Chapter 3
Harlow
The canteen is crazy busy, as always, only this time, there’s an underlying tension that wasn’t there this morning. I can feel eyes on me as I walk forward in the food line.
I feel a prickle on my back. I’m sure people are talking about me. I do my best to ignore them and to stay out of my head.
My stomach churns as I stare at the food options, none of which look remotely appealing, even though they should.
The chefs in this place know how to cook.
It’s just that the thought of eating makes me feel sick, but I know I need to keep my strength up.
Tomorrow is my next attempt. I’m shaking in my boots.
Smoke advocated for me earlier, saying that I couldn’t make an attempt straight after witnessing Vanessa’s fall.
Although I was relieved, there is a part of me that wanted to get it over with immediately.
To bite the bullet. Another part of me was grateful for the reprieve.
I was too shaken to make the attempt. I still am.
I have twenty-four more hours to think about what happened. Twenty-four more hours to imagine myself falling just like she did.
Arghhhh!
I need to stop this line of thought.
I force myself to focus on the food.
“I’ll have the steak, please,” I tell the kitchen staff member, watching as she dishes me a thick, juicy rump and some roast potatoes.
“Salad?” she asks, her hand hovering over the servers.
“Yes, that would be great, thanks.”
She dishes a healthy portion and hands me the plate. “There are a few options for dessert, including a gorgeous chocolate mousse, so leave some room.”
“Thank you.” I force a smile, feeling tension throughout my body.
I roll my shoulders as I turn to head back to our usual table. I make it exactly three steps before a voice cuts through my thoughts.
“And? Are you ready for tomorrow?” Becca scrutinizes my plate. “I’m not sure you should be eating all of that. Perhaps you should have picked the chicken breast or the fish.”
Becca is one of the few Tributes I’ve never particularly liked.
She’s standing with her arms crossed and a nasty smirk on her face.
She’s about my height but built like a marathon runner – all lean muscle and sharp angles.
Her auburn hair is pulled back in a severe ponytail that somehow makes her eyes look even meaner.
“Excuse me?” I ask, even though I heard her perfectly well.
“I’m just saying,” Becca continues, her voice carrying just loud enough for nearby tables to hear, “maybe you should consider a lighter meal. I’m trying to be helpful, Harlow.”
Sure, she is. I hold back an eyeroll.
“Some of us want to get to the mind-bond attempt, but we can’t do that until you get your ass over the finish line in time. You need to hustle!”
Heat floods my cheeks, but I force myself to keep my expression neutral.
“I also need to be well nourished so that I have the strength to get over the line in time. Thanks for your thoughtful advice, though.” I give her my sweetest smile. “Have a lovely evening.”
I turn and walk away before she can respond, but her words echo in my head with each step.
The pressure sitting on my chest feels like it weighs a thousand pounds.
She’s right, though, at this point, everyone’s stuck here until I make Sky’s Edge.
No wonder they’re all watching me with a mixture of pity and frustration.
I keep my breathing even and hold on to my plate tightly, feeling their eyes on me.
By the time I reach our table, my hands are shaking a little. I set my plate down and slide into the empty chair next to Jordyn, immediately reaching for my cutlery set. The side of my hand catches the saltshaker, sending it toppling over with a small crash.
“Shit,” I curse, quickly righting it while salt spills across the table.
“Hey,” Jordyn says softly, reaching over to help me clean up the mess. “You okay?”
“Never better,” I lie, picking up my fork and staring at my food.
I need to eat. Screw Becca. Since when does it matter whether I eat steak or chicken? I start to eat, faking calm that I don’t feel.
“The medical team got Vanessa stabilized before the helicopter took off…didn’t they?” Carla asks. “That’s got to be a good sign, right?” She looks worried.
“I think they may have. I hope so.” Jordyn nods, though she doesn’t sound entirely convinced. “She’s tougher than she looks.”
“That fall was huge. It took several seconds for her to hit,” Carla adds, her eyes wide. “They were trying to resuscitate her…that means she was dead.” Her voice is small. “I don’t think she made it. I hope I’m wrong.”
“Can we change the subject, please?” I ask, feeling ill.
“Of course.” Carla reaches over, touching the side of my arm. “Sorry, Harlow. It’s just that I’m… It was awful, and I’m so worried.”
“Of course you are. We all are.” I nod and take a bite of potato, forcing myself to chew and swallow.
“What do you think the dragons are like?” Jordyn asks, looking excited.
Dani shrugs, looking back down at her plate, which is still full of food.
“Do you think they’re as big and scary as we’ve been made to believe?” Carla asks, popping a piece of tomato into her mouth.
Dani doesn’t look up; she is pushing her food around her plate, moving the same piece of chicken from one side to the other without actually eating any of it.
“Dani?” I ask, leaning closer to her. “Are you okay?”
She looks up at me with red-rimmed eyes and nods quickly. Too quickly, perhaps?
“I’m fine,” she says, but her voice is tight and strained.
I study her face. Dani’s usually one of the most upbeat people I know, always ready with a joke or an encouraging word. This version of her, the quiet, withdrawn kind, is completely out of character.
“Come on,” I press gently. “What’s wrong? And don’t say nothing because you look like you’re about to cry. Actually, scratch that; you look like you have been crying.”
Dani glances around the table, then leans closer to me.
“Ash is gone,” she whispers.
“What do you mean, gone?”
“He’s been demoted,” she says under her breath so that only I can hear. “They made him pack up his things and leave. If he refused, they threatened to fire him. And it’s all because of me.” A tear tracks down her cheek, and she wipes it away with a quick swipe of her hand.
My heart sinks. I’ve known about Dani and Ash for weeks.
I caught them sharing secret looks, then there was the disappearing at the same time during training breaks.
I warned her to be careful, that getting involved with a superior was asking for trouble, but she was so happy that I didn’t have the heart to push too hard.
“Did someone find out about the two of you?” I ask.
She nods, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. “One of the trainers walked in on us. We—” She starts to say, but before she can speak, the conversations around us begin to die down. I look up to see what’s captured everyone’s attention and feel my breath catch in my throat.
A man has entered the canteen, and he’s freaking gorgeous. I swallow a big mouthful of food so that I don’t gape with a full mouth.
He’s crazy tall and built like he could bench press a small car.
His shoulders are broad beneath a black leather tank top that showcases arms covered in tattoos.
The ink winds around his biceps and forearms, same as all the other men, and yet, I can’t take my eyes off them…
or him. There’s something about him that has me… wound up in an instant.
It’s his face that really stops me in my tracks. He has a strong jaw with just a hint of stubble, and the most incredible blue eyes I’ve ever seen. His hair is dark, with hints of copper, and longer than I’d normally find attractive, but on him it works. Everything about him works.
Every damned thing.
Holy freaking moly!
He’s serious to the point of looking angry. His jaw is tight. His whole body is tight.
He raises his hands, and the room falls silent.
I have to work to close my mouth.
“Good evening, everyone,” he says, his voice carrying easily across the space. It’s deep and rich, with just a hint of gravel that sends an unexpected shiver down my spine. “I know you’re all eager to get back to your evening, so I’ll keep this brief.”
“Who is he?” Carla asks.
“Shhhhhh,” Jordyn says. “Let’s find out.”
“I’m Drake, and I’ll be serving as your Academy leader effective immediately,” he continues. “Ash had a family emergency and needed to leave suddenly. He’s taken a position in the city and won’t be returning.”
I glance at Dani and see her face crumple. She knows, just like I do, that this story about a family emergency is complete bullshit.
“I want to address what happened today during the Sky’s Edge attempt,” Drake’s voice grows more serious. “Vanessa Duffy is receiving the best medical care available, and we’re hopeful for her recovery.”
“Is she still alive?” someone shouts, and I’m glad because it’s top of all of our minds.
“I can’t believe she survived that fall,” someone else yells from the back.
“I’m afraid I don’t have that information,” the new leader – Drake – says. “All I can tell you is that everything possible would have been done to save her. She is in the best hands, one way or another.”
Everyone starts talking all at once.
“Don’t have the information, or is it that you won’t tell us?” I ask above the din.
Drake looks in my general direction, but it is clear that he doesn’t know who spoke.
“I mean it when I tell you that I don’t have the information.
Once a Tribute leaves Draig Island, we have no way of knowing.
All I can tell you is that a specialist team fully equipped to handle emergency medicine was working on her.
The helicopter took her to one of the best hospitals on the Mainland.
What I can tell you is that her injuries were severe. ”
“There is no way Vanessa survived that fall,” Becca shouts.
“Let’s not speculate,” Drake says. “I know it must have been difficult for all of you to witness, and I want you to know that counseling services are available for anyone who needs them. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re struggling.
Speak with your trainer or go directly to see our therapist. Her door is always open. ”
A murmur goes up from various tables.
“To those of you who have successfully completed Sky’s Edge, congratulations.
Your courage and determination are commendable.
” His gaze sweeps across the room, and I find myself holding my breath, waiting for his eyes to find mine.
“To our remaining Tribute, I wish you the very best in your upcoming attempt.”
And then it happens. His vivid blue eyes lock onto mine across the crowded canteen, and everything else disappears. The conversations, the clinking of silverware, all the background noise fades away until there’s nothing but those eyes looking directly at me.
My heart stops beating. I’m sure of it. For several seconds, I forget how to breathe, forget how to think, forget everything except the way he’s looking at me.
There’s something in his expression. It’s not pity, like I’ve been getting from everyone else, but something else.
Something that makes heat pool in places it definitely shouldn’t.
His eyes move from mine, and he continues talking, but I don’t hear a single word. I’m too busy trying to understand what the hell is happening to me. This isn’t normal. This level of immediate, overwhelming attraction to a complete stranger has never happened to me before, and I don’t like it.
What is wrong with me?
This guy is nothing like anyone I’ve ever been attracted to.
I like neat, clean-cut men with short, styled hair and college degrees.
Men who wear suits and work in offices and know which fork to use at fancy dinners.
Men like Miles. Miles who is sweet and stable and waiting for me back home with his perfectly trimmed hair and his MBA.
Miles is the one.
Drake is the complete opposite of everything I usually find appealing. The tattoos, the long hair, the leather outfit that screams “bad boy” – none of it should work for me. And yet here I am, practically melting in my chair because he looked at me.
I force myself to look away, focusing on my steak while my heart goes nuts in my chest.
Get it together, Harlow.
So, what if I’m mildly attracted to the new Academy leader? It doesn’t mean anything.
“…and please remember that my door is always open if you need anything,” Drake finishes. “Enjoy your evening.”
I risk a glance up just in time to see him turn and stride toward the exit. His gait is confident and purposeful.
The conversations around us gradually resume, and Dani leans closer to me again.
“He wasn’t transferred,” she whispers, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “He was demoted and sent to the city.”
I reach over and squeeze Dani’s hand, feeling terrible for her. I didn’t realize that she cared so much about Ash, and now he’s gone. She seems really upset.
“He told me we can’t be together anymore. I thought he cared about me.” More tears roll down her cheeks.
“I’m sure he does care,” I whisper. “They obviously gave him no choice.”
“You’re right.” She sniffs and wipes her nose. “I didn’t think I would be this…this…”
“You have feelings for him?”
She nods. “I’m not sure when that happened, but yes, I do. Enough about all of that. How are you feeling?”
“I’m terrified.”
Understatement of the century. I need to keep it together if I have any hope of making it.