Page 101 of Ruthless Legacy

Brain fuel

The smell of powdered sugar wafts through the air. I bring the tray inside and settle on the couch, digging into the food from the diner. I inhale the aroma of the coffee. It smells like the blend in the dining hall, only more potent. I let out a happy little groan when I take my first sip.

I grab my phone and dial LJ’s number.

“Thea. You’re back.”

“Got in early this morning.”

“You going to classes today?”

“Probably my last one. Right now I’m trying to reboot my body so I’ll resemble a human. How are things with you?”

“They’re great. I’m heading to the dining hall. It’s service day for the pledges.”

“What are ya’ll serving?”

“The Lions and The Prides. Basically, we’re busing tables and delivering meals, trying to earn tips.”

“Oooh, that sounds fun.”

She giggles. “It should be. They’re tipping us in poker chips for our combined Monte Carlo Night.”

We talk a little more about her roommates and about my plan to catch up in my classes. By the time we end the call, I’ve finished half my food and most of my coffee.

I’m feeling more energized and grab my laptop to check the syllabus for my classes. I worked ahead and submitted a few assignments early. But there are some teachers who don’t unlock the assignments until they’re due, which means this week I’m behind in two classes.

One of the teachers won’t accept work more than 24 hours past the deadline, the other deducts ten points for everyday it’s late. In this case, I’m getting a zero for two assignments, and looking at a thirty point deduction for the other.

I cringe as I check my overall average. I can’t afford to sink any lower. I’ve got a low C average in the class with the missing assignments, and a B in the one with the point deductions. Midterms are in a few weeks. I’m hoping that’ll boost my grades back up. Indoctrination will be over and I’ll be back to attending classes without disruption.

Patrick Cabot said The League of the Daggered Raven comes before school, but I don’t remember Finn and Holden ever missing a week of the class we had together last semester, so the disruption of my education has to be temporary.

There’s a scraping sound at the door. I look over and find an envelope sticking out from underneath it. I upload my assignment, before going to retrieve it, grumbling, “Really guys? I literally just got home a few hours ago. Why do we need to have another lesson so soon?”

I pull out the invitation, and read,

When opinions diverge,

it comes down to who submits first.

BOF

What the hell is BOF? The cryptic notes are really starting to get on my nerves. I’ve got enough to study without having to decipher the meaning behind these invitations. I drop the card and envelope on the table, grab my notebook off my nightstand, then cuddle back up on the couch with another cup of coffee, going over my league notes.

Chapter44

Holden

Iheard Thea come in early this morning and had to check on her. She was so exhausted she crashed on the bed with her clothes and shoes on. She didn’t even need a pill to get to sleep. I didn’t want to risk waking her. She needed her rest.

I’m glad she didn’t get up for class this morning, and I wanted to make sure she didn’t need to leave her room today, so I had Belgian waffles delivered from that diner she likes and made her a pot of coffee.

She’ll need it, because the day leading up to her final indoctrination evaluation is going to be brutal. The other selectees will probably get a few more hours of sleep tonight, but Thea’s sleeping patterns make it unlikely that she will.

I wish I could tell her what to expect. Warn her that the final evaluation isn’t just one test. There’s a written test with an essay portion, but there are many tests this weekend for practical application of what she’s learned.

She’ll be evaluated on things she probably hasn’t even considered. Like the outfit she chooses to wear around campus today, or who she sits next to in her classes, and the dining hall.

---