“And I didn’t risk anybody else’s life,” I point out.
“You risked Declan,” Kallister says.
“I told him to go. You can ask him yourself. But he refused,” I say through gritted teeth. “Like me, he didn’t feel right leaving a Mod behind.”
Adrienne’s jaw tenses for a second. Then she says, “Dismissed.”
I expect that to be the end of it as I ride the elevator up to the Personnel floor and make my way to my quarters, but a stone-faced Gray stays hot on my heels. At my door, he doesn’t let me scan in. He jerks his head toward his own quarters, and I reluctantly follow him inside.
“How did you get the override?”
I blink in surprise. I didn’t think that’s what he was going to push back on.
“I already told you. I guessed.” The excuse sounds a lot flimsier the second time around.
“I’m not a fucking idiot, Darlington. I trained in Silver Block, too, and I served on Elite. Those codes never repeat. There’s a new one each week. It’s statistically impossible for you to have guessed that code in a few minutes, so don’t insult my goddamn intelligence.”
I falter, guilt tickling my insides. “Why didn’t you say anything to the others?”
“Because I’m not going to throw out an accusation of collusion unless—”
“Collusion?” I exclaim. “What do you think happened tonight, Grayson?”
“I don’t know. You tell me. Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re colluding with the people who are seeking our downfall.”
“For fuck’s sake—”
“He was there, wasn’t he?”
I play dumb. “Who?”
His green eyes grow molten. “The captain. Cross Redden. You know exactly who I’m talking about, Wren.”
He rarely calls me Wren, and I don’t know why, but it feels wrong. Impersonal.
“You already knew Cross was in Ice Canyon,” I remind him, hoping he’ll let it go at that.
“I meant in the prison, and you know that. Stop playing games.” He shakes his head angrily. “Why would he help you? I flew you to the Point because you said you had unfinished business. I assumed that meant ending whatever fucking business was there in the first place.”
“Okay. Look, if he did help me, and I’m not saying he did, can’t we just take the win? Not everybody has to be our enemy. We rescued all forty-two Mods on the premises. Isn’t that good enough?”
“Are you fucking kidding me? He’s the old General’s son and the new General’s brother. Cross Reddenisthe enemy.”
“You know things are never that simple.”
Gray stalks toward me. His gaze is intense, unwavering, as it locks with mine. I gulp at the rising tension between us.
“You’re making excuses for him, and he doesn’t deserve them. Itisthat simple. He didn’t fight for you when it mattered.”
My breath hitches. “You…don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Where was he when you were sentenced to die? His friend stepped up. But where the hell was he?”
I don’t answer because Ican’t.
I can’t reveal that Cross is a Mod.
I can’t reveal that he asked Xavier to protect me.
