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were different.
“ Yes, sir. You can count on me.”
“ Good. Thank you, Princess. I know this is a difficult and very stressful situation, but Sentinel Hamilton and I will meet with the High Council and determine the best plan of action for a quick and satisfactory resolution to this debacle.”
“ And I appreciate that, but as this so directly involves me, I’d like to be present for the discussions.”
“ I understand your position, Princess, but I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
“ Commander Jessup, you—”
“ I’m sorry, Princess. This is simply beyond my control. These are measures that were developed and written into law by those who dealt with the Lore in old times, and they are non-negotiable.”
I could tell by his expression that, though he showed me much respect, he would not bend on the law. With a sigh, I abandoned this battle, realizing that at some point in the future, it could help me to win a larger war.
“ Then I will wait in my room to hear from you. You’ll let me know what the Seers found?”
He nodded, his bow a fractionally-greater gesture, this time involving a bit of his body.
“ Yes, Princess.”
When Jessup straightened, he stepped back and three Sentinels materialized, seemingly from out of the shadows, to escort me back to the dorm.
Though I felt an almost physical tug that urged me to find Jackson, I resisted, keeping my eyes trained forward as I ascended the building to the human world outside.

CHAPTER SIX

I was standing by the window in my room, ear buds pumping loud music from my iPod into my ears, as I awaited word from Commander Jessup. Night had fallen beyond the glass and I was getting more anxious as the minutes ticked by.
I had given my word not to leave my room and the hallway outside was littered with Sentinels disguised as students, Sentinels there to ensure that I didn’t change my mind.
Jersey had long since ceased to provide any kind of distraction. She had quickly found that it was too frustrating to keep repeating herself, so she was reading from her human history book and listening to her own tunes.
I was listening to a song about love being like an ocean that would take me down to the depths and steal my heart away. It seemed to mirror the one thought that kept creeping up in my head, the one thought that I kept pushing away—Jackson.
Although I knew it was wrong in so many ways and that it was pointless to think about him at all, my mind kept coming back to him—the strange things he made me feel, the disturbing way he seemed to almost hate me.
I asked myself why I even cared, but I couldn’t find an answer and I couldn’t stop the hurt that I felt at his coldness.
My God, she’s beautiful in the moonlight.
The words sounded inside my head in a deeply familiar voice, one that I was finding inescapable. But where had it come from, that voice? My music was so loud…
Warm fingers on my bare shoulder caused me to jump. I whirled around ready to give Jersey a tongue-lashing, but all thought left me when I saw Jackson looming so close behind me.
My stomach fluttered excitedly, which only irritated me, so I struck out with that emotion instead of all the other things he made me feel.
“ Ever hear of knocking?” I spat, jerking one ear bud out of my ear. “You scared me half to death.”
Jackson’s lips thinned.
“ I did knock. Several times in fact. You just didn’t hear me,” he sniped, pulling the other ear bud out with one quick yank.
Though I probably owed him an apology, I refused to give it.
“ How did you even get in here? The door is locked.”
“ Not the one to my room.”
At first I was confused, looking about the small space at the only two doors that occupied the walls. One led out into the hallway, like every other dorm room on the hall. The other led to Lady Sheelah’s room, the handler who had been stationed next to me via an adjoining door so she could better ensure my safety.
My mouth dropped open and my pulse quickened as