The Cadet of Tildor by Alex Lidell Read Free Book Online

classmates who poured out the door, Tanil at their lead. By Savoy’s tradition, anyone who failed to finish an exercise owed two hundred push-ups. She hadn’t technically failed, but they both knew why. She didn’t need favors.
    She swallowed and, before she could change her mind, claimed a spot by the wall. Her muscles protested the renewed abuse and she worked her fingers, staring at her raw knuckles. She could lay her hands flat.
No.
Erring on the side of honor, Renee planted her fists into the sand. The discomfort would thin once she started the exercise. Two hundred. Given enough time, anyone could do two hundred. Hells, anyone could do two thousand if they stayed at it long enough. Up and down. Small, easy steps.
    She managed twelve.
    Collapsing every dozen moves, she did not realize Savoy was still there until he dropped down beside her. His push-ups, easy and controlled, rose and fell in unison to her rhythm. “How many left?”
    “One hundred forty.”
    “Korish . . . ” Seaborn’s voice trailed off when Savoy held up a finger without breaking form. Seaborn sighed, pushed away from the wall he had leaned on, and headed out. “Very well. I will tell Verin you will join us shortly.”
    Savoy nodded and kept Renee’s pace even when she could manage no more than two or three at a time. The companionship scrubbed the exercise of shame, turning soreness from misery to challenge. When they finished, she rubbed her arms and looked up at him, trying to hold on to the string of connection that mutual suffering forged. “Thank you, sir.”
    He extended a hand to help her up. “You’re weak.”
    The string broke. Renee bowed quickly, hiding her face.
    “That wasn’t fair, sir.” Alec stood by the door, his hands buried deep in his pockets and shoulders slouched as if bracing against a storm. He lifted his face. “You’re not treating her fairly.”
    “Fair gets you killed.” Savoy dusted sand from his hands. “Your friend thinks she can do the same things you do.” He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. “She’s wrong.”
    In Renee’s head, her father nodded with satisfaction.
No amount of training turns a cockroach into a wolf.
Her fist tightened around her scar. She should have died with her mother at the Family’s hands, but she had not. She was a fighter cadet for a reason. She would be a Servant. And she would
correct
weaker muscles, not surrender to them. She would beat the boys on their terms. She just needed to work harder.
    * * *
    “He’s an unreasonable horse’s ass.” Alec pushed a branch out of the way, letting Renee walk ahead of him down Rock Lake Path. The wind whispered in the canopy above them, as if wishing to weigh in with its own opinion. They were just past a month into the school year, the air only slightly cooler, yet the summer days of liberty already seemed far gone. “He tries to break you.”
    “He tries to see
whether
I’ll break. That’s different.”
    “He’s singling you out.”
    Renee angled to face him. “Last year, the Seventh rescued three hostages from the Family, found five weapon caches, and tracked down an unregistered mage on the Vipers’ payroll. And that’s just from the missions we know of. If the commander of the Seventh wishes to single me out, he’s welcome to do it.”
    “He—” Alec cut off as noise reached them from the lake below.
    “Madam is displeased,” said a low voice. “Your pup lost. Payment came due three days ago.”
    “Tell her to credit it against the next win,” answered a whiny tenor that Renee recognized as Tanil’s. A slap sounded, and the whine turned to a whimper.
    Madam, pups, payment
. Tanil was betting on
Predators
? The Vipers forced their captives to fight for sport, and here a Servant cadet was actually laying wagers to line the criminals’ pockets? Renee was incredulous. King Lysian had spoken of the disease of crime, and here it was, lurking on Academy grounds.
    Alec’s hand tightened