Page 15 of Chosen
“You’ve got me there. I did have her photo tweaked a bit when I had her reassigned to the manor but that was before she became your breeder. As I’m sure you’re already aware, because she already had the initial classification as companion when she entered the Registry, any of the other Sector Leaders could have pulled up her file if they were in search of new companions and reassigned her to their district.”
His reasoning made sense. I noticed when she’d received her new designation it listed her as helper. Under the intersectoral laws, any Sector Leader could claim any companion if they weren’t already assigned to another Sector Leader or a high ranking official. Most companions were chosen based on their appearances. A blurry picture would have discouraged anyone claiming her. Magnus probably didn’t count on Jameshia being matched with me through the cross-breeding program.
I slowly nod. “I understand your reasoning. However, surely you know that now she now falls under my jurisdiction, there are laws that I must adhere to now that her file has been flagged. What did you plan to accomplish if I gave you the five weeks you initially asked for? Do you realize in that time, the victims’ family could have petitioned me directly to see that her sentence was carried out? There are no trials for homo sapien murderers in my sector.”
“There are trials for them in my sector.”
At this point, I feel this conversation is going nowhere. “Again, she would fall under my sector’s rules. Your trial would be meaningless.”
“Perhaps, but I was hoping to find a way to remove that designation from her file. I wanted to get to the bottom of the incident. As I explained in the summit, I’ve had to weed out a lot of corruption in some of my regions. The region that Jamie had been previously assigned to was rife with it.”
“So why didn’t you arrange a trial for her when she was initially assigned to this manor?” I ask.
“By the time, I noticed that designation, it was too late. She’d already been marked as your breeder. I was hoping if I had the time to gather enough evidence in her defense you could remove that flag from her file. I’m fully aware that there’s nothing stopping you from having her executed once she’s provided you an heir.”
I blink.
All my life people have made assumptions about me based on my background and have questioned my intelligence, my ability to lead, and even my humanity. But hearing how little Sector Leader Magnus, someone who I’d thought highly of, really thinks of me, I shouldn’t be surprised.
I saw no further need to continue this conversation.
“I will be taking my breeder and leaving now.”
I head to the door without a backward glance.
“Wait! I didn’t mean?—”
“We both know what you meant.” I cut him off as I open the door.
I’m surprised to see my breeder still waiting by the door. I’m again hit by her scent. It takes a considerable amount of willpower to ignore it.
My gaze rakes over her slender frame and notice she doesn’t have anything in her hands.
“Did you not wish to take any of your belongings with you?”
She shakes her head. “There’s nothing here that belongs to me.” My breeder still won’t look me in the eyes but I require nothing but her obedience.
“Then we can leave now.”
I grasp her wrist and immediately yank my hand back as a jolt of electric courses through my body. I don’t understand thissensation, nor do I want to so I turn on my heel. “Come,” I command gruffly.
Instead of resistance, which I expected, I hear the light tread of her footsteps behind me.
“Jamie, wait! Give your family the chance to say goodbye!” Magnus calls out.
“I’m sure you can convey that for me,” I hear her reply.
I head to the entrance of the manor without looking back.
Annoyance grips me when I see that my car has already been moved from the from the driveway. The Enforcer that I had brought along with me stands in the empty spot where it had been moved.
I look over my shoulder and see Magnus close behind. “Have my car returned to me at once.”
“Of course. As I thought you would at least be joining us for a meal, I had it taken to the garage for a recharge and stocked with parting gifts,” he explained.
“I required neither. Have my car returned to me in the next five minutes.” I don’t find it necessary to tell him what will happen if it isn’t. I don’t make empty threats and at this point my patience is threadbare.
I glance down at my breeder who now stands a few feet behind me. “We’ll wait down there.” I point toward my Enforcer.
