Valkyrie Rising ✓

Chapter Nine

Hejae slides his hands into his pockets and lets his gaze drift over the room. "We do not celebrate cowardice in the Kuzabn by remembering names, passing along tales. She will be remembered, if at all, as F3R28, the girl who chose weakness." He pauses a beat, lets that sink in.

"You can expect the same anonymous fate should you decide the Kuzabn isn't all you thought it might be." His eyes linger on mine. "Perhaps not as glamorous as you'd hoped."

Is that a warning? A threat? I can't read Hejae. He is, after all, a master conman. All I know is I don't want to be known only as F2R17 when I'm gone. I finally have friends, and I'd want them to be able to mourn properly if and when I do die.

Hejae shifts into his lesson for the day: micro expressions.

"A micro expression happens in an instant," he begins. "They are brief and involuntary displays of emotions we are trying to hide."

He goes on to explain the major emotions we often display even when we think we are doing well at keeping them to ourselves: anger, fear, sadness, surprise, disgust, happiness, and contempt. I find it interesting the majority of these emotions are negative. Then again, I suppose as a polite society, it is the positive we are more likely to share with others. Happiness is beautiful.

After the introduction, Hejae moves into the main topic of lie detection. He explains the minute body movements and facial twitches we make when telling a lie.

"In order to manipulate your interrogator," he says, "you first have to understand the slight changes you must manipulate within your own body."

I learn that a liar is less likely to touch his chest with an open palm, preferring to scratch his nose or earlobe. He will exhibit stiff and limited movement.

"Eveia," Hejae says suddenly. "You look lovely today."

When she looks at him, I notice her nostrils flare just a bit. Then she cocks an eyebrow. "Thank you?" She smiles.

Hejae flashes a charming grin. "No, thank you for being a perfect example of my next point. Not only did Eveia show a micro expression of contempt for me, but her smile didn't match the timing of her words."

Eveia crosses her arms, displeased at her involuntary participation.

"Eveia does not like me," Hejae says to the class. "She tries to hide it, because she respects authority and can't ignore the fact that I am a leader. But she doesn't trust me and despises my area of expertise, and try as she might, her contempt still shows in the twitch of her nostrils." He taps his own nose and smiles at her again.

Eveia glares at him; I'm learning this is her defense whenever she is embarrassed. I wonder if he can read that as well.

"Furthermore, she smiled after thanking me, rather than while speaking," Hejae continues. "She knows a smile naturally accompanies gratitude, and feels politeness requires the motions, but didn't feel truly thankful, so the action was forced."

Eveia refuses to make eye contact with anyone else the rest of the class. When the bell rings, she shoots out of her seat and is out the door before most of us have gathered our things.

Kaz takes his time standing. I hang back and wait for him.

"You okay?"

His face is ashen. He looks at me a moment, then nods, jaw clenched. I don't push the matter.

We climb the stairs to the pool deck in silence. Today, there are no wetsuits waiting for us.

"You'll be learning to survive in the water should you find yourself fully clothed," Kiira explains. She holds a floatation device, which unnerves me a little. If she is this prepared, there must be a higher likelihood of danger.