Humankind: Book 1 in the Invasion Day series

by LC Morgans

  The class was then dismissed, and Kyra jumped in surprise when she felt a strong hand on her arm. She turned and looked up into Gron’s scowling face. She hadn’t even heard him come into class, and wondered what he might need from her.

  “I saw you,” he said, stepping closer. “I saw you take a breath when the creatura was put away. What secrets are you scared of revealing, Corporal?”

  Kyra shook her head, and peered up at him pleadingly. The last thing she needed was Gron thinking she might be hiding something important, or him doubt her reasons for having joined the Intelligence Division.

  “Nothing, sir. I promise,” she replied, and knew her voice was shaking. “I would simply be embarrassed by the response I fear would come out, and didn’t want the class knowing my secrets.”

  Gron took her elbow and led her over to the front desk. The others had all left, and she knew without having to ask what he was going to do. The creatura attached itself to her hand when he pulled it back out from its vase, and she instantly felt euphoric. Her mind was alive with memories, hopes and dreams, and she suddenly became aware of Gron’s intense violet eyes peering into hers.

  “Tell me your secrets, Kyra,” he said, and his voice seemed so very far away. Everything inside of her wanted to obey, and she opened her mouth without any resistance from her usually so tight-lips.

  “I’m in love with someone other than my boyfriend,” she replied without any hesitation, and he laughed.

  “With who?” he asked, and she had the feeling he thought it might be him. Kyra felt her cheeks burn as the answer forced its way out of her.

  “King Kronus…” he raised an eyebrow at her. “I’ve loved him ever since Invasion Day.” Gron pulled the creature off her, and the second the contact was broken, her dream-like haze also lifted. “Please don’t tell anyone,” she whispered in earnest now that her embarrassment had kicked in.

  “Lots of silly human girls have a crush on the King, of course they do,” he replied without any care for her humiliation. “You’re too clever to become another of his groupie humans who’re desperate for an audience in the hopes he might choose you for his lover, aren’t you?” She nodded. “Good, because it’ll never happen. He’s betrothed to a Thrakorian noblewoman, and has never so much as looked at a human. Keep your crush to yourself, it’s a pointless dream anyway.” He stormed away, and Kyra moved quickly back to her desk, where she gathered her things and followed him out the door. Despite feeling ashamed, she was glad she’d appeased his curiosity on the subject, and hoped they’d never again have another lesson on the creatura and it’s power to incite truth from it’s host.

  As she walked the long corridor back to her block, Kyra couldn't help but think of Gron’s reaction to her revelation. She knew holding onto her feelings for Kronus was a foolish dream, but it was one that wouldn’t go no matter how many times she tried to tell herself it was pointless. He was a god to them, and therefore it stood to reason that many of his loyal subjects would love him, despite his apparently being betrothed to another. The power, status and unattainability had to be the appeal, that must be it. No human could possibly be worthy of a place beside him, and she knew it would never happen anyway. The King never left his private island estate, and those who were handpicked to serve him would never betray his secrets or abuse their position. Even Kyra knew he only entertained Thraks socially, and by the time she’d settled in the seat beside Silas for dinner, all thoughts of King Kronus and his piercing gaze were forced out of her mind.

  ***

  In the run up to their final exercise, Kyra knew she was able to give less and less of her free time to Silas. He seemed determined to try not to complain, but every now and again would make an offhand comment that would send her exhausted blood boiling. She felt like he was intent on distracting her from her work at times, as though he might even be doing it on purpose, and soon they were quarreling and bickering on a far too regular basis.

  “I’ve never stopped you from studying, or demanded your time and attention,” she growled at him after another row one night, in an attempt to stop her voice from becoming too raised. “Why do you insist on undermining me?”

  “I’ve never once told you not to follow your dreams, or said you couldn't do it,” he retorted with a frown. “All I asked was if you could spend one night off because I’m going away again tomorrow. I’m important too, right? Not just your career?”

  His words hit her like a blow to the gut, and she knew he was right. She hadn’t made him feel wanted in the slightest, and knew she’d prioritized work over everything in her life—especially him.

  “I know,” she groaned, shaking her head sorrowfully. “But I just can’t give you the time you want, Silas. I need you to be patient and wait for me, like I’ve always waited for you.” They had planned to spend the night in his room, but now she wanted to be alone. Kyra grabbed her things and walked to the exit, but Silas followed her. He reached across and slammed the door shut when she tried to open it, and pinned her to the back of it. With her cheek touching the cold wood and her stomach forced against it, the air rushed from her lungs, but she resisted her urge to cry out in surprise. His lips were right by her ear, and his show of power and brute strength both scared and excited her, along with his dark tone.

  “I’ll wait, but you’re not going without me. Promise you won’t try and leave me behind,” he begged, and pressed into her harder. “You’re mine, Kyra. All mine. There won’t be anywhere on Earth I won’t follow you.”

  “I’m not something you possess, and I won’t have you ordering me around, Silas. Remember who you fell in love with, and that I won’t stand for you telling me what I can and cannot do.” She shoved him back off her, opened the door, and took off before another word could be spoken, because she knew she might say something they’d both regret.

  After their row, and the strange way Silas had tried to lay claim over her, Kyra decided to put a little distance between them, and was glad he went away for a few days on exercise. She spent the time keeping herself occupied as much as possible, which wasn’t difficult given where they were at the end of their intense training program. She didn’t say it out loud to anyone, not even Brona, but she was starting to wonder if things were really going in the right direction for the pair of them. Instead of dwelling though, she worked even harder than she had before to fulfill her dream of finishing secondary training on top. She aced all of the final assessments, and the day before their exercise, Lt. Psy asked her to visit his office.

  “You wanted to see me, Lieutenant?” she asked, and then took a seat when he offered her the one opposite him at his desk.

  “Yes, Corporal. I wanted to give you this,” he said as he handed her a small box across the table. Kyra knew exactly what ought to be inside, a rank slide, and she accepted it from him with a smile. She opened the box to reveal the badge that indicated the rank of Sergeant, and looked back up at her Commander in surprise. “You’re headed for great things, and for formalities sake I need to give you this before I recommend you for elite training.” Kyra swallowed the lump in her throat. “When you cross that line tomorrow, I promise you now that I’ll give you the rank of Lieutenant, and my recommendation letter, if you come in the top-five.”

  “But I still need one more?” she asked, and knew she must look like a deer in the headlights. His old face cracked with its wrinkles when he grinned, but it was still one of the most beautiful smiles she’d ever seen.

  “No,” he answered, and grabbed a file from his drawer. “I have your letters here from Lorde Sharq and Sentinel Gron.” Kyra coughed as she inhaled sharply.

  “He… he gave me a recommendation?” Lt. Psy nodded.

  “He believes you can do it,” he replied, and she was pleased he was using his gentler tone. She had a feeling she might cry any minute, and wasn’t ready to get told off if she did, but somehow his softer tone soothed away her tears. “Top-five. You give me a high placing tomorrow and the rest is yours for the taking.
I’ll recommend you for elite, and promote you to Lieutenant. We’ll have you loaded on the course after summer leave.”

  Kyra couldn't believe her ears. She was dumfounded, and found herself nodding over and over in the only response she seemed capable of. “You may go,” Psy added, and she was glad. After a fumbled thank you, she found herself out in the same hall where Silas had first made a move on her two years before, and she peered into the same shadow thoughtfully. Things had changed so much since then, and she wondered where they might end up after summer break. How was she going to tell him she’d almost made elite? Instead of being excited to tell her boyfriend the good news, she was terrified of having another row with him over their future, and it made her realize even more that they were potentially on their way to being over.

  She headed straight to Brona’s room instead, and they jumped around together excitedly, while trying to suppress their girly screams. Her friend had reacted in exactly the right way—explosive excitement with congratulatory hugs and kisses, and she loved her even more for it. They chatted for a while, each of them wondering what the future might hold, and Kyra promised they wouldn’t lose each other. It didn’t matter if she was stationed overseas for the rest of her training, they were friends forever, and she meant it. They promised to stay in as much contact as possible, and when she finally left, it was with the biggest smile on her face.

  Silas was waiting outside her block, and he took one look at the new badge on her chest and pulled her into the shadows with him.

  “I’m sorry for how I acted,” he told her, kissing her neck softly. “Please forgive me? I’m really pleased for you and your promotion. Can we go and celebrate?” Kyra’s earlier resolve melted. She wondered if Silas had come around by himself after all, and hoped this reaction might signify the change in him. He pinned her to the wall and she let him scoop her into his arms. Their mouths found each other’s, and they let the fraught tension dissipate via their intense kisses. “I’m so proud of you,” he whispered while pressing into her.

  “We’re strong enough to stay together no matter what, Silas. I know it,” she replied, and pressed her hands against his chest lightly to let him know she had to go. She had a very long day the next day, and needed her rest. “We’ll celebrate tomorrow.”

  “Did he say he’s recommending you?” he asked, and Kyra nodded.

  “If I place in the top-five. You, Psy, Gron—everyone. You’ve really pushed me and helped me to succeed year after year. Thank you,” she told him, and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before sliding out of his grasp. Silas didn’t say a word, but he watched her go without argument, and Kyra was glad. She headed straight up to her room, and fell into bed for what she knew would be a restless night, but still a much-needed bit of quiet relaxation time before the intense exercise the following day.

  Chapter

  Fourteen

  Kyra and her fellow secondary phase training graduates were led into a vast mountainous simulation area the following morning, where they formed a semi-circle around Lt. Psy.

  “This year’s final exercise is nothing more than a simple race to the finish line. There are no points to accrue, simply the possibility of recommendation after assessment from your instructors and myself. Those deemed worthy of graduation at this level will be awarded with their next rank, and any offered a place in the elite training will be given the relevant promotion and paperwork,” he informed them all. Many shuffled nervously under his scrutiny, but Kyra was ready, and more determined than ever to succeed. “The finish line is at the far end of this terrain. You should complete the course as quickly as possible, but remember it is forbidden for any soldier to stop another recruits’ progress, and you will be disqualified for doing so. There will be other elements for you and your fellow graduates to overcome in order to reach the end as quickly as possible, so focus on them rather than competing with your comrades. See you at the finish line.” He gave them a wink, and then jumped on the back of a vehicle that reminded Kyra of Silas’ motorbike, only larger. The driver then sped away, and within seconds the trainees were left alone. A loud buzzer then chimed, and they were off.

  Many of the soldiers headed north, while Kyra stopped for a second and took a look around. There weren’t any clues yet, so she took off in a straight line for the finish behind the others.

  On her way, she quickly started to notice markings on the trees. They were far more primitive than the ones she’d spotted on the final exercise before, and they were clearly meant to look like natural marks. She inspected one, and then the other, and followed her gut instinct to go around the path the others had made before her. Some of the soldiers close by seemed to be watching how she chose to proceed, and while part of her wanted to shout at them for not following their own instincts, she decided against it. Instead she ran on ahead and soon lost the stragglers in the thick brush of trees and heavy moss.

  Kyra carried on and on, all the while searching for clues or more markings. There weren’t any, and when she stopped to catch a breath and check her perimeter again, she was surprised to hear someone running towards her. Expecting another recruit to come bursting out of the forest, she prepped herself, but then was slammed into from her side and thrown to the ground by strong hands. She jumped back up and faced the man who’d tackled her, and gasped when she saw Silas dressed as a rebel. He’d clearly been drafted to play enemy in their exercise, and wore a smile that made her instantly wary of his motives.

  “I knew you’d go around,” he told her, wringing his hands and cracking his knuckles. “You're too clever, Kyra. I told myself you'd see the markings and take a different route, and it seems I was right.”

  “You’ve got an unfair advantage, Silas. A normal rebel wouldn’t know me like you do,” she retorted, and he simply shrugged. Kyra turned to run away, even if she had to go back a few feet to do so, but he pounced. Silas pinned her to a nearby tree and pulled her arms behind her back, locking her wrists together in his strong grip. From one of his pockets, he then produced a piece of wire that he wrapped around them. “This ought to hold you for a while,” he said, and rage bubbled up inside of her.

  “You're doing this on purpose so I fail, aren’t you?” she demanded, and pushed back into him so he stumbled away. Kyra turned to face him again, and knew she was right simply by the look on his face. It wasn’t even a guilty expression, but one of smug dominance, and she hated that he clearly thought he’d won. “We’re done, you hear me? DONE!” she screamed in his face.

  Silas slapped her hard across the face, and while she cried out in shock, she wouldn’t let him break her. A crazed laugh escaped her lips, and it shocked her to hear it. “Is this the real Silas McDermott finally coming out? The one Tarquin warned me about? I should’ve known you were no good,” the spite in her tone was so vile, and she knew before it even happened that the second hit was going to be ten times worse. He couldn't seem to control himself, and punched her straight in the mouth. Kyra fell back and landed against a nearby tree with a painful thud. She spat the mouthful of blood onto the floor beside her, while Silas paced the small space like an animal in a cage.

  With every ounce of strength she had, she twisted her shoulders and slid her hands beneath her backside to pull her arms around to the front of her. She needed the advantage, and had taken off again before he’d even noticed, and ran like her life depended on it. There was no looking back, no staying to fight. Kyra knew she had to get away from him as quickly as possible, and used everything she’d learnt to ensure she got away. Tears were streaming down her face, so much so that when the finish line appeared fifty feet away, she had no idea how many other trainees were already on the other side of it. She sprinted as hard as her exhausted body would take her, and knew the shock was wearing her body down just as much as the exertion. Had Silas really just done that? Could he be capable of worse? She was terrified he might just be. Her head was pounding, as was her lip, and Kyra roared in pain as she crossed the line. She then fell to her kn
ees as she was informed she’d come in sixth place.

  A medic cut her free from the binds and tended to her wounds, while Kyra stared off into the distance. She paid no attention to her cuts and bruises, and didn’t feel the pain, but her heart felt broken and she knew tears were streaming from her eyes. He’d won. Silas had managed to take away her future, and all because he didn’t want to lose her. He’d done it anyway, and she knew there would never be any going back to the way they were before. They were over, and while she felt sad, there was also a wave of relief that hit her along with her sorrow. She had no strength left to fight or flee, and felt like an empty shell when she lined up with the others to be told their official result. She saluted Lt. Psy along with the rest of the trainees, and watched in horror as he shook his head at her as though disappointed that she’d let him down. Kyra wanted to scream at him and tell him how Silas had betrayed her, but she held her tongue. He was playing a rebel, after all, and a rebel would’ve detained or killed her if it were real life. She had failed, and would have to deal with that failure if she was ever going to move on. Right now though, she felt like crawling back to the gutter and staying there.

  “Come and see me first thing tomorrow, Sergeant,” Psy instructed her when he’d dismissed the troops, and she nodded. He wouldn’t offer his recommendation, she knew he’d never go back on his word, but hoped he might at least offer her some kind of comfort.

  Kyra went straight home. She didn’t stay to celebrate with any of the others, or discuss their time in the exercise like many were doing. She just wanted her bed, and climbed in without even showering.

  Insistent knocking woke her a few hours later, and she climbed out of bed with a wince and a groan thanks to the aches and pains that’d now set in. On the other side of her door stood Brona, and she was clearly upset at not having been given a full report by her best friend. She took one look at Kyra’s bruised face and pained eyes, and her anger quickly dissipated.