freya said. "I don't much like being led into ambushes."

Etta's lips pulled back in a forced, toothy grin. "I'll be sure to convey your thanks." She let her smile fall. "Please tell me your dad had something a little more uplifting to share."

Freya recounted the message from her father, being sure to mention the part about his contacts in Academy.

"Wow," Etta said. "I have to admit that I did not see that coming."