Page 10 of Brutal Savior

Seb frowns. “Why?”

Good question. “I don't know. Just come on.”

Sharp as always, Seb leaps to the right conclusion. “Wait. You're not thinking of keeping her?”

“No. Well. Look, I'm not sure. Kendrick wants to give her to Edward.”

Seb pulls a face. “But he's ancient.”

“I know. It don't feel right.”

Sweat sticks my shirt to my body, and my accent has got thicker, which only happens when I'm stressed. Years of giving academic presentations smoothed the rough edges off my speech, but they come back when I'm under pressure.

Seb grips my shoulder. “Look. It's bad, but none of this is your fault. You deserve the Ward you wanted. We can talk to Kendrick again and see if he can find someone more suitable for her.”

“Like who? There’s not many Brothers without Wards, and they’re all ancient. Well, except Kendrick. And I can't see him taking her on.”

“No.”

We both fall silent, searching for a good solution that doesn't exist. I set off again, this time toward the detention cells. “I just want to talk to her.”

Seb lets out a long breath, but follows.

The detention block is underneath main admin, tucked away like a dungeon. It's rarely used but still has a guard stationed there twenty-four hours a day, just in case. The guard stops us with a raised hand. “Sorry Sir. No-one is to go in.”

“Call Kendrick.”

One of the things I admire about security here is that they're impossible to bully or distract. They follow their orders to perfection. There's no point wasting time arguing with this manwhen only someone higher in his chain of command will change his mind. It doesn't get any higher than Kendrick.

The young guard hesitates. “I don't want to disturb him if it's not…”

“It’s urgent. Call him now. Put me onto him directly please.”

The guard pauses a second longer, then nods. He picks up the phone. “Sorry to disturb you, sir. I have Jacob West at the detention block, and he says it's urgent.”

He passes me the phone.

“Jacob. What's the issue?” Polite but irritated. He'd already marked me off his plate for the day.

“I want to speak to the new prisoner, sir.”

A long pause. “Why?”

Saying the words out loud makes them real. “I want to determine if she’ll be suitable as my Ward after all.”

This time, the pause is heavy. “Jacob, don't be a martyr. Knowing your temperament as I do, she's a poor choice. I don't want to see you distracted and unhappy. Please stay focused on the important work you're doing.”

My words come out level, though it’s a struggle. “I'm aware of that, but it's my decision to make. Now please instruct the guard to let me through.”

The please fucking hurt, but getting into a battle with Kendrick won't end well for anyone but him. He sighs.

“Make the decision quickly. If you want your original choice, we need to take her soon, before this other girl’s disappearance becomes common knowledge. Otherwise, she’ll be on high alert, and there will be too much media coverage. I need to know today.”

Today? I'm supposed to make a decision that will shape the rest of my life in a couple of hours? I'm used to making choices fast, but I'd expected a few days, at least, to think.

I'm insane for even considering this. Hopefully seeing her will cure me of the notion.

The guard leads me into the detention cells. Gabriel and Brackis stand outside a plexiglass window, staring into a small, bare room. Eve and Quinn sit at a bolted down metal table—the only piece of furniture in the room. A platter of fruit, bread, and meat sits between them, and they pick at it as they talk.

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