Page 22 of Resurgent

“That didn’t seem to work out for you two last time you tried that, did it?”

His words slice at my skin as a deep snarl rattles the house.

I shouldn’t be surprised he read through our files.

"I'm fine. I promise."

“You’re right. It didn’t,” I say, voice going cold and distant once again as I force memories of that day from resurfacing.

“Ms. Corvin—Annalise, I shouldn’t have…I didn’t mean it like that," he pleads, but it’s the truth, and he did.

“Is there anything else I need to know, Sir?

“Annalise—” Korr tries again, but when he sees the lack of interest on my face, he clears his throat and falls back into his normal, frigid tone. “Like I said, Matt will be bringing your coursework by for most of your classes for you to complete it here. Since worksheets can't teach you how to become a stronger fighter, we’ll begin training one-on-one to get you caught back up in Combat Class starting next week, if you're feeling up to it.

“Lorenson's aware that you won’t be able to ride for at least a couple more weeks, so you’ve been instructed to stay with Tyr as much as possible outside of your classwork hours."

"At least I get to see you more while I'm in this prison."

"As much time as you want. I'll burn his house down if he tries to stop you…preferably while he's asleep inside," Tyr snarls.

“Captain Lin and Major Halden are adamant about bringing you your Ghost Walking assignments themselves…” he trails off.

I’m surprised he even knows I'm in that class, considering the level of secrecy, but I keep my mouth shut.

The first rule of interrogation I ever learned from my dad is that people hate silence. Given enough of it, they’ll rush to fill the space. Guilty people especially—spilling more information than anyone asked for just to break the tension.

I was thirteen when I learned that trick, but back then, it wasn’t some clever tactic in a training exercise; it was survival.

I’d been caught sneaking into the kitchen for an apple after being denied dinner, and my dad liked to make the beatings last.

The silence was the worst part of that night. Standing there, waiting for the first hit, trying to guess how bad it would be this time.

So I talked, anything and everything I could think of: apologies, excuses, promises I knew he wouldn’t even register. None of them lessened the blows. None of them made him stop any sooner.

Regardless, that night, I learned that silence is a weapon. And I won't arm another man with anything he can use against me.

After a long, tense silence, Korr continues, losing the battle he doesn’t even know we’re engaged in.

“They've agreed to come by in the evenings to give you time to work on your other schoolwork, and in case you need to rest.”

He stops like he’s gone over everything, though the elephant is stealing all the air from the room.

“And Vanguard?” I ask.

“It's being dropped from your schedule. You’ve already bonded with a dragon, and have no reason to be in that class for the next month and a half when your track is already secure.”

A rush of relief passes through me before his words register.

“It will be? But it hasn't been yet?”

His nostrils flare, and I mentally add it to his list of ticks he has when he’s irritated.

“There's been some…debate…about whether or not you need to finish out your class until track night. Neither Kael nor Renwick are interested in forcing you back into their class, nor will they give you homework while you heal from an incident that took place right under their noses,” he practically spits.

“Finally, people with logic enter the conversation.”

“That’s bullshit!” I practically yell at both of them. “I won’t be as capable in the field when I leave the academy if I don’t finish out that course.”