Free Cassiel Winters 1: Sky's End by Lesley Young Page A

apply to the ship I’ll be on tomorrow. The blueprints will be downloaded to my com-tab, and I plan to do my best to memorize them before I fall asleep.
    Lt. Lazarus explained that I’ll be carrying one piece of important technology I didn’t know ESE had—a decoder stealth device. You wave it over a tech system and its programming’s sent out on radiation fields to deprogram any protective shields, decode and download intel.
    I think, with a flush, about how I panicked when they decided to wrap up.
    “Is that it?” I asked, louder than I thought. I clarified, softly adding, “What about the other stuff?”
    Cora comprehended my meaning.
    “Gentleman, would you leave us please?”
    When they were gone I steadied myself, and said, “Now show me the other stuff.”
    She laughed at me.
    “My dear, teaching a virgin in the art of seduction is like teaching a child to be an adult—impossible.” Her words stung me, like a slap in the face, and left me speechless.
    “Anyway, they’ve chosen you with good reason,” she added with a ‘chin up’ kind of tone. “Your innocence will be your only advantage in all of this, I suspect. ESE Command is . . . shrewd. Have faith in that.” And with that, she took my limp hand, shook it, wished me luck, and left the officers’ mess.
    And now, here I sit, not a little stunned by the entire day’s events.
    Back to the item that bugs me the most; how frustrated I am with King for not sharing with me even the possibility that Daz is in trouble. Maybe he’s trying not to scare me. I wish I had his trust in ESE. I sure could use a praline sundae with warm caramel syrup drizzled over it.
    Just when I rise, having decided to go to my pod, but not before I rummage around for a pathetic rice pudding in the nearby food station, the door vanishes.
    King, standing at the threshold.
    My heart skips a beat as I take in his avid face, and his black pants and jacket fitted out with a gamma-shield vest and weapons. OKAY . This is very odd. He’s in full combat gear.
    His eyes don’t stray from mine as he strides into the room, stopping in front of me.
    “I’ve been waiting for them to leave,” he says quietly, staring down at me. A smile of pleasure forming on my mouth’s cut short as he continues. “You’re making a huge mistake, Cassiel. You must not go through with this mission. Even with proper training, you will be in great danger. I won’t allow it.”
    I raise my eyebrows. Allow it? But before I can say a word he continues, taking a step closer.
    “Listen to me,” he says, holding my eyes with his. His presence, his intense focus on me, is literally speeding up my pulse. “I promised Daz that I would look after you if anything ever happened to him.”
    Pop —goes the sound of my heart imploding.
    So, he is burdened with a brotherly obligation to Daz.
    King continues, oblivious or deliberately ignoring my sagging shoulders while any vestige of hope in me spills out onto the floor.
    “I thought getting you into ESE, keeping you close, would allow me to watch over you,” Shut up! I want to scream , “and help you to pursue xeno studies.”
    You’re so stupid . Of course King’s interest in you is nothing more than a sense of duty.
    “Now if Daz knew how ESE was using you, how they took advantage of you in the test today, for example,” he pauses, trying to gather some calm, “he would kill them all.”
    Uh, no . Daz is not some crazed killer.
    King adjusts his gamma gun holster, like he’s reminding himself it’s there.
    “Why did you quote that poem to me before the test anyway?” I ask sullenly, sidetracked by his mention of the test. I cross my arms and hold them tight to me. I want to build a wall up around me, and fortify it with an army of Gogols.
    “Cassiel, I am sorry about that,” he says, clearly regretting it. “I meant that you should try hard, and not sacrifice yourself for another cadet as you did the first time. I should have said what I meant.