The Academy Read Online Free PDF

his face.
     
    “I’m sorry.” I stepped away from the desk. “I was assigned to this room by the headmaster’s assistant—Hinks? Lewiston Hinks?”
     
    He frowned. “Right, Kinky Hinky, I know who he is. But term has already started and they aren’t admitting any more new students. I’m supposed to have this room to myself to study.”
     
    I frowned. “I thought I was going to have a room of my own too. It looks like we were both wrong.”
     
    “We’ll see about that.” He glared at me. “I have to make the top ten percent on the Space Corps entrance exam to be eligible for their early officership program. I’m not going to let any runty first-form student spoil that for me.”
     
    I bristled. “For your information, I’m third- form. And I’m trying to get into the Space Corps too.”
     
    His blue eyes flickered over me contemptuously. “You’ll be trying for a while then, shrimp. They have a minimum height requirement, you know.”
     
    “You—” I couldn’t think of anything bad enough to call him. Back on my home moon I would have accused him of being ungentlemanly but that was something a lady would say to a young man. I didn’t think it was an accusation a male could make of another male.
     
    My new roommate didn’t seem to care that I was tongue-tied. “I’m going down to the Admin building to get this straightened out so don’t get too comfortable.” He pointed a finger at me. “And don’t touch my things.”
     
    “Don’t worry,” I shot back, finally finding my voice. “I haven’t had my disease prevention booster yet this year. I wouldn’t want to catch anything.”
     
    His face darkened. “What you’re going to catch is my fist in your teeth if you keep it up, pipsqueak.”
     
    “ Don’t call me that.” I put a hand on my hip. “Just because you’re some overgrown excuse for a terga beast—”
     
    “Hey.” He took a step toward me, his blue eyes narrowing. “You’ve got a big mouth for such a little guy.”
     
    “At least that’s the only big thing on me.” I lifted my chin, glaring up at him. “Unlike some people who seem to be too big all over. Have you had your pituitary checked lately? There are treatments for gigantism, you know.”
     
    “What are you talking about?” he demanded. “There’s nothing wrong with me. Everyone in my family is tall.”
     
    “Are they all stupid too? Or is it just you?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that big brain of yours having trouble getting oxygen way up there?”
     
    “You little—” He took a warning step toward me and I dodged away.
     
    “That’s right, I’m little. And you’re big . It doesn’t feel good to be mocked because of your size, does it?” I snapped.
     
    For a moment he stood there glaring at me. Then, without another word he turned and strode from the room, slamming the door behind him. It banged against the wooden frame and rebounded, hanging halfway open so I could hear his angry footsteps going down the hall.
     
    Great. Just great. I sank down onto the unmade bed beside my rucksack and buried my face in my hands. I hadn’t even been at the Royal Academy a whole hour yet and already I had made two enemies. Two very large and angry enemies.
     
    What’s wrong with me? I wondered, running my hands through my short hair. I never had this much trouble when Kristopher and I went out in society before. Why am I having so many problems now?
     
    Well, for one thing the rules of polite society didn’t seem to apply here at the Royal Academy. It was its own little world. And for another, it was obvious I just didn’t know how to deal with men—not as one of them, anyway. I would have to study the cadets around me and try to do better. I would never last two years at this rate.
     
    I don’t know how long I sat on the side of the bed feeling miserable but it seemed like an eternity. I wanted to cry but I held the tears back grimly. I had promised myself to end my weak,