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    Secrecy: Academy of Ancients, #6
    Secrecy: Academy of Ancients, #6
    Secrecy: Academy of Ancients, #6
    Ebook125 pages1 hour

    Secrecy: Academy of Ancients, #6

    By Avery Cross

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Nyala's having a heck of a time recovering from last semester's events. She's missing her best friend Briar and things became way too complicated when her boyfriend decided to cheat on her. Yeah, she caught him in the act.

    She's also got a secret. One she's not willing to share with anyone.

     

    When her ex starts to harass her and a new guy appears to the rescue, she finds herself confused.

     

    Jack's on a mission. It's a very secret mission. One he can't share with anyone. Unfortunately, the mission didn't involve catching feelings for Nyala. And yet… here he is. Now if only he can see the mission through without anyone ending up dead.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherACross
    Release dateSep 28, 2022
    ISBN9798215427552
    Secrecy: Academy of Ancients, #6

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      Book preview

      Secrecy - Avery Cross

      CHAPTER ONE

      Nyala

      Standing on the apartment's balcony in Silent Heights, I breathed in my coffee and admired the sunrise. Today was my last day of summer vacation. Tomorrow, I’d be waking up back on campus. I was now a third-year student at the Academy of Ancients, starting my first two years of grad school. I’d worked double time last semester to get back on track the best I could.

      It’d been an interesting few months, that much was for sure.

      After Briar and Zach had taken off on their trip to see the world, she’d left me a note saying she was handing over her old apartment to me. She’d paid for two years’ rent to get me through the rest of my time at Academy. Her note said it was a thank you for being there for her through everything that went down with her and Xylon.

      A familiar sinking feeling hit my stomach merely thinking of that villain’s name. Whenever the others asked how I was doing, I’d lie and say everything was fine. Of course I didn’t have nightmares that left me shaking. I’d completely gotten over fighting off hordes of the undead and killing necromancers. I definitely wasn’t too terrified to use my summoning again.

      I was handling myself just fine. I was the happy, always optimistic Nyala.

      Yeah, keep telling yourself that.

      It’s going to be a good semester, I told myself sternly, ignoring the chiding voice inside my head. It’s going to be great. You’re a grad student, and you’re not going to let anything bring you down. Nothing.

      I gave a firm nod, willing myself to believe those words.

      Because it wasn’t only my worry over my summoning that had kept me up these past few nights. No matter who I bumped into on campus, I was going to keep my head high and not let it get to me.

      I enjoyed the bright orange sunrise a moment longer, then stepped inside to prepare for the day. I had to pack up what I’d need on campus and head to Academy to settle into my quarters. It was the same ones I’d had with Briar before and last semester. Thankfully, Headmaster Hooke had allowed me to keep it without assigning me a roommate. Being with someone new would be too weird. I’d rather enjoyed having my own space while I buried myself in my studies. Well, mostly. I did miss having Briar around to talk with and laugh about everything. Watching her randomly set people’s feet on fire was always a good time.

      And if she’d been here over the summer, I had no doubt she would’ve let me live vicariously through her while she got revenge on my ex, that cheating asshole. Then again, she probably would’ve tried to set more than just his feet on fire.

      He deserved it.

      Watching him dance around like a maniac would’ve also distracted me from my other issues.

      Happy thoughts, Nyala, I said to myself with a deep calming breath that did nothing to soothe me. Just keep thinking happy thoughts.

      In the middle of folding clothes and putting them into my suitcase, my cell rang. I picked it up and answered the video call.

      What are you doing wasting your vacation calling me?

      Briar’s grinning face stared back at me. Her eyes were alight with delight. Behind her, Zach waved. He was smiling like a fool, his gaze filled with so much love for the woman in front of him. I couldn’t be happier for them.

      I wanted to check in with you, Briar said. The semester starts tomorrow, yeah?

      It does, but I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine? I peered at the scenery behind her. Where are you guys now?

      Iceland. Can you believe it? Briar changed the video, so it showed me the gorgeous landscape around them. It’s amazing. We’ve been here for a few days now. I don’t think I want to leave.

      The mist around the mountains was more than incredible. Damn. You’re taking a lot of pictures, right?

      Too many, Zach replied with a laugh.

      Good thing it’s digital, Briar added. Her face appeared on the screen again. Really, Nyala, how have your last few weeks been?

      I was going to answer until I spotted the worry in that smile of hers. The fire in her eyes also flared for a second, and I sighed. Why do you keep looking at me like that? I asked.

      She gave me an innocent look that was anything but. I’m not looking at you like anything. Can’t a friend just call to check up on her friend? Her best friend in the whole world?

      She was laying it on thick. Not when you’re supposed to be on your honeymoon for another couple of months, I said through my laughter. Last I’d heard, they’d planned to be gone a year. That year was quickly coming to an end, but it seemed to have been good for them. Neither one appeared bogged down anymore by what they’d experienced and seen.

      They’d both almost died numerous times, and one of those times had been by Briar’s own hand. She’d been willing to kill herself rather than hurt any of us. Hurt Zach. I never told her, but I still had nightmares of when Zach found her on the floor. Of how she’d been dead those few minutes.

      Maybe I miss you, Briar said, pulling me away from taking a painful stroll down memory lane.

      Ensuring my voice sounded as cheerful as possible, I took a moment to respond. I miss you, too. But come on. Why are you calling me?

      She hung her head. Alright, I might’ve heard from some other people that you and Roger broke up. Since I’m not there to do the good friend thing of getting you a ton of ice cream and hearing you rant and rave about what an asshole he is, I’m doing what I can from here.

      I was about to ask who would’ve told her, then remembered the visitors I’d had a month back. Zach’s brothers, Luke and Nick, had stopped over on their way to Academy. After the incident involving the necromancers and Xylon, I’d become friends with all of Zach’s brothers. Adam was still at the Talons’ HQ, but Luke and Nick had been helping get the campus up and running again. Hunter and Trisha were going to be stationed there this fall with them. There was still a lot of work to be done to ensure the place wasn’t merely rebuilt but that it would be safe from any future attacks by an army of the undead or necromancers. From what they’d told me, they were also going to use that time to remind not only the students and faculty there but everyone else associated with Academy that there would be no more plots to kidnap students happening under their watch.

      Clearing out the tombs of any other potentially dangerous undead had also been underway. Knowing how many dead bodies were laid to rest beneath the grounds was still terribly creepy. Knowing none of those would be brought back to life to terrorize us all would be nice.

      Back in July, the night Zach’s brothers had come over, I’d been trying to pretend everything was fine after dealing with Roger. There’d been no point in lying to Luke and Nick. They’d seen through my fake smile in less than a minute. They’d also ended up bringing me several tubs of chocolate ice cream and had hung out with me the whole night, playing video games and listening to me bitch about Roger.

      They weren’t supposed to tell you, I told Briar. And I’m good. I’m over it. It’s no big deal.

      Uh-huh. Then why does happy Nyala look like she’s sucking on a lemon?

      I stuck my tongue out at her, and she laughed. Maybe I’m not looking forward to the semester.

      Yeah, I’m sure that’s what it is, Briar replied sarcastically. It doesn’t have anything to do with Roger turning out to be a piece of shit.

      The anger I’d thought I’d let go of over what Roger had done came roaring back, and I let out a stream of very vivid curses.

      Briar’s worried frown was accompanied by Zach’s. Nyala, you’re allowed to be pissed, she told me. Seriously. If I were there, I’d set him on fire for you.

      I’d hang him upside down, Zach chimed in. Let all the blood rush to his head. That could be fun to watch.

      Oh, you’re right, then we’d set his feet on fire, Briar added.

      And trap him in a cage. I’d pay to watch that.

      You two are insane, I said but managed a laugh. As funny as that would be, it’s okay. I’m glad I found out when I did. It’s better than letting this go on and finding out after I’d invested so much time and fallen in love with him or something, right?

      I was damn grateful I hadn’t thrown myself wholeheartedly into the relationship. There’d been a reason I’d held back. I’d thought it was because of all the drama with Briar and the Masters and, hell, everything else. Maybe it had been my instincts trying to tell me that Roger wasn’t the nice guy I’d believed.

      Back at the beginning of July, I’d headed to Academy to surprise Roger. He’d been staying on campus for the summer while he focused on a research project for his studies. He’d said he was working with several other students researching the same topic and was spending a lot of time with them. That day, I’d tracked

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