School of the Crown Assassins

24

I looked down just in time to side-step a skinny, coiling animal that looked too much like a snake. I didn't realize there were many snakes in the woods surrounding our schools—I hadn't seen a single one during my five years—but I supposed they existed in the deeper, untouched area of the woods.

Nydia looked down at the one I had just passed and gave it a wide berth, scowling and mumbling, "Why are they following me everywhere?"

I wasn't sure what that meant and asking her would do nothing but confuse me more, so I kept quiet.

The Alphas and I shuffled through the humid, warm woods. The sun sparkled between the leaves tinting the ground below in light green. Birds chirped in the distance and the branches swayed back and forth. I could almost imagine that all of these people were my friends and I was simply exploring the woods with them, not going on one last bloody mission for the school with my enemies.

The school had issued one of their own missions—a rare occurrence on the Alpha team as the school leaves their own missions for lower ranks so that the Alphas were free for official missions—and it would most likely be the last one for the entire school year as there was one week left before final exams and fifth-year placement games which lasted another week. After that, school would be over.

During finals week we'll be taking tests and the fifth years had a few final games amongst themselves to see how they rank at the end of the year before graduation, which left no time for practically everything else. If I wanted to figure out the mystery of Echo, Daria Fortier, and what the Crown Fortier has to do with my mother's crime, I have to do it before finals week. Which meant I only had a week left.

My heart raced and my hands started shaking just thinking about it. There was so much to do, so much I couldn't fail, and such little time to accomplish it. And I still hadn't figure out what I was supposed to do after. I needed to get away from the Crowns, that's for sure. I wondered if Axe had any ideas.

He was the only person left on that I relied on, but sometimes I wonder if that was a mistake. For all I knew, he would help me figure out what happened to Echo and oust the Crowns then let me take the blame. I would be forced to flee while he stayed in his position of power by their side, a position he'd always wanted. I don't really mind fleeing by myself, but the idea that Axe could also be waiting for the perfect moment to stab me in the back was not comforting in the least.

I looked up ahead where Xavier and Arielle were leading, exchanging words occasionally. I looked between the two of them, trying to find a sign of their relationship, but found none. There were no intimate gestures, no lingering glances, or sneaky smiles. It was like they tolerated each other since they had to for the sake of their country and nothing more.

They hid their tracks well... or maybe it was all fake. A sour liquid crept up my throat and compressed it. What if they had known I was there and faked a secret relationship just to throw me off their scent? What if, in the past month I had made no progress at all and instead been running in circles, chasing a possibility that doesn't exist?

No. You know what you saw. Stop panicking. Focus.

The chances the Crown Assassins had seen me were slim. I was muddying the waters with my own overthinking. I wouldn't let that happen. Xavier and Arielle were in a secret relationship and were exceptionally well at hiding it since they had so much practice. That was the truth, the only truth. I wouldn't let other naive notions destroy what I had learned.

A twig snapped and I turned, staring at the empty space behind the bushes, my hands drifting to the daggers hanging from my belt. I waited for a full thirty seconds before I relaxed and watched up with the others who didn't bother to turn around.