Genesis: (Book One of the True Luna Series)

by Texie D. Freeman

  Before she could come up with a response, the doors opened.

  /CHAPTER SEVEN/

  Outside the elevator, June followed her father to the end of the hallway. Crowded together were familiar faces that should’ve comforted her, filled June with terror.

  Lenore and Alister stood by the council chamber’s door, wrapped around one another. Behind them was Bran, Jace, and to her surprise, Eddy Castor. The guard lingered off to the side, his shoulder against the wall.

  June broke away from her dad and joined Jace and Bran. She inclined her head towards the Asylum guard. “What’s he doing here?”

  Out of everyone here, Eddy was the most unexpected. Bran was family and Jace had been the one to sanction that Dani be locked away.

  “I thought you would know,” Jace said. “What did you and Dani speak about when you talked to her?”

  June began to answer and stopped as the memory resurfaced. She and Dani hadn’t exactly been secretive during their visit. Eddy had been there the entire time. Had he paid more attention than she thought?

  “Spit it out or go away.” Bran chided.

  June glared at him and faced Jace, stiff as she said, “I think I messed up. Eddy must’ve gone to the council.”

  Bran snorted. His frown turned into a smug grin as he admitted, “It wasn’t him, idiot.”

  “What did you do?” Jace’s face draining of color. His wide eyes locked on June. “I swear, if I knew he was going to tattle I wouldn’t have said—”

  “That Dani’s so in love with a hybrid that she had to become one?” Bran finished. He shot his sister a cool smirk and shrugged. “Oops.”

  “You told him?” June wheezed. The betrayal cut her heart into a thousand pieces. Mechanically, she took a step away from him, not realizing she had even moved until he reached for her.

  “Bran’s my best friend and your brother,” Jace said, looking torn. “What was I supposed to say when he asked?”

  June wanted to scream that he was supposed to lie but before she could, the door to the council’s chamber opened. A sharp dressed middle-aged man, Councilman Parker, scanned the group, his announced nasally, “We’re ready to begin. Come in, please.”

  “We’ll talk about it later,” Jace whispered.

  Fuming, June followed him into the room. Other than a long table in the center, it was bare. The walls were white, and the floor was grey carpet. On the right side of the table were five council members including Parker, Haverford, Lindsey, Rogers, and in the middle, Rachel.

  Avoiding looking into the head council woman in the eyes, June was robotic as she sat down with Jace on her left and Dale to her right. Sandwiched between the two, she tried to let herself feel safe and protected but it wasn’t happening. The council gazed at her side of the table like they were prey in the wild.

  Once everyone was settled, Rachel turned her narrowed eyes on Dale. “Would you do the introductions? I’m a bit out of touch with who is who these days.”

  Given the way Dale tensed, it wasn’t a request. He gestured to their side, saying, “You already know June, beside her is Jace Chandler, followed by my son, Brandon, then Alister and Lenore Gilley, Dani’s parents.”

  Rachel’s smile was thin. “You missed Mr. Castor but that’s all right. He’s just here to confirm the new information we’ve been given.”

  “What information?” Lenore timidly asked.

  The council woman ignored the question and turned towards Councilman Miranda. He was a slight man with thinning hair and translucent skin. Milky white eyes blinked up at Rachel and he nodded. Clearing his throat, he shuffled the stack of papers in front of him. After a long minute, he read aloud, “Section seven, amendment thirty-four of the hunter’s law states that all conversations that take place in a public facility are recorded. Anything said will be used as evidence if it pertains to the party being tried.”

  Under the table, June’s hand found Jace’s as her anger directed at him melted into anxiety. She willed herself to stay calm as Rachel assessed her from the other side of the table.

  Satisfaction shined in the council woman’s eyes as she addressed the room, “A day ago it was brought the council’s attention that Dani Gilley disclosed vital information to June. While it is a crime that Miss Gilley did not approach the council after learning this, we have decided to pardon June’s actions seeing as this is a trying time for her. However, we are not about offering hybrid’s that same mercy. During June’s visit, Dani admitted that she had sought out a hybrid to change her.”

  “That’s a lie.”

  The aftermath of June speaking out of turn made the room go deathly silent. The temperature dropped as she looked Rachel in the eye. Under the table, Jace squeezed her hand in silent warning.

  “Are you saying our data is wrong, Miss Gilley?” Rachel pressed sharply.

  Bypassing the question and ignoring the eyes on her, June continued, “Dani was on a run and she came into contact with a hybrid. I don’t know how, but he convinced her, brainwashed her, into thinking that they were meant to be together. He probably bit her without permission.”

  “So, let me get this straight, Dani wasn’t planning on running away from home? Did she not abuse her status as a runner to meet up with her lover, our enemy? We’ve pulled the GPS history from her assigned vehicle. She periodically strayed off her route for hours during a two-week period. We can only assume that this was when she met with the hybrid and relayed vital information about our defenses and our operation.”

  June deflated. She turned her eyes down to the table in submission. Facts, they had facts and what did she have? Nothing.

  “Mr. Castor, can you confirm that Dani Gilley stated she was in a relationship with a hybrid?”

  June looked up as Eddy answered, “Yes, I can. Dani Gilley told her cousin that she had found her soulmate.”

  Rachel nodded and glanced at Councilwoman Lindsey who was taking notes. “Let the record show that Mr. Castor’s response is parallel with the recorded footage obtained yesterday evening. At this time, I would like to present the evidence that’s been gathered. Parker?”

  In front of him, Councilman opened the flat manila folder, holding it up for everyone to see a long list of numbers in three separate columns. He started from the left before slowly moving to the right. “This here is Dani’s GPS history. Once a month, we assess each runner’s data carefully. The first section is composed of the days and time it took for the runner to complete their route. Next are the location of their pickups followed by the actual history of where they went. As you can see listed, the time Dani spent outside the complex increased dramatically over the past month. She was pinged at several spots that are nowhere near her assigned stores. In two separate cases, the longitude and latitude coordinates indicate that she spent most of her time at a motel four hours from home. We’ve sent a team out to eliminate the hybrid she was involved with, but there has been no confirmed sighting yet.”

  As Parker finished, he passed around the list. When it came to June, she scanned it for errors, anything of significance, but it didn’t look doctored. All of the locations and times lined up perfectly.

  Once it was back to its owner, Rachel aired, “Before the council votes, I incline anyone with additional information to speak now. This is the time to refute evidence because the moment we walk out of this room, all decisions are final.”

  “Dani is sick. She’s delusional and that needs to be taken into consideration,” June stated and flinched when Jace pulled his hand from hers. She turned to catch his gaze, silently pleading with him to take her side. If the council saw them as a united front, they might have a chance at getting them to listen.

  Instead, he turned away, his silence heavy and heartbreaking. The action spoke volumes, dragging June’s soul deeper into a pit of despair.

  Out of all people, it was quite Lenore who spoke up. Softly, she said, “Honey, Dani passed all of the tests the council conducted. She’s sound of mind.”

  June
was on the verge of arguing but was stopped by a sharp look from her father. He held her gaze, communicating that she had done enough damage already. June turned to the council. “Please forgive my outburst. This past week has given me a lot to process.”

  “Of course, June,” Rachel said, and then faced her peers. “Those in favor of a not guilty sentence and private execution, please raise your hand.”

  Nobody moved and June forgot how to breathe.

  “Alright. Those in favor of a guilty sentence and public execution?”

  June looked away as the other side of the table all raised their hands. Rachel’s next statement was white noise. “Very well. By the order of this council, Dani Gilley is formally tried with treason and is sentenced to be publicly executed tomorrow evening.”

  The words had barely reached her ears before June was pushing back her chair and escaping the room. The stark white walls of the hall made her head spin. Someone called after her, but she barely heard them. Her mind was numb as she pushed open the stairwell door. Before she could start down, her hand was grabbed from behind. Over her shoulder, she locked eyes with an out of breath Jace.

  Something silent passed between them and he dropped his grip and took a step back. “You shouldn’t have left like that. Rachel isn’t happy.”

  “Why would I care?”

  “Why?” Jace parroted. He waved a hand in the air as he answered his own question, “She’s our leader, June.”

  “No, she’s the woman who just signed Dani’s death certificate!” June seethed back. She felt her cheeks warm despite the draft. “And you aided her! You told Bran and he ran to Rachel because all he cares about is her approval!”

  “And I would’ve done the same if he hadn’t gone to the council first,” Jace stated in a low tone as if he was trying to keep his emotions at bay. “There are rules for a reason.”

  “Rules or power moves?” she questioned.

  “Dani’s going to die either way,” he stated. “At least this way we minimize the risk of those involved. When you broke the rules, you impacted everyone. I can’t afford to look bad to the public. I want to be a councilmember by the time I turn thirty.”

  June’s eyes narrowed to slits. When she spoke, her words were laced with bewilderment. “Is that what this was all about? Your reputation? My cousin is about to be put to death, I’m about to be a killer, and you’re worried about your social status?”

  “Some of us weren’t raised with a silver spoon in our mouths, June,” Jace remarked sourly. “I didn’t get warnings for breaking the rules because my father was in charge. I’ve had to work twice as hard as you since we started dating to prove that I’m not a joke, too. Forgive me for trying to make sure all of that wasn’t for nothing.”

  June wasn’t a stranger to what the community thought of her but hearing it from Jace stung. She knew no one took her seriously but hadn’t realized that neither did he. It didn’t matter that she had proven herself over and over again because nothing would ever be good enough for him.

  “I’d rather be a joke than a soulless machine,” June seethed. Her hands turned to fists at her side. “We’re done here.”

  “Fine,” Jace bit out, his eyes flashed with heat. “Let me know when you want to discuss this like adults.”

  “No, I mean us,” June rephrased, waving a hand between them. “I can’t do this anymore. I won’t be with someone who doesn’t support my decisions. You care more about what other’s think than me.”

  “That’s…that’s not true,” Jace stressed. One of his hands wrapped around her upper arm, pulling her towards him as he claimed, “I love you more than anything, June. Don’t do this.”

  “It’s already done. Please let me go.”

  “June—”

  “I think my daughter has said her peace,” Dale’s voice called out, echoing off the walls. “Either you leave by choice, Jace, or I’ll escort you out myself.”

  Instantly, Jace dropped his hand. He eyes moved off her to glance at Dale who stood at the top of the stairs. June’s dad loomed over her like a guardian angel and by the expression on his face, his threat was a guarantee.

  Jace must’ve picked up on that as well because he quickly started down the stairs. Before making he made it halfway down, however, he gave June one last look of longing. “I’ll call you later.”

  “I won’t answer,” she muttered after he was gone. She jumped when a door slammed shut at the bottom of the stairwell. Turning to face her father, June bitterly asked, “How much did you hear?”

  “Enough,” Dale answered. “Sorry for interrupting but it sounded like things were getting heated.”

  “I hope you’re happy. Jace and I are done.”

  “No, not really,” he disclosed. “I never wished for you and Jace to ruin a good relationship. I had hoped it would end with a civil discussion. What’ll happen next time you get sent on a mission with him? There’s no room for awkward feelings in the field. That leads to errors and someone dying.”

  June grimaced, hating that Dale had a point. Exhaling, she caved, saying, “I’ll talk to him once all of this is over, okay? Let’s just go home, please.”

  To her surprise, Dale didn’t respond. Instead, he closed the distance between them. Without saying a word, he pulled her into a hug. June went still and then relaxed. When she was a little girl, Dale’s hugs could fix anything. Unfortunately, that belief died with June’s childhood. She had learned long ago that innocent thoughts ideas like that had no place in this cold, dark world.

  /CHAPTER EIGHT/

  There was something about watching time tick by that made one distance themself from reality. With each passing second, June felt a piece of herself drift away until she was a husk staring at the clock on the wall. Her hands twisted the afghan on her lap, making the joints in her fingers ache.

  The remaining forty-five minutes dragged when she thought about the armed guards standing beyond the front door. She could feel them watching her through the windows, waiting for their moment to haul her outside the house.

  Jace had been right last night. Rachel and the rest of the council hadn’t appreciated June withholding information or running out on the meeting. They told Dale last night that he wouldn’t be bringing her to city hall at sundown. In his place, the council had ordained a fleet of guards to escort her.

  Truthfully, she was lucky. Rachel could’ve locked her up in Asylum for the night. Instead, the councilwoman was retaliating by making sure everyone in the community believed June was incompetent.

  From here on, all anyone would see when they looked at her was a failure. Rachel had single handedly ruined June’s chances of ever becoming something other than a hunter. No one would ever hire her at the risk of having the council against them. She would be stuck hunting hybrids until one manages to run their claws through her.

  The thought of dying should’ve been a cause to panic but all June felt was gratification. She would rather die than live out the hellscape she had been forced into. But as she started to imagine a simple ending, guilt set in. Her family was already losing Dani. She didn’t want to add to their pain.

  As if the universe heard her thoughts, a low creak replaced the silence. June’s eyes moved off the clock to the front door as it opened. Dale’s attention went straight to her. Concern flashed in her father’s eyes as he stepped into the house followed by Lenore and Alister.

  June didn’t need a mirror to know she looked like the spokesperson for despair. She hadn’t bothered to shower or fix her hair after rolling out of bed at noon. It took an immense amount of effort to even get dressed. She had never hated her hunting uniform more. The long-sleeved black shirt, dark pants, and combat boots made her feel like she was wearing shackles.

  Lenore and Alister didn’t look any better either. Her uncle had purple bags under his eyes and Lenore’s face was puffy and red. Alister had traded his usual button-down polo and khaki slacks for sweatpants and a stained white shirt. Lenore’s dress was wrinkled, and h
er straight hair hung around her shoulders in limp waves.

  Standing up, June spoke for the first time that day, her voice cracking, “I’m sorry.”

  “We know, honey,” Lenore said, forcing herself to smile. She reached out and grabbed her husband’s hand. “Alister and I wanted you to know that we don’t blame you, June.”

  “As much as this hurts, we abide the law,” Alister stated but his red eyes relayed the opposite. “We’ll be here waiting for you when it’s over. Just…tell Dani we’re sorry for failing her. She deserved better parents.”

  June wasn’t surprised to hear that they wouldn’t be witnessing Dani’s execution. The council had passed a law a few years ago that attending public executions was not mandatory. Still, there was always a big turnout. People would camp out hours before sundown to get a good view. Some parents would even bring their kids along to reinforce the idea of loyalty at an early age.

  “We don’t have any more time to waste on talking,” Dale chimed in. “June, go get ready.”

  Frowning, she looked down at her clothes, scanning her outfit for imperfections but finding none. Looking back at Dale, she asked, “What’s wrong with this?”

  “Everything,” Dale remarked, not bothering to explain as he continued, “I put something on your bed a few hours ago. I guess you couldn’t be bothered to get off the couch and find it. Go change.”

  Unaware of when her dad become an advocate for fashion trends, June rolled her eyes and headed to her room. In the upstairs hallway, her eyes flickered to Bran’s door.

  She hadn’t heard him come home after the meeting. Most likely, he had spent last night at Jace’s apartment. When she wasn’t around, the two liked to get together and gossip like old ladies.

  By now, her brother would know that she and Jace were over. While June didn’t regret her decision, she hoped Jace was smart enough to not listen to Bran. It wouldn’t be out of character for her brother to take advantage of Jace’s hurt feelings and use them to his advantage. The last thing she wanted was for Jace to hate her.