The Change (Unbounded)

by Teyla Branton

  I was no longer beholden to this woman who’d pretended to be my friend. I wasn’t aware of the politics involved in the Emporium hierarchy, but I wasn’t about to be anyone’s pawn. Not anymore. I would meet the man claiming to be my father, and I would pretend to go along with anything they threw my way. I’d watch and wait and learn, and when the moment was right, I’d leave, bringing down as many of them as I could before I vanished. What better way to fight the Emporium than from the inside?

  Unwrapping my leg, I saw that the edges of the wound were healing rapidly, the bleeding long stopped. Inside would take more time, but as long as I didn’t reopen the wound, I wouldn’t need the bandage.

  They let me shower, though Justine stayed in the bathroom with me, and another Unbounded was stationed outside the tiny window. As I rinsed the day’s grime from my body, I wondered what Justine’s ability was. Not combat, I didn’t think. She didn’t move with the same fluidity Ritter, or even the mortal Keene, had displayed. So what was her talent? Maybe she was like Laurence, fighting the family gene until she was ready to deal with it.

  I told myself I needed to know her strength in order to arm myself, and that I didn’t really care about her as a person. I knew I was lying.

  “So what’s your ability?” I asked as I wrapped myself in a towel and emerged from the shower.

  Justine met my eyes in the mirror, wrinkling her small nose. “Ah, they told you about that.”

  “I’m supposed to fight.”

  “That’s natural—given who your father is.”

  “Well?”

  “I influence people. I’m an inspiration. A muse, you might say.”

  “I don’t understand. How?”

  She gave me a feline smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You will soon enough. For now, let’s get you fixed up.”

  I recognized by the set of her jaw that the subject was closed. In a way it made sense that she could influence people—she certainly had Tom eating out of her hand, and I had once been every bit as blind. Even now I felt the silliest urge to please her.

  She helped me get ready, combing my short hair and trimming the uneven parts, babbling all the time as though we were simply going on a shopping trip together.

  I hated and loved her.

  I was glad she wasn’t dead.

  Furious knocking at the door stopped Justine’s prattle. “What is it?” she called. “I’m busy here.”

  “The other prisoner has escaped. Keene wants us ready to go in five.”

  She opened the door to reveal the Unbounded Edgel, his large nose jutting sharply from his ebony face. “My brother?” she demanded.

  “Of course not. I meant the Unbounded prisoner.”

  Her lips tightened. “I see.”

  “How long has he been gone?” I asked.

  When he didn’t respond to my question, Justine said, “Edgel, darling, she’s one of us. Give her an answer.”

  His sternness melted before her, something I wouldn’t have thought possible of the big man. If he’d been a dog, he’d be rolling over on his back and asking for a rub. “We’re not sure. Could have been as long as half an hour.”

  Justine tossed her head. “Keene’s incompetence is unacceptable. The Triad will hear about this.”

  Was she trying to cover Cort’s involvement, or did she even know about him? I reached out to touch her, to see if I could sense something, but she spun out of the bathroom, leaving Edgel and me staring after her. Edgel with longing, and me with growing anger. She and Keene were taking me somewhere against my will, and that meant she was the enemy now.

  Meanwhile, Cort would be wreaking havoc with Stella’s relatives or digging into the exchange with John Halden. Knowing this added to my determination to help the Renegades—despite the lies they’d told me. Or the truths they hadn’t. Same thing.

  I started after Justine, but Edgel clamped down on me before I’d gone a step, his face once again expressionless, as though carved from black granite.

  Combat, I thought, but I doubted he was as fast as Ritter.

  I was loaded into a fifteen-passenger van with Tom, Justine, Keene, three mortal guards, and the two Unbounded guards I’d seen earlier, including Edgel, who was driving. Tom sat next to me but didn’t try to talk, for which I was glad. He also didn’t appear to notice that Justine treated him as if he were nothing more than a cute pet she’d picked up for amusement. She treated the other mortals in the same way, except for Keene. She seemed to be strangely fascinated by the man, and demonstrated this by alternately insulting and flirting with him.

  “Where are we going?” I asked no one in particular.

  “Tulsa.” Justine’s eyes were bright, even from the front seat where she sat. “Ever been? There’s a really great hotel I stay at. Great night life, though you’d never guess it.”

  Keene scowled from the far backseat where I knew he was keeping a good eye on me. “Only temporary. From there we’ll be going . . . elsewhere.” His flat tone dared me to beg for more, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. Not yet.

  I dozed as much as I could on the three and a half-hour trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma, careful not to touch Tom. This time the headless woman in the blue dress didn’t disturb my sleep. In fact, I hadn’t seen her since I’d been separated from Ritter.

  Separated from Ritter.

  Sleep fled my grasp. If I’d only seen the woman when I was with Ritter, did that mean I’d picked up the vision from him? My guess was that she was his fiancée. Or had been. I shuddered. The gruesome reality of her fate and that of his family was far worse than simply hearing about it. The blood, the staring eyes, the helpless fury I felt—no, that Ritter felt. He still lived with the horror every day.

  As I would live with the images of my father and brother lying in their own blood.

  Ritter’s feelings for the dead woman moved me more than I expected. Almost, I felt I understood him. I swallowed hard, not knowing what to make of Ritter or my thoughts.

  “Can’t sleep?” Tom whispered.

  I didn’t answer.

  “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about all this.”

  Not sorry enough. “You should have helped me.” So many losses made my voice hard, though I tried to keep my voice down so Justine and the others wouldn’t hear. They all appeared to be sleeping, but I knew Keene was alert. I could feel his nerves humming even from two seats back. “You believed Justine after she lied to you all these years. Doesn’t that bother you—so many lies?”

  “Of course it does, but she’s my sister. I know she loves me.”

  I knew that, too. I might have completely imagined her affection for me, but not for Tom. No one was that good. Regardless of who she really was, Justine loved Tom.

  “I care about you,” he added.

  He was telling the truth, but it wasn’t enough. “Justine manipulated us.” It was hard to make yourself stop loving someone, but I would do it—was doing it.

  “Maybe at first. Not now.” He tried to reach out to me, but I pulled my hand away.

  “You’ve changed, maybe more than I have.” With every minute that passed, he seemed more and more like someone I didn’t know. “Because of Justine we never really had a chance.”

  “Without Justine, we never would have met. Would you give that up?”

  “Yes.” I turned my face to the window and shut my eyes.

  He didn’t try to talk again.

  When we arrived at the hotel, Keene sent the mortals off with the van, but that still left the two Unbounded, Justine, Tom, and Keene. Ritter, I knew, would have somehow escaped, but I didn’t stand a chance. I vowed that, talent or no, I’d never feel this helpless again. If I survived this mess, I would learn everything Ritter was willing to teach me. I would become at least as good as Keene.

  Tom and I spent what little was left of Friday night in a hotel room, with two Unbounded keeping watch. Justine and Keene disappeared for hours, but at dawn Keene returned alone. I was sitting up in my queen bed sta
ring at the curtained window, wondering if I could overcome my fear of heights long enough to force myself to jump. The three-story fall wouldn’t kill me, of course, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to get up and run before they got to me. It would also hurt.

  “Good morning,” Keene said. Today the spot on his temple where Ritter hit him was mottled an ugly green and black. “You want to spar a little?”

  There was a kindness in the gesture I hadn’t expected. Perhaps he knew that someone like Ritter would go insane without the release.

  I bit back my first response—“I’d rather see you dead”—and forced myself to say, “No. I’m okay.”

  He gave me a flat grin. “My orders are to test you, see where you’re at in training.”

  So much for being nice.

  I debated refusing, but doing so wouldn’t go far toward deceiving them that I was willing to accept my birth father’s legacy. I also had a better chance at fooling Keene about my fighting abilities than an Unbounded who had the combat ability. Better to go along now and let Keene report—favorably, I hoped. That might delay any testing by an Unbounded, who, like Ritter, would recognize at once my lack of talent. Besides, going to the hotel gym might offer a chance of escape, which would be better than playing along or attempting a three-story jump for freedom.

  What would the Emporium do when they discovered I took after Ava instead of my father? She’d said the gift was rare and valuable, but because I didn’t know the scope of the ability, I had no idea how the Emporium would use it to their advantage.

  “Fine,” I barked at Keene, who waited with a smirk on his handsome face. “But remember I’m new at this.”

  I changed into some exercise clothes Justine had so kindly provided. The top was too tight over my chest, and I had to unzip it a bit to allow my arms more freedom of movement. I still favored my leg ever so slightly but was determined not to show it. After all, Keene had also been shot, and he wouldn’t be anywhere near as healed as I was.

  To my disappointment, Edgel accompanied us into the hall, his dark face impassive, and we went not to the hotel gym but up two more flights to a large, empty meeting room, the chairs stacked neatly against one wall. So much for a chance of escape. Once again proof of the Emporium’s power. Not every guest, I knew, would be allowed this privilege.

  From his bag, Keene threw me an escrima stick. He attacked without warning, and I was barely able to prevent him from jabbing my stomach. I blocked him one, twice, and many more until I lost count, completely unable to go on the offensive. I knew he was holding back, and that if this was a real fight, I would have been on the floor within the first minute. Would he see my glaring lack of talent? If he did, any advantage I might have with my sensing would vanish.

  Keene fought with single-minded intensity. The only feeling I received from him besides a fiery pain licking at his wound, was his determination to improve. I wasn’t much help with that, and when he tossed me another stick instead of kicking me out of the room, I was actually surprised.

  “You learn fast,” he said, his breath coming fast. His hair hung in moist sections around his face. “Better than most mortals.”

  Any other Unbounded might have seen his compliment as backhanded, but it made me feel good. Apparently Keene wasn’t familiar enough with new Unbounded to know the talent should have kicked in by now. Or what form it took when it did. Emporium Unbounded likely trained with other Unbounded, not with a lowly mortal like Keene, however exalted his father was in the Triad.

  Finally, Keene slumped to the carpet in exhaustion, and I followed suit. He grunted as he straightened his wounded leg. I dragged a hand over my forehead, wiping the slickness on my shorts. Across the room, Edgel stood watching us, his hand on his weapon.

  “What would you do,” I asked Keene casually, “if I jumped out that window over there?”

  He blinked.

  “It wouldn’t kill me, and I might get away.”

  All his muscles were tense, and I knew I’d never have a chance to make it to the window now, though it was mere feet away. Unless he was more tired than I was.

  I began absorbing. You’d be surprised how many nutrients were floating around a hotel near breakfast. In minutes I’d feel ready for another match.

  “I guess I’d have to shoot you,” he said.

  I shrugged. “That would only make a temporary dent, like the one the Hunters put into me a few days ago.” I pulled the sleeve of my top aside, the wet material more flexible now, to show my healed shoulder. “See, all gone.”

  His eyes followed the motion, lingered on my smooth, very white skin, especially where the swell of my breast disappeared beneath the material. I yanked the top back up. “Was that little surprise with the Hunters your doing?” I asked.

  Now he radiated emotion—rage—but his expression didn’t change. “You might not be too far off,” he said, slowly and carefully. “I used to work undercover for the Hunters, mainly to keep them away from us. I quit two years ago, but I’m sure the Emporium has new spies in place. They might have passed information as to your whereabouts. Not to harm you, of course, but the Renegades.”

  I had to admire the brilliance of the plan, using Hunters to attack their enemies and having someone in place to warn of potential attacks on your own people. If I ever made it back to Ava and the others, I’d recommend that we get our own spies in place among the Hunters, if they hadn’t already thought of it.

  “Working with Hunters is a difficult assignment,” Keene said. “You’re likely to get killed, especially if you’re Unbounded. They have no sympathy for any Unbounded or those they employ. Their fear is too great.”

  “If half of what I’ve heard of the Emporium is true, the Hunters have every reason to be afraid.”

  His anger was gone, replaced by confusion, but again the emotion didn’t register on his face. Though they looked nothing alike, he reminded me of Ritter in that respect.

  “Everything you’ve heard about the Emporium is true,” he said. “And more.”

  “Then why are you working for them?” I glanced across the room at Edgel to make sure he wasn’t within hearing range.

  “Because when the dust settles, I want to be on the winning side. Unlike you, I don’t have unlimited lives.” His green eyes were unreadable, but I felt he told the truth. At least part of it. He was holding something back.

  “Why do you really stay?”

  He shook his head. “None of your business.”

  At least he didn’t lie. “You could let me go.”

  “Are you telling me you’re not curious? You don’t want to meet your father?”

  “My father is in a hospital, struggling for his life.” I didn’t mean the tears to come to my eyes.

  Keene’s jaw tightened. “I’m sorry about that.”

  I didn’t challenge his statement because I knew he was sorry. I sensed it. What a messed up world I’d stumbled into, where friends were betrayers and the enemy was the one who was sorry. Where friends lied and the enemy told the truth.

  Another emotion stemmed from him now: attraction. Unwilling, but attraction nonetheless. And this time for who I was, rather than for any curves or beauty I might claim. His eyes were on my mouth when I asked, “What now?”

  He dragged his gaze back to mine. In another time and place and different circumstances, I might have been sorry to distract him, but now he was the enemy, and I needed as much information as possible. If his attraction made his lips loose, then so much the better.

  “We’re flying out,” he said. “We would have gone already if we could have used a commercial flight.”

  “You’re afraid I’d escape.”

  He smiled and it made him look younger, less intense. Handsome. Not a trace of nerdiness like his brother. “You already tried at the house and threatened to again just now.”

  “So where are we going? Paris, I hope.”

  “Nope. California.”

  “Why didn’t we fly there from Kansas City?”


  “Because we have a pilot in place here. Besides, it gave me time to make a stab at convincing our fathers to meet you elsewhere. I think you’re too dangerous to take to any of our headquarters.”

  I arched a brow, genuinely amused. “I’m too dangerous?”

  “You’ll be followed.”

  “How?”

  “Your friend got away.”

  I studied him, my anger building. “You mean your brother?” I twisted the last word with disgust. So much for keeping my knowledge secret. Maybe I was the one who needed to control my anger.

  “You were awake.” He laughed. “I thought so. Cort’s fault. He wouldn’t let me drug you.”

  “Why’d you keep talking?”

  “Because it doesn’t matter if you know about his involvement. You would have figured it out anyway. And it’s not as if you can warn anyone.”

  “I’m still going to kill Cort—if Ritter doesn’t beat me to it.”

  “From what I’ve seen of Ritter’s file, he’s likely to do just that. Provided he finds out, of course.”

  “Are you and Cort really brothers?”

  “Yes. But make no mistake, our Emporium connection is far stronger than blood.” Keene’s smile faded. “The truth is, Cort hasn’t been very helpful. First, he didn’t want to identify which family used the stolen sperm, so we did our own research. Then over the years, despite all his inside information, we’ve remained one step behind the Renegades. After your Change, he didn’t want to bring you in. He wanted to wait until he found out more about the business with Halden and the whereabouts of the potential Unbounded in Oregon. But the Triad doesn’t trust anyone implicitly, and when Cort dragged his feet a little too much, they called in the backup plan. They never fail to have a backup.”

  “You mean you and Justine.”