My first glimpse of the office was exactly how I remembered: perfect and wel designed. Several leather chairs sat before a large cherry oak desk. Wildly colored fish zoomed back and forth in the aquarium lining the wal behind the desk.
My uncle stepped into my line of sight and I faltered. It’d been so long since I’d seen him—years real y. I’d forgotten how much he looked like Mom. They shared the same eyes
—emerald-colored ones that shifted depending on mood.
They were eyes only my mother and uncle shared.
Except the last time I’d seen her eyes, they hadn’t been vibrant. The icky feeling swel ed inside me, pressing on my chest. I stepped forward, pushing it al the way down.
“Alexandria.” Marcus’s deep and cultured voice snapped me back into the room. “After al these years. To see you again? I am at a loss for words.”
Uncle—and I used the term loosely—sounded nothing like a close family member. His tone was cold and plastic.
When I met his eyes, I knew right off I was doomed. There was nothing in his stare linking me to him—no happiness or relief at seeing his only niece alive and in one piece. If anything, he looked rather bored.
Someone cleared his throat, drawing my attention to the corner of the office. We weren’t alone. Mister Steroids stood in the corner, along with a female pure. She was tal and slender, with cascades of raven-colored hair. I pegged her as an Instructor.
Only pures who had no aspirations for the political games of their world taught for the Covenant or became Sentinels—or pures like Aiden who lived with super-personal reasons for doing so: say, like having his parents murdered by daimons right in front of him when he was a child. That was what’d happened to him. Supposedly, it was why Aiden had chosen to become a Sentinel. He probably wanted some sort of revenge.
Something we had in common.
“Sit down.” Marcus motioned to a chair. “We have a lot to discuss.”
I pul ed my eyes from the pures and treaded forward.
Hope flared with their presence. Why else would there be pures here if not to talk about my lack of training and ways to overcome it?
Marcus moved behind his desk and sat. From there, he folded his hands and leveled a look at me. Unease made me sit straighter and my feet dangled above the floor.
“I real y don’t know where to begin with… this mess Rachel e created.”
I didn’t respond since I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly.
“First off, she nearly ruined Lucian. Twice.” He spoke as if I’d had something to do with it. “The scandal she created when she met your father was bad enough. When she emptied Lucian’s bank account and ran off with you? Wel , I’m sure even you can understand the lasting implications of such an unwise decision.”
Ah, Lucian. Mom’s perfect, pure-blooded husband—my stepfather. I could imagine his response. It probably had involved a lot of throwing stuff and bemoaning his poor character judgment. I don’t even know if Mom had ever loved him, or if she’d loved my mortal father she’d had an affair with, but I did know Lucian was a total priss.
Marcus continued listing the ways her decisions had hurt Lucian. I pretty much tuned him out. The last I remembered, Lucian was working to secure a spot on the pure-blood Council. Reminiscent of the old Greek Olympian court, the Council had twelve ruling figures, and, out of those twelve, two were Ministers.
Ministers were the most powerful. They ruled the lives of both pures and halfs just as Hera and Zeus ruled Olympia.
Needless to say, the Ministers had huge freaking egos.
Each Covenant location held a Council: North Carolina, Tennessee, New York, and the pure-blood university located in South Dakota. The eight Ministers control ed the Council.
“Are you even listening to me, Alexandria?” Marcus frowned at me.
My head jerked up. “Yes… you’re talking about how bad everything’s been for Lucian. I feel sorry for him. Real y, I do. I’m sure it pales in comparison to having your life ripped away from you.”
A strange look inched across his face. “Are you referring to your mother’s fate?”
“You mean your sister’s fate?” My eyes narrowed as I met his gaze.
Marcus stared at me, his face going blank. “Rachel e sealed her own fate when she left the safety of our society.
What happened to her is truly tragic, but I cannot find it in myself to feel overly upset. When she pul ed you away from the Covenant, she proved she gave no thought to Lucian’s reputation or for your safety. She was self-centered, irresponsible—”
“She was everything to me!” I jumped to my feet. “She did nothing but think of me! What happened to her was horrific—‘tragic’ is for people who die in car wrecks!”
His expression didn’t change. “She did nothing but think of you? I find that strange. She left the safety of the Covenant and put both of you in danger.”
I bit the inside of my cheek.
“Exactly.” His gaze turned arctic. “Sit down, Alexandria.”
Furious, I forced myself to sit and shut up.
“Did she tel you why you needed to leave the Covenant?
Give you any reason to why she would do such a reckless thing?”
I glanced over at the pures. Aiden had retreated to stand beside the other two. The three of them watched this soap opera through poker faces. A lot of help they were proving to be.
“Alexandria, I asked you a question.”
The hard wood embedded into my palms as I gripped the chair arms. “I heard you. No. She didn’t tel me.”
A muscle ticked along Marcus’s jaw as he stared at me in silence. “Wel , it is a shame.”
Since I wasn’t sure how to respond, I watched him open up a file on his desk and spread the lined papers out in front of him. Leaning forward, I tried to see what they were.
Clearing his throat, he picked up one of the papers. “As it is, I cannot hold you responsible for what Rachel e did. The gods know she is suffering the consequences.”
“I think Alexandria is aware of how her mother suffered,”
the female pure interrupted. “There is no need to go any further.”
Marcus’s stare turned glacial. “Yes. I suppose you are correct, Laadan.” He turned back to the paper he held between his elegant fingers. “When I was advised you were final y located, I requested your reports to be sent to me.”
I winced and sat back in the seat. This wasn’t going to be good at al .
“Al of your Instructors had nothing but glowing accolades when it came to your training.”
A smal smile formed on my lips. “I was pretty damn good.”
“However,” he glanced up, briefly meeting my eyes,
“when it comes to your behavior records, I find myself…
flabbergasted.”
My smile shriveled up and died.
“Several write-ups for issues of disrespect toward your teachers and other students,” he continued. “A particular note here, written personal y by Instructor Banks, states your level of respect for your superiors is seriously lacking and had been an ongoing issue.”
“Instructor Banks had no sense of humor.”
Marcus arched a brow. “Then I imagine neither did Instructor Richards nor Instructor Octavian? They also wrote, at times, you were uncontrol able and undisciplined.”
Protests died on my lips. I had nothing to say.
“Your problems with respect didn’t appear to be your only issues.” He picked up another piece of paper and his brows rose. “You were disciplined numerous times for sneaking out of the Covenant, fighting, disruption of class, breaking numerous rules, and oh yes, my personal favorite?” He looked up, smiling tightly. “You had racked up repeated demerits for breaking curfew and for fraternizing in the male dormitory.”
I shifted uncomfortably.
“Al before the age of fourteen.” His lips thinned. “You must be proud.”
My eyes widened as I stared at his desk. “I woul
dn’t say proud.”
“Does it matter?”
I looked up. “I… guess not?”
The tight smile returned. “Considering your previous behavior, I’m afraid to say there is no way I could al ow you to resume training—”
“What?” My voice turned shril . “Then why am I here?”
Marcus placed the papers back into the file and closed it.
“Our communities are always in need of servants. I spoke with Lucian this morning. He has offered you a place in his home. You should be honored.”
“No!” I came to my feet once again. Panic and rage seized me. “There is no way you’re going to drug me! I won’t be a servant in his house or any pure’s!”
“Then what?” Marcus folded his hands again and looked at me calmly. “Wil you go back to living on the streets? I wil not al ow that. The decision has already been made. You wil not reenter the Covenant.”
CHAPTER 3
THOSE WORDS SHOCKED ME INTO SILENCE. ALL
MY dreams of vengeance evaporated into nothing. I stared at my uncle, hating him almost as much as I hated daimons.
Mister Steroids cleared his throat. “If I may say something?”
Marcus and I turned toward him. I was surprised he could even speak, but Marcus waved his hand for him to continue.
“She kil ed two daimons.”
“I’m aware of this, Leon.” The man who was about to bring down my whole world didn’t seem too interested.
“When we found her in Georgia, she was holding her own against two more daimons,” Leon continued. “Her potential, if trained properly, is astronomical.”
Shocked that this pure would speak for me, I slowly sat down. Marcus stil looked unimpressed and those bright green eyes were as hard as ice.
“I understand, but her behavior before the incident with her mother cannot be erased. This is a school, not a daycare center. I do not have the time or the energy to keep an eye on her. I cannot have her running wild through these hal s and influencing the other students.”
I rol ed my eyes. He made me sound like a cunning criminal about to bring down the entire Covenant.
“Then assign someone to her,” Leon said. “There are Instructors here during the summer who’l be able to keep an eye on her.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. It’s not like I’m going to burn down a building.”
Everyone ignored me.
Marcus sighed. “Even if we assign someone to her, she is behind in her training. There is no way she would be on par with those in her class. Come fal , she wil be sorely behind.”
This time it was Aiden who spoke. “We would have the entire summer to prepare her. It’s possible she could be ready enough to attend classes.”
“Who has the time for such an undertaking?” Marcus frowned. “Aiden, you are a Sentinel, not an Instructor.
Neither is Leon. And Laadan wil be returning to New York shortly. The other Instructors have lives—ones I cannot expect them to drop just for one half-blood.”
Aiden’s expression was unreadable, and I sure as hel didn’t know what provoked the words coming out of his mouth next. “I can work with her. It wouldn’t interfere with my duties.”
“You’re one of the best Sentinels,” Marcus shook his head. “It would be a waste of your talent—”
They battled on about what to do to me. I tried interjecting once, but after the warning glare both Leon and Aiden sent my way, I shut up. Marcus continued stating I was a lost cause while Aiden and Leon argued that I could be fixed.
My uncle’s wil ingness to turn me over to Lucian stung.
Servitude wasn’t a pleasant future. Everyone knew that. I’d heard rumors, terrible ones concerning how the pures treated halfs—especial y female halfs.
Laadan stepped forward after Aiden and Marcus came to a standstil about what to do with me. Slowly, she flicked her long hair over one shoulder. “How about we make a deal, Dean Andros? If Aiden says he can train her and stil do his duties, then you have nothing to lose. If she’s not ready by the end of the summer, she doesn’t stay.”
I twisted back to Marcus, ful of hope.
He stared at me for what seemed like forever. “Fine.” He leaned back in his chair. “But this is on you, Aiden. Do you understand? Anything—and I mean anything—she does wil be a reflection upon you. And trust me, she wil do something. She’s just like her mother.”
Aiden suddenly looked cautious as he glanced back at me. “Yes. I understand.”
A wide smile broke out across my face and the cautious look on his face grew, but when I turned back to Marcus, my smile died under his frigid stare.
“I wil be less tolerant than your old dean, Alexandria. Do not make me regret this decision.”
I nodded, not ful y trusting myself to speak. There was a good chance I would mess it al up if I did. Afterwards, Marcus dismissed me with a wave of his hand. I stood and left his office. Laadan and Leon remained, but Aiden fol owed me.
I turned to him. “Thank you.”
Aiden stared at me. “Don’t thank me yet.”
I smothered a yawn and shrugged. “Wel , I just did. I real y think Marcus would’ve shipped me off to Lucian’s if it wasn’t for you three.”
“He would’ve. Your stepfather is your legal guardian.”
I shuddered. “That’s reassuring.”
He caught my reaction. “Was it something that Lucian did that caused you and your mother to leave?”
“No, but Lucian… wasn’t particularly fond of me. I’m Mom’s love child, you know? He’s just Lucian. What’s that prick up to, anyways?”
Aiden’s brows rose. “That prick is the Minister of Council.”
My mouth dropped open. “What? You’re kidding, right?”
“Why would I joke about something like that? So you may want to refrain from cal ing him a prick in public. I doubt it would help your cause.”
News that Lucian was now a Minister made my stomach clench, especial y considering he had a “place” for me in his household. I shook my head and pushed that implication far from my thoughts. I had enough immediate concerns other than dealing with him.
“You should get some rest. Come tomorrow, we’l begin training… if you feel up to it.”
“I do.”
Aiden’s gaze drifted over my bruised face and then down, as if he could see the many cuts and bruises I’d racked up since I’d fled Miami. “Are you sure?”
I nodded, my gaze fal ing on the lock of hair he kept pushing off his forehead. “What are we starting with? I didn’t start any of the offensive tactics or Silat training.”
He shook his head. “I hate to disappoint you, but you won’t be starting with Silat training.”
That was disappointing. I liked daggers and al things that stabbed, and I real y would like to know how to use them effectively. I started to head toward my dorm, but Aiden’s voice stopped me.
“Alex. Don’t… let me down. Anything you do wil come back on me. Do you understand?”
“Yes. Don’t worry. I’m not as bad as Marcus makes me sound.”
He looked doubtful. “Fraternizing in the male dorms?”
I flushed. “I was visiting friends. Not like I was hooking up with any of them. I was only fourteen. I’m not a ho-bag.”
“Wel , that’s good to know.” He walked away.
Sighing, I headed back to my room. I was tired, but al the excitement from getting a second chance had me hyped up. After staring at the bed for an absurd amount of time, I left my room and moved through the empty hal s of the girls’
dorm. The pures and halfs shared living quarters only at the Covenant. Anyplace else, we were segregated.
I tried to remember what it’d been like to be here. The rigorous training schedules, ridiculous class work studying things that’d bored me to tears, and al the social games the pures and halfs had played. There’s nothing like a bunch of catty teenagers who could either kick your ass halfway across the country or set you on
fire with a mere thought. That alone changed who people picked fights with or became friends with. And at the end of the day, it was always good to have a firestarter in your back pocket.
Everyone had a role to play. I’d been considered cool by half-blood standards, but now I had no idea where I would stand come fal .
After roaming the empty common rooms, I left the girls’
dorm and headed for one of the smal er buildings near the marshlands. The one story, square building held the cafeteria and rec rooms and surrounded a colorful courtyard.
I slowed as I neared one of the larger rooms. The laughter and crashes radiating from the room proved there were some kids stil here over summer vacation.
Something flip-flopped inside me. Would they accept me back? Would they even know me? Hel , would they even care?
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the doors. No one seemed to notice me. Everyone was busy cheering on a pure who floated several pieces of furniture in midair. The young girl was a novice at control ing the air element, which explained al the noise. Mom had used air, too. After al , it was the most common element. Pures could only control one, sometimes two if they were real y powerful.
I studied the girl. With her bright red curls and giant blue eyes, she looked about twelve, especial y standing next to the towering halfs in her cute jumper. I real y didn’t have room to talk. I came in at a whopping five and a half feet, which was midget size compared to most of the halfs.
I blamed my mortal father.
Meanwhile, the pure pursed her lips as another chair toppled to the floor and more chuckles erupted from her audience—al except one. Caleb Nicolo. Tal , blond, and al charming smile, Caleb had been my partner in dysfunction when I’d been at the Covenant. I shouldn’t have been so surprised to see him here during the summer. His mortal mother had never wanted anything to do with her “weird”
child and his pure-blood father was total y on the absentee list.
Caleb stared at me, wide-eyed and stunned. “Holy…
crap.”
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