The MORE Trilogy

by T. M. Franklin

  Madeleine’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and Ava suspected she knew that Caleb was stretching the truth. Instead of calling him out on it, though, she turned to Ava. “Ava Michaels, please approach the Council,” she said, leaning forward slightly, forearms resting on the gleaming surface of the table.

  Ava stepped through the gate and moved to stand next to Caleb, doing her best not to cower or appear defiant. She smiled at Madeleine tentatively, but received no response other than a steady perusal that made her more than nervous.

  “This is a highly irregular situation,” the Council member said gravely. “Ordinarily, humans suspected to carry Race blood are brought in for testing with the bare minimum of knowledge about the Race. Am I right to assume Caleb has given you more than this bare minimum?”

  “It was necessary,” Caleb interjected. Then he amended, “I felt it was necessary.”

  Madeleine waved a hand in dismissal. “Regardless, the extensive experiences you’ve had since your first interaction with our kind—and the knowledge you’ve gained—has rendered you a greater risk to the Race than you might have been if you’d been brought in as ordered.” She spared another irritated glance at Caleb. “Blurring your memories at this point would be fruitless, I’m afraid.”

  “I wouldn’t tell anyone—”

  “But, first things first,” Madeleine said, running her fingers along the top of the table in a slow arc. “Tomorrow morning, you will report for testing to determine if you are indeed a Half-Breed. In two days’ time you will appear again before this Council to be informed of the results of the testing and the Council’s response. At that time, the Council will also rule as to what action is to be taken against you, Caleb. Until then, the Council is adjourned.”

  As one, the five Council members stood and stepped around their chairs to leave the room. The crowd stood as well, and Ava began to panic.

  She hadn’t had a chance to state her case. She didn’t get to say anything, really.

  The Council members filed around the table, heading for the little gate leading out of the chamber. Ava opened her mouth to protest—to say something—but felt the back of Caleb’s hand brush against hers. She glanced up at him, and he warned her to stay silent with a slight widening of his eyes. They stood still until the Council left the room, then Caleb told her to wait and went to speak to Tiernan and Katherine. She shifted her weight anxiously from foot to foot, feeling the eyes on her from every side, the whispers she was certain spoke of her. After what seemed like an eternity, Caleb returned to her side.

  “What was that all about?” she asked.

  “Trying to get information about the safe house,” he said. “Audrey’s all right. She escaped and, according to rumor, made it to the Guardian colony. But three of the guards were killed.”

  Ava’s gaze fell to the floor as she fought back the wave of guilt that surged through her. “What about the Jordans?”

  Caleb looked away, and Ava had her answer—not that it was a surprise. “Tiernan didn’t know for sure what happened,” he said. “He and Katherine were chasing the cell phone at the time.”

  Ava stifled a sob.

  “It wasn’t your fault,” he said quietly, his fingers brushing lightly over her wrist. “You can’t blame yourself.”

  Ava nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself as they turned together to walk out of the chamber. She was a little shocked that nobody tried to stop them or even speak to them. In fact, the audience stayed in their seats until the two of them left the chamber—and even those on the balconies didn’t move until they’d walked outside.

  “Well, that was weird,” Ava muttered as she zipped her coat. Caleb led her down the steps and toward a road off to the left of the doors. “They’re not going to lock me up or anything?”

  Caleb shook his head. “You’re not a prisoner.” At Ava’s disbelieving look, he added, “Well, not technically speaking, at least. The Council looks on you as a guest until the testing is complete. No one would dare bother you.” They came to a crossroads and turned to the right along a curving road lined with smaller buildings Ava assumed were residences.

  “So, what now?” she asked nervously.

  “Now, we have something to eat,” Caleb said, turning into a walkway leading up to a two-story stone house with a front wall of windows.

  “Whose house is this?” she asked.

  “Mine. When I’m in New Elysia, at least. I’m not home much lately.” He reached for a glass panel next to the front door and placed his palm flat against it. A light flashed behind his hand, and she heard a low click. “There’s an extra bedroom,” he told her. “While we eat, I’ll help prepare you for tomorrow, and then we both need to get some sleep.”

  She laughed humorlessly. “Like I could sleep.”

  “I could help you out with that,” he joked as he pushed the door open, fluttering his fingers at her forehead.

  Ava snorted, batting his hand away. “No, thanks.”

  “You sure?” he asked with a grin. “It wouldn’t be any trouble.”

  He reached for her, but she ducked, darting under his arm into the house and laughing. She came to a stop in the foyer, not halted by the vision of gleaming hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, or the plush leather sofa against the far wall, but by the woman sitting there, arms and legs crossed as she observed them with an arched brow.

  The leader of the Council—Madeleine, as Rafe called her.

  In Caleb’s living room. And evidently not too happy to find her there, as well.

  Ava cleared her throat, flushing hotly and searching for words.

  Madeleine turned her gaze to Caleb. “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” she said. “You always did bring your work home.”

  “Very funny,” Caleb muttered, but he crossed the living room and—to Ava’s surprise—leaned over and kissed Madeleine on the cheek.

  She patted his face, a fond smile softening her features before she turned to Ava. Madeleine stood up and stepped around a low coffee table before coming to a stop before her. “We didn’t really get a chance to properly introduce ourselves,” she said, holding out a hand. “Welcome to New Elysia, Ava. I’m Madeleine Foster.”

  Ava took her hand, shaking it tentatively, the skin warm and smooth against Ava’s cool, clammy palm. “Nice to meet you. I’m Ava . . . obviously . . .” she said, reddening even further, if that were possible. “Ava Michaels.”

  “I’m sure you’re both hungry,” she said, gesturing toward a dining table set with several covered dishes.

  Ava finally noticed the scent of something delicious in the air and her stomach rumbled.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty,” she said with a nod at Caleb as she moved to the table.

  “Of course not,” he replied, a little snidely. “I’d ask how you got in, but I’m sure it’s not a problem for the head of the Council.”

  Madeleine smirked. “I’m sure,” she echoed.

  Something the woman said niggled at Ava’s brain. “Wait a second. Madeleine Foster, you said?” She glanced at Caleb. “Are you two related?”

  Madeleine burst into laughter and turned to Caleb with merriment alive in her eyes. “You didn’t tell her?”

  “It didn’t come up,” he muttered.

  “What didn’t?” Ava asked, confused and hungry and tired and more than a little annoyed at all of the secrets. “What’s going on?”

  Madeleine just looked at Caleb expectantly, so he took a deep, irritated breath. “Ava, say hello to my mother,” he said, not meeting her eyes.

  Ava gaped at him, then Madeleine—who looked like she was going to start laughing again—then back at Caleb.

  “Perfect,” she muttered. “Absolutely perfect.”

  Chapter 14

  To say dinner was uncomfortable would have been a bit of an understatement. Caleb’s mother, as usual, pretended nothing was out of the ordinary and chatted about old neighbors and friends, filling Caleb in on all the gossip an
d not once mentioning what had happened in the Council chamber just a few hours earlier.

  Ava smiled and also feigned normalcy, but he felt her irritation every time they locked eyes. She was annoyed Caleb had kept something from her—again—but the fact was, there was just so much to tell her. He could hardly be held responsible if a few things fell through the cracks here and there. Like the fact that his mother was the head of the Council.

  Okay, in hindsight, that might have been an important fact to share.

  Caleb’s relationship with his mother was a complicated one. She was, for all intents and purposes, his boss, after all. But she was also the person who raised him, read to him at night, and consoled him when he had nightmares. She knew him better than anyone, but she also tried not to let that affect her duties on the Council. Madeleine Foster was, first and foremost, a leader among their people, and now that he was an adult, her primary duty was to them. She loved him, though, so he knew that his recent actions had put her in a difficult situation.

  He toyed with his food, torn between guilt and determination.

  He knew in his heart he had done the right thing in helping Ava—that he would continue to defend her if he needed to. He also knew that could put him at odds with the one person who loved him more than anyone else in the world.

  “So you’re a student,” she asked Ava, taking a sip of her wine. “What are you studying?”

  Caleb snorted. That information was in Ava’s file, and he knew his mother had read it thoroughly.

  “Basic requirements right now,” Ava replied, setting down her fork. “But I hope English Literature, or maybe Journalism. I’d like to be a writer.” She flushed, realizing that such plans were very up in the air at that moment, and looked down at her plate.

  “It’s a noble aspiration,” Madeleine replied with a noncommittal smile. “And your family? Are you close to them?”

  Caleb raised an eyebrow, interrupting before Ava could reply. “Her parents are Joe and Sarah Michaels,” he snapped. “They live outside of Eugene, Oregon. He works in construction. She runs a day care center. You know all of this.”

  Madeleine frowned at him. “I’m just trying to be polite, Caleb,” she said. “Something you might try once in a while.”

  Ava coughed slightly, taking a sip of water to cool her cheeks, hot with embarrassment. “I know you’ve been keeping tabs on me,” she said quietly.

  “I’m sure you do, dear,” Madeline replied. “But I thought it might be nice to have at least one evening of semi-normalcy in the midst of all this craziness.”

  Ava swallowed and looked Caleb’s mother in the eye. “I appreciate the gesture,” she said. “But I’d prefer to face all this craziness head-on, rather than try to pretend it’s not happening.”

  Madeleine studied her carefully for a moment. “Fair enough,” she said finally, lifting her napkin to wipe her lips. “Are you nervous about tomorrow? Is there anything you’d like to ask me?”

  “Can I do that?” She glanced at Caleb, who said nothing.

  “I’m not the enemy, Ava,” she replied. “My first duty is to my people, but I don’t wish you any harm.”

  “But you won’t hesitate to kill me if you think I’m a threat.”

  Madeleine met her eyes. “I’m hoping it won’t come to that.”

  Ava snorted. “Well, at least we have one thing in common.”

  Caleb watched the conversation with a kind of sick fascination, feeling as if he should intervene, but unsure of what exactly to say.

  “You know,” Ava said, leaning back in her chair. “I would never expose the Race. And I would never do anything to hurt anyone.”

  “Maybe not on purpose.” Caleb’s mother leaned forward slightly, her eyes soft and a little sad. “But we’ve seen too many cases where Half-Breeds have harmed others without meaning to—simply because they don’t have the ability to control their power.”

  “Well, why not teach them, then?”

  “You don’t understand,” she replied. “It’s difficult enough for Full-Bloods who have been trained since birth to deal with their abilities. Half-Breeds don’t have the capability or control necessary, especially once they’ve reached your age. It’s just too late.”

  “How do you know if you don’t try?” Ava snapped in irritation. “It sounds a little bigoted, if you ask me.”

  Madeleine’s eyes flashed as she stood abruptly. “You should tread carefully, girl,” she warned. “You’re speaking of matters you know nothing about.”

  “Maybe so.” Ava jumped to her feet. “But it’s my life at stake, so forgive me if I don’t concern myself with protocol.”

  Caleb cleared his throat, eyeing the two women carefully. “Maybe we should all take a breath.” They turned on him with piercing glares, and he held up his hands defensively. “Just a suggestion,” he said, wondering how in the world he ended up in this situation.

  His job was supposed to be easy—recon, interception, delivery, and on to the next assignment. Maybe he was getting soft—or old—or old and soft. He rubbed his stomach idly. If not for the fact that members of the Race never got sick, he’d wonder if he was developing an ulcer. His mother seemed to notice his discomfort, because after a moment she took a deep breath and sat down again, picking up her wine glass.

  “Caleb is right,” she said, draining the glass. “I think it’s time for me to go, and I’ll leave him to fill you in on any details you may need.” She rose regally, walking toward the front door before turning back abruptly. “You should know, Ava, that none of this is personal.”

  Ava stiffened, fingers gripping the edge of the table. “Well, you’ll forgive me if I can’t help but take it personally.”

  Madeleine grimaced, then nodded slightly before heading out the front door. Ava inhaled deeply before sinking back to her seat, hands trembling.

  “Well, that went well,” she muttered, gulping down her wine. “I think your mother really likes me.”

  Caleb blinked for a moment before he burst out laughing. He had to admit to a rush of relief when Ava joined right in.

  Despite the stress of dinner, and her understandable apprehension over what the next few days would hold, Ava slept surprisingly well. In fact, she was rather proud of the fact that she spent the entire night down the hall from Caleb and managed not to lie awake the whole time wondering what he was doing . . . or wearing . . . or thinking.

  After about fifteen minutes of wondering, she’d fallen right to sleep. Maybe she was more tired than she realized. Or maybe when Caleb had brushed her forehead on the way to his room he’d done a little something to help her sleep. She couldn’t even bring herself to be mad about it, though. She knew she needed every advantage she could get to make it through the testing and all it would entail.

  She’d managed to choke down a few bites of toast and a little coffee before the two of them headed back toward the medical facility near the center of New Elysia. Ava was surprised that Caleb had stayed with her during the blood draw and most of the physical exam, only leaving the room when the doctor asked her to change into a hospital gown for a more thorough examination. Afterward, though, she’d dressed and walked out into the hall to find him waiting for her.

  “You don’t have to stay with me,” she said, although she actually wanted him to.

  “I don’t mind,” he replied, knowing she did.

  He’d sat across the room while she answered questions posed by what Ava assumed was a psychologist—or at least the Race equivalent. She talked about her family, her past—growing up, her earliest memories—and tried to be as open and honest as possible. She grew irritated when he asked if and when she’d lost her virginity.

  “What does that have to do with anything?” she asked, fighting the urge to glance at Caleb as she flushed hotly.

  “Are you refusing to answer?” the doctor asked, pen poised threateningly over paper.

  Ava clenched her teeth, wanting to fight, but not wanting to hurt her case, either. She sig
hed. “I’m still a virgin,” she mumbled.

  Thankfully, the topic changed to favorite school subjects, hobbies, and things much less embarrassing.

  They broke for lunch and Caleb escorted her to a small café a few blocks away where they munched on sandwiches and iced tea next to a window overlooking the street.

  “You’re doing well,” he said. “There’s no use trying to hide anything.”

  “I’ve got nothing to hide.”

  “I know,” he said quickly. “I’m just saying, it wouldn’t do any good . . . if . . . you know, you decided to.”

  She took a bite of her sandwich, chewing hard in aggravation. “Well, I won’t.”

  “Good.”

  “Good.”

  The afternoon passed with more of the same—more questions, more answers, more notes jotted in the doctor’s pad. Ava noticed a mirror hanging on the wall behind him and realized that the whole session was more than likely being recorded, as well. The invasiveness irritated and angered her, but she tried not to let it show.

  She had to make a good impression. Make them realize that she wasn’t really a threat.

  Caleb had told her it was only a matter of time before they realized she had abilities. Once that happened, the Council’s response would be quick and decisive. First, she’d be contained. Then, most likely, she would be dealt with.

  Ava wasn’t certain exactly what that would entail, but she preferred not to dwell on it.

  Her only hope was to prove that she was no threat to the Race, and her quick wit and non-violent nature were her only tools in that fight. Well, and Caleb, of course. She knew he would do or say whatever he could to help her. He also said Rafe would be on their side—as well as the other woman on the Council, Naomi, who Caleb said was sympathetic to humans and could very well be working with the Guardians, although nobody could prove it.

  Which left Madeleine, Andreas, and the rather frightening bald man she’d learned was Kaeden Cross. He had a strong distaste for humans—and as a result, Half-Breeds—and was known for his rather hard-lined attitudes when it came to dealing with them.