Page 64 of Lies That Bleed
She shook her head. “I overheard one of the instructors saying my power was really valuable but that my leg would get me killed in combat. They are going to bench me, Aisling. I’m going to be a drill instructor after we graduate, right here at the training center. I was so stupid to think I could do this, that I could make a difference in this war.”
She turned back away from me, and this time I let her. Becoming an instructor without any combat experience was frowned upon. It was a known demotion that signaled the Imperial Fleet thought you couldn’t handle real battle. I wanted to argue with her and tell her to show them she could do better, but I also selfishly wanted her to stay here aftergraduation. I wanted her to be an instructor and live out life in the city and see her mom every day. I wanted her to be safe.
Imagining Tetra in a warzone or sleeping in tents while moving through enemy territory would keep me up at night.
“It will be okay,” I said instead. Because it would. If Tetra was safe, then everything would be okay.
A few hours later,we got ready for our first off base night since we’d gotten here. Tetra assured me her foot would be fine with the cane and she’d ice it later. We were not permitted to wear civilian clothes, so that all of the people we encountered tonight would know we were cadets in training. Tetra and I had, however, found a way around the dress code. We both tied our black Fleet-issued t-shirt into a knot just above our bellybuttons and I cuffed my black pants to just mid-calf, pairing it with my imperial boots and some light makeup that was allowed. For the first time since I’d entered the Fleet, I wore my hair down and free around my shoulders.
“This is so cool.” Tetra smiled as she stroked both sides of my hair.
I grinned. “The triplets loved it.”
Tetra laughed. “I’ll bet they’ve all dyed their hair to match yours by now.”
She knew them well. I missed their feral little hormonal asses very much. Elaine too.
“Elaine would never allow it,” I told her.
“True,” Tetra agreed, wincing as she hobbled.
I lowered my voice. “What about those pain pills I got you?”
I’d had to pull some strings with my father last year but I’d gotten Tetra some pain pills for days when her foot discomfort really flared. The war had put a strain on supplies, and pain medicines were the first to go scarce.
She’d be fine for months and then bam, she’d wake up with her twisted foot hot to the touch and swollen. She was born this way, a deformity that the doctors said was so rare they didn’t really know what to do about it. But the pills were the good stuff that made you feel woozy and forget about everything.
She shook her head. “It’s not that bad yet. I’m saving those for a flare.”
I nodded. “You brought them though?”
She bopped her chin up and down. “Medical cleared me to have them, but I have to tell my drill instructor if I take one.”
I just hoped she would before it got unmanageable. My bestie was known for hiding her pain and not complaining about it until it was really bad.
We exited our room, and I skittered to a stop to keep myself from slamming into Jace.
His fist was poised to knockover our door.
“Oh, sorry.” He pushed himself back to allow us to leave, his gaze running the length of my body. Jace checking me out before would have delighted me, now it just made me pissed-off and sad. He’d ruined such a good thing.
“I’m so sorry about your foot, Tetra. I wanted to offer my family’s driver to take us to the club together,” he said.
The bar was within walking distance normally, but with Tetra’s injured foot, a hired car would be better.
“Thank you,” Tetra said simply.
“Excuse us.” Kohen’s voice came from behind and I spun.
He was standing behind me, looking hot as all hell in all-black Fleet-issued fatigues and glaring at Jace. His hair was slicked back and I spotted a blade tucked into his belt.
Why did I want things I shouldn’t have?
Jace narrowed his gaze on Kohen, unmoving, and I couldn’t take this anymore.
“We can get our own car,” I told Jace, and started to walk away with Tetra hobbling behind me. I slowed, letting her catch up, and then threw the door wide for her, leading us both outside.
I was done with this male pissing match.
