Twell and the Rebellion Read Online Free

against the ceiling directly above where Shay’s
head had just been, and he did not look impressed.
    “ Warn me next time you’re
going to do that,” he scowled.
    Snickering unapologetically, I
relaxed my powers and lowered him back down to the floor. “You
really better go now.”
    “Talking to Avin, huh?”
His tone was light, but there was no amusement in his gaze. I
couldn’t blame him. He’d already met Avin twice. The first time was
at Aran, and suffice to say, they hadn’t hit it off. The second
time was at the partnering ceremony. I tried not to think about how
stunning Stelli had looked that night, dazzling in silver and
draped in Jonaz’s arms. Drop-dead gorgeous, amazing figure, kind,
smart… oh stop! With effort, I shook the memory off and returned
to the conversation at hand.
    “ You know I’m just telling
her what she wants to hear.” I frowned.
    “Yeah, I know,” he
admitted. “But that doesn’t make it any easier.”
    I tried not to dwell on it as I
pushed Jonaz out onto the balcony adjoining my bedroom. He’d scaled
quite a height to sneak in and I had to admit I was impressed.
Climbing over the railing, he held on with one hand and grabbed my
waist with the other, pulling me closer as he balanced precariously
on the edge.
    “I want to kiss you.” His
voice was quiet and low, his words simple. But his eyes told a more
complicated story. Yearning, mixed with wariness and
uncertainty.
    My body leaned impulsively
towards him, while my mind screamed with warning. “We can’t risk
it,” I whispered as paranoia turned my eyes to the sky. Anger
flashed over Jonaz’s face in a violent suddenness. It was such a
shocking contrast to the usual warmth of his features I flinched
and pulled back.
    “ One day soon I won’t care
anymore,” he retorted. “I won’t care how they punish
me.”
    “ Or me?” I asked quietly.
It had the intended effect, sobering his rebellious
expression.
    “ I’d never let them punish
you.” His reply was soft, but his hand curled harder around my
waist, his fingers grazing the small of my back. Despite the fire
in his gaze, I shivered. I knew he mightn’t be able to keep such a
promise. How could we fight a Government no one else dared to
challenge? We were nothing, two tiny, insignificant stars in a
galaxy of intricately controlled precision. How could we make a
difference, or shine bright enough to change the order of
things?
    “ When the time is right
and we can take our time, I will kiss you again, Twell.”
    My cheeks grew warm under his
gaze, while my heart pulsed with hope, longing, and fear. Not
needing to have the last word for a change, I smiled shyly back.
Releasing me with a sigh, Jonaz pulled back into the shadows and
disappeared from view.
    After, he’d scaled back down to
the street, I stared out into the darkness, listening to his
footsteps fading and then his pod starting, and lifting into the
night. It was a strange sensation that whenever he left me now, I
felt unsettled and anxious, until he was with me again.
    Before I went back inside,
I glanced apprehensively up at the sky once more. There were no
government crafts spying down on me that I could see. There was
nothing but the endless canvas of night and the twinkling stars
framing the planet of Abrwarz as the centrepiece. It glowed blood
red in warning of its deadly inhabitants, yet it wasn’t the reason
my chest had grown tight with anxiety. I realized I had no idea how
far my own people would go to make sure I obeyed their rules. The
quickening pace of my heartbeat told me it might not be long until
I found out.
     

 
    Chapter
Two
     
    I was roused by the soft
light of dawn filtering through my glass ceiling, touching my skin
with warmth. Also, Shay was rapping not-so-lightly on my door. I
was not a morning person and frequently used my telekinesis to
fight with my alarm clock. I couldn’t turn Shay’s knocking off
though (as she well knew) so I was forced to get up without