I sat up, brushing my hair back as Drakon stood in one fluid motion, the gentle warmth in his posture instantly shifting back into the hard, dangerous posture of a leader preparing for war. He extended a hand down to me, wrapping his broad fingers around mine and pulling me effortlessly to my feet.
A minute later, two sharp knocks sounded at the heavy oak door. Drakon unlocked it, stepping back to let Axle slip inside.
Axle looked winded, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, but his eyes were clear and sharp. He held up a black encrypted tactical pad, tapping the screen before turning it toward us.
"I dropped the story down near the motor pool like you said," Axle began, wiping a sheen of sweat from his forehead. "Started talking trash about how Kira was making you soft and complaining abo
