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“Your town must be very modern.”
I snorted a laugh at this. My midwestern hometown was about as far from modern as possible. “Not exactly. I come from a rural town—farming, trucks, everything old and falling apart.”
“You are not high-born?”
I stifled another snort. “We don’t exactly have high-borns and low-borns in the U.S., but we do have rich and poor. I was born poor, but I busted my ass so I wouldn’t stay poor.”
“You can change your status?”
I nodded. “If you work hard enough, but it’s not easy and the odds are stacked against you.”
“The odds are also against you if you are not a high-born Drexian.” I heard bitterness in his voice.
“I take it you aren’t from a fancy clan?”
His twisted expression morphed into a weak smile. “My clan is far from fancy, as you put it.”
I stopped and glanced around us. Had we walked this way before or were all the trees starting to look identical because we’d been walking for so long? “We must be getting close to the mountains.”
Dom leveled a finger at light slatting through the trees ahead. “That should be it.”
I felt a measure of relief and then felt guilty that I’d had a moment of doubt about Dom. For a second, I’d been sure he was leading me in circles.
“So, what is it like coming to the academy as a Drexian?” I asked to break the silence as we strode toward the thinning trees. “I’m guessing you grew up hearing about it.”
“It is an honor to be accepted into the academy. Not everyone gets in. Only those who have demonstrated exceptional talent and aptitude. Or those who come from elite clans.”
“It’s the same where I’m from. Rich kids have an advantage—the best schools, tutors, test prep, more tutors, coaches. Sometimes I’m surprised I made it so far without any clue what I was doing.”
“You must be the best. Otherwise, you would not have been chosen for the academy. Very few humans made the cut to be the first to integrate the school.”
This made my chest swell. He was right. There were very few of us from Earth, and even fewer women. I loved being one of the ones breaking glass ceilings for others to follow. It made me feel like I was making it easier for someone like me who might not think she had a chance.
We stepped from the trees and the ground gave way to rock as we walked onto a high ledge. Water spilled down from overhead into a pool and then continued to the stream below. So, this was where the stream originated—at least one part of it.
“We are very much alike, you and I.” Dom put a hand on my arm and turned to me. “We both have come from nothing and arrived at the academy, destined for greatness.”
“I guess we are similar.”
“I am surprised you are so friendly with high-born Drexians who are nothing like you are.” His gaze narrowed, scrutinizing my face. “He will never understand you.”
Instantly, I knew who he meant, but I could not let him know that. How did he know about Torq? My pulse quickened. Had Torq told his Blade brothers about me? He’d promised he wouldn’t, but now I wasn’t so sure his promises meant much. “Who will never understand me?”
Dom’s lips curved into a small smile. “You wish to be coy? You think no one sees the way he looks at you?”
I remained silent, unwilling to confirm what he obviously knew. Aside from the initial surprise when he’d startled me from behind, I hadn’t felt uneasy around Dom—until now.
“Torq from House Swoll will always be a privileged Drexian who knows nothing of struggle.” He grabbed one of my hands. “He is not like us. He is not like you.”
He was right. Torq was very different from me, and he would never understand where I came from or what it had cost me to come so far. But our difference didn’t matter anymore. He had cast me aside, maybe because we were so different and would never understand each other. We would never truly be a part of the others’ world.
“He might look at me, but that means nothing.” My heart stuttered as I pulled my hand from his. This was true. Torq and I were nothing to each other now. “Torq is not a part of my life.”
Dom’s gaze drifted to my mouth, his eyes darkening. “I am pleased to hear that.” He closed the distance between us and curled an arm around my waist, yanking me so that I was flush against him. “I would hate to have to fight him for you.”
My heart raced, but it was with fear, not desire. Dom might be handsome and muscular, but he did not make my heart patter with anticipation. There was something cold and calculating about the way he eyed me, and there was no warmth in the way he held me, only dominance and control.
I pressed my hands to his chest and pushed hard, trying to keep him from kissing me. He pulled at me more urgently, making panic claw at my throat. Then a dark growl rumbled through the air, and we both froze.
