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Kinkaid announced, as if we hadn’t all just heard as much.
Without a word, I turned, closed my book and straightened my desk before scooting from my seat, determined to avoid Jackson’s gaze for as long as I could.
“ Bring your bag,” Jackson added. “You probably won’t be back to class.”
At that, I looked up at Jackson. His eyes gave away nothing. He was the perfect, poker-faced soldier. Mrs. Kinkaid, on the other hand, seemed a bit surprised by his admission, though she made no comment.
Grabbing my bag from the floor, I was turning toward the front of the room when Aidan caught my arm.
“ Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, his eyes sweetly concerned.
I couldn’t help but smile.
“ Nah. It’s probably nothing, but thanks.”
Though he let go of my arm, Aidan still didn’t look comfortable with me going alone.
His concern was so touching and so reassuring, and his feelings were so obvious at that moment, I leaned down and touched my lips to his cheek. As I pulled away, I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that the contact didn’t stir anything more than a friendly affection in me.
“ What was that for?”
I thought of a thousand responses, but uttered only one.
“ For being so good to me.”
“ Ah, nothing to it,” he said, waving me off.
Aidan’s lips curved into a casual grin, but it was his eyes that belied how truly affected he was by my spontaneous display.
I turned to make my way to the front of class and I nearly stumbled, my gait faltering, when I looked up and met Jackson’s glittering blue eyes. They flashed with anger.
Before I even reached him, he spun on his heel and walked out of the room. I followed along behind him, mystified.
When we’d emptied into the hall and it didn’t seem that Jackson was going to slow down, I scrambled to keep up with his long-legged stride.
“ Jackson, slow down. Where are we going?” I asked from several steps behind.
“ Commander Jessup has some information for you,” he said brusquely.
I wanted to shout, What is your problem? But I did not. I decided to go with a more passive-aggressive approach.
I slowed to a pace more comfortable for me, absolutely refusing to run just to keep up with him. He was supposed to be watching out for me. He’s the one who claimed that it was necessary. If he left me behind, that was his own fault. I wasn’t going to make it all the easier for him.
After we’d walked for a few minutes and I was falling further and further behind, Jackson finally slowed. Without looking back, he managed to let me get within a few strides of him and then maintained that pace until we got to the brick building that housed Transport.
We were both quiet in the elevator, each simmering in our own angry juices, though I had no idea what he had to be angry about, any more than I understood his sudden aversion to me.
Shaking off those thoughts, I concentrated on what was to come, praying that Jessup would have some helpful news, if not downright good news.
When the doors opened to the operations center this time, at least there was less chaos, which made me feel marginally better. Commander Jessup was close to the elevator, obviously waiting for us, which made me a little uneasy.
“ Princess,” he greeted, bowing deeply from his waist.
Strangely, that gesture—the dramatic, very pronounced nature of it—made me feel suddenly panicky. It was as if he was recognizing me in a position that I didn’t occupy, that I had no right to and had no desire to fill—that of Warden Major or Warden Queen. That type of generous genuflection was reserved for the highest powers of the sea, for Mer like my parents, not for me.
To my heart, it felt as if he were giving up on their survival, acknowledging that I was the new ruler. And I didn’t like it.
“ Please, Commander Jessup, I am only the child of royalty. I am in no way deserving of such respect and I would appreciate your adherence to those customs previously established for our