Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Let Operation Mine Peek begin.
I was living the development The Book of Arden had predicted. Though I hadn’t memorized the passage I’d read, the words now filled the corridors of my mind.
I rush down the hall as fast as my feet will carry me, determined to get my hands on Cyrus’s transmitter. All I must do is adhere the camera to a mine cart, and I can watch the feed to see what’s being mined.
The perfect plan, there for the taking. I dashed for Cyrus’s quarters. Well, “our” quarters. Perhaps he was headed there too. Perhaps not. I was banking on not. He probably had meetings or something. The passage I’d read hadn’t mentioned him. But one way or another, I’d make this work. His transmitter was the only way to get inside a pritis mine without leaving my post.
I pumped my arms, fueling my feet, only slowing when I reached the security checkpoints. I did my best to breathe and not alert the guards to my mission by insisting they hurry. Just when I thought I might snap, I entered the suite. No sign of Cyrus. Good. He probably wanted me to do this. He’d all but begged me to speed up my snooping, after all.
I sailed into his bedroom. The armor and its various accessories hadn’t been organized or relocated. Where were the camera and the transmitters? I scanned each piece on the bed. The right nightstand. The left. There! He’d never miss them in this mess. I put in the contacts, but I didn’t activate them. I would watch a recording of the feed as soon as I was dismissed from duty.
Single minded, I shoved the small case into my pocket, raced out the door, and retraced my steps.
A clock kept time above the locker-room door. One minute and thirty-three seconds until the start of my shift. Doubts slithered in, as insidious as a feeder’s worms. Mr. Victors or even Soal himself might be manipulating me, and I was playing right into their hands. According to Cured, that was standard maddened behavior. But I had to know more about the pritis stones. They kept coming up. Shiloh believed they were a secret worth killing to keep. Mr. Victors claimed the stones died, as if they had once lived. Ember challenged me to dig into their origins.
I wavered, going back and forth. Do this. Don’t do this. My skin flashed hot and cold. Agreeing to pretend babysit Cyrus to gain access to forbidden places was one thing, but doing full-on spy work was another. A true betrayal of Cured. Treason.
If I intended to back out, I must do it now. Before I stepped over a line.
Head high, I flattened my palm against the door and pushed into the locker room. Truth was too important.
Conversations tapered to quiet, and every gaze found me. I discovered a mix of my teammates and knights. Saying nothing, I soared past them all, going straight to my locker.
“Congrats on your special assignment.” Boots in hand, a grinning Juniper sidled up next to me. “Or maybe I say condolences.”
I snorted. “Probably both.”
“You’re sleeping with him.” Miller stood at the adjacent bay of lockers, a little huffy. “Admit it.”
Titus elbowed him in the gut.
Rather than insult Miller in front of everyone, as he’d done to me, breaking my vow to protect my teammates, I said, “If it makes you feel better to think I was chosen because I’m sharing his bed, that’s on you.” I refused to let his accusation intimidate me. Granted, Cyrus’s dating hopes had played a part in my selection, but it also had something to do with the Soalians and my expertise with plants.
“Wow, Mills, wow.” Juniper tied her boot with extra force.
“What?” the soldier demanded, tossing up his arms. “I can’t be the only one who noticed their steam.”
“Making fun of me for sweating during a workout when I ran triple the laps you did. Not exactly a boss move.” I tsk-tsked.
He scowled. Several of our teammates threw towels at him.
“Leave her alone.” Lark tugged her hair into a ponytail. “You might also try thinking before you speak. Desire can be one-sided. The HP is royalty. Top tier. He has more kills and captures than anyone who’s ever completed the program. There’s no way he’d lower himself to consort with a lady-in-training.”
Um. Thank you?
“More importantly, Arden’s love life isn’t our business,” Titus announced.
“He’s right.” Roman approached and slung his arm over my shoulders, showing his support. “Say another word about her assignment, and you’ll earn us all an extra hour at the mines.”
Sign me up for that extra hour! But one by one, soldiers resumed what they’d been doing before my arrival.
“I’m worried about you,” Roman admitted at low volume. He bent his head, ensuring no one overheard him. “I believe your assignment is legit, but that doesn’t mean feelings won’t change with proximity. Just . . . be mindful. The HP has a high body count off the battlefield too. From officers to our hot doctor.”