#Chapter 275 – The Draft

I’m panting as Jesse follows me up the final hill of our run, keeping close on my heels and basically herding me like a sheepdog to ensure that I don’t slacken my pace and fall behind. “Jesse!” I gasp, swatting at him as he gets even closer when we reach the top of the hill, the door to the Castle only a few feet away. “Back off! The run is done!” “Still twenty more feet, Cadet!” Jesse says, beaming at me, looking far too fresh for how exhausted I’m feeling. He jogs backwards, passing me, urging me along. “Oh, I hate you,” I sigh, still pulling my breaths in deeply as I let my pace slacken to a walk for those final twenty feet. Jesse laughs as he runs ahead to the little fountain where our water bottles are waiting, giving them a quick rinse before filling mine up and handing it to me when I join him there. “You did good,” he says, quite cheerful, the energy Jacks passed to him early this morning clearly still running fresh in his veins. I roll my eyes, knowing that he’s