Page 89 of Ruthless Legacy

That’s an interesting take on what could have happened. I know that the security council employs shadows. You never see them until you’ve fucked up.

To be parked outside of a trainee’s home makes no sense. For the council to find no traces of a vehicle makes even less sense. So either the guy was paranoid. Still tweaking off the cocktail of drugs they give you before your first assessment, or someone was watching him and covered their tracks. Just because the council says they didn’t find a shadow working outside of their designated parameters doesn’t mean there wasn't one.

The disciplinary action ends and they move to the next order of business.

“The League’s started their latest round of recruitment. There are seventy-five potentials going through the selectee process. Recruiters, these potentials are no longer eligible for recruitment. Guardians, your team will be assigned to monitor and report back any infractions you identify during the selection process.”

My heart thuds in my chest as I read over the names. Seventy-five selectees. Fifty of them are women, but the only name I can see is the one that shouldn’t be on that board. Theona LaReaux.

The League keeps trying to come up with ways to tie her to this town. This time they’ve succeeded. For the first time in history, they’re letting women into their society. My rational brain thinks good for them, but my heart is splintering. Not because I don’t think she can handle it. She can. I know better than anyone how capable she is.

Thea’s not like anyone I’ve met before. It’s not just that she’s tough and a great fighter. But underneath that hard exterior is the sweetest girl I’ve ever met.

She’d choose to fight three UFC champions in a steel cage match before admitting it, but Thea cares a lot. I see it when she talks about her friends, or one of the shop owners on the boardwalk where she likes to hang out. It’s in the passion in her voice when she’s describing the cultural significance of a random phrase. Or when she tells me about the countries she wants to visit after graduation.

She gets swept up in her musings and her face transforms. When we’re together, she makes me one tenth less of a hard ass. Forcing me to laugh. And she gives me an outlet. A space where I get to be… myself. Thea doesn’t tap out. Not in the ring and not in bed.

I love listening to her plans, and after her confession that she wanted me in those plans, I haven’t been able to think of anything else. I can’t wait to see her do all of those things, accomplish all of her goals. Now that excitement is tainted because I know The League of the Daggered Raven will exploit her career for their selfish gain.

* * *

Thea

Silence engulfs me as I step through the doors at Wolfe Pack. It’s six in the morning, but the gym is empty. Between selectee training and Wolfe being out of town for a conference, I’ve missed several workouts. We agreed to meet this morning for the makeup sessions. I’ve been looking forward to two hours of training but I expected to have someone to train against. If it’s gonna be two hours on the treadmill, I’m leaving.

“Where is everybody?” I ask when Wolfe emerges from his office.

“It’s just you and me this morning, LaReaux.”

He walks past me and locks the door. I can’t get a read on his mood. Is he locking me in, or locking everyone else out? “I guess I’ll start warming up.”

“I think we should talk first.”

Talk? He never wants to talk before he makes me get on the treadmill. He prefers I talk while running because it increases blood flow and helps build endurance. A sense of unease comes over me. We haven’t spent much time together lately, and he wants to talk after coming back from a conference.

I blurt out. “You’re breaking up with me.”

“I’m not breaking up with you, sweetness.”

“Then why am I here for a talk at six am? We could’ve talked over the phone.”

“I brought you here because we can’t talk about this over the phone or around other people. We shouldn’t be talking about it at all. I know that’s why you haven’t mentioned it to me, but-”

He knows. “Who told you?”

“They give MISTIC recruiters the list of selectees so that we don’t waste our time approaching them during the process.”

I take a step towards him. “I’ll be busy until I’m through with the pre-selection process in a few more weeks, but it doesn’t change anything.”

“It changes everything, Thea.”

I follow him to his office. “Why would you say that? Does your dislike for them matter more than how much you like me?”

He plops down behind his desk with a huff. “Of course not, but there are rules and processes in place that will be barriers to us being together. Even after pre-selection, when you become a Wren, your time won’t be your own. They’ll watch you and report back everywhere you go and everything you do. I don’t have to tell you what powerful people do with information, do I?”

He’s worried about that? I’m happy to put his mind at ease. “I have a bit of a knack for sneaking in and out of places undetected. So we don’t have to worry about that.”

“You’ll be on a short leash. The league controls your social calendar and the only person who will have free access to you any time, day or night is your league mentor.”

---