REVOLUTION: A Rebel Among Monsters ✔

Nineteen••Failure

"What?" A rumbling sensation fizzled up Valnia's throat. "How did they call her to them so quickly? And without my knowledge?"

Wylan's arms wrapped around her before she exploded; before she woke the entire dorm floor with her screams—the ones she was dying to release.

"She had no time to prepare! The results will be messed up! This is outrageous!" She lunged at Lexa, who inched backward.

Wylan yanked her away, hugging her from behind to keep her from losing control. "It's too late, love. She's... not getting out of this, and we must be ready for the consequences... calm down, okay?" He brushed his lips against her temples and lowered his voice. "Don't reveal our suspicion. Relax."

Brows furrowing, Lexa fixed her nightwear that had ruffled in her hasty steps backwards. "I'm not pleased with it either, but... they wanted this over with. I tried to find you sooner, I did, but now..." She sighed, fixing a few strands of her light charcoal hair behind her ears. "They're in a hurry to form our army. And if she is ready, she'd bring us closer to completing our plans. Don't you want that? To see her on the field, fighting as a true warrior? This emergency procedure isn't a bad thing, Valnia." Her hands rested on her hips as her gaze turned stern. "What is up with you? Since she arrived you've been acting irrationally."

Wylan's fingertips tightened around her upper arms, but Valnia wouldn't fight him—not when it was evident she'd roused Lexa's suspicions. "She... she wasn't ready for it. That procedure... it's harsh, it's brutal, and I—" her lower lip pouted and puffed against her will, "the results won't be clear! I'm afraid for her."

Sternness transforming to concern, Lexa's arms dropped and swayed at her side. "Afraid?" Her eyes narrowed, dark and impossible to read. "There's nothing to fear. It's not punishment, not like with you, remember? The worst that would happen is they'll declare her as needing more schooling because she was wrong. And there you go, no harm done!"

Breaths warm on Valnia's neck, Wylan's forehead met the back of her skull. "She's right, babe. At this point... we can only wait. We'll sleep on it, and figure it out later. She won't get their answer until the morning, anyway."

Valnia flipped around and glared at him. "You think I can sleep while she's in their chambers having her brain analyzed?"

Avoiding their confrontation, Lexa muttered a brief goodbye and scurried off to her own room; but Valnia couldn't move. Her muscles froze and her blood seemed to cease traveling to her extremities.

"It was too fast and you know it. They said a few days... and then they snatched her up, right under my nose! They knew, they suspected her already, didn't they? And when they see her thoughts... ugh, she's screwed! She's—"

Wylan seized her wrist and dragged her to her room, slamming the door behind him. "Quiet!" He twisted to her, eyes on fire, his usual composure melting. "You can't yell such things out in the open and risk her position more!"

Blowing out her cheeks, she slid to her bed and fell atop it. But even her soft blankets had no effect on her, no soothing to give. And as Wylan lay beside her, pulled her into his embrace, whispered calming words to help her sleep, she wouldn't let slumber capture her.

Not when her sister was captured by the Monsters.

Why would they summon her so hastily? Nasty images scattered to all corners of her brain. Something didn't add up, something didn't make sense. Six Monsters digging into every cavity of her soul, tearing out every idea, scrutinizing everything she'd ever thought of. Valnia recalled the whole thing, and punishment or not, it was likely to traumatize Melaynia as much as it did her.