He nods, an almost imperceptible gesture. “I won’t ask what you’re doing here.” His voice is low enough that it doesn’t carry to the others.
Then, just like that, he spins on his heel and walks away.
The door opens and closes once more, releasing him as swiftly as it had admitted him.
With a sharp exhale, I swallow around the pounding racing from my head. What just happened? Why would he see me somewhere I clearly shouldn’t be, accessing information I have no authorization to view, and simplyleave?
It’s a trap. He’s waiting outside to uncover what I’ll do next.
Or does he genuinely not care about my unauthorized presence?
What was that saying I read about once? When life hands you lemons and all that.
Well, I’m not one to waste such an opportunity, and if the stars see fit to grant me this, then I will walk away and pretend like nothing happened.
As I rush from the room, I scan the other screens for any additional useful information, nothing standing out as immediately valuable. I have more than I came here with, and that’s a start.
A poorly executed one, but a start nonetheless.
The sliding door reveals an empty landing beyond. No Elias. Convenient he found himself in the same room at the same time, though he did nothing but dismiss me before leaving.
I shake my arms out as I hurry back to my room, my mind racing with possibilities. Were those women being transferred from another facility or were they found outside the perimeter?
And the juveniles…my stomach sours. The inner workings of the facilities are widely kept secret, likely for security concerns, but I can’t imagine how scared all the children must be, witnessing what happens to their mothers and knowing there’s nothing they can do to stop that from happening to them when they reach a certain age.
Every day here is a challenge that pushes me further into my own insecurities, but this is what I need to keep reminding myself of.Theyare why I’m here.
But what I ignorantly didn’t consider before joining this team washowI would help. I can gather all the information in the world, but how do I act on it, trapped within these walls, surrounded by enemies, with no connection to the outside world?
Frustration burns like acid in my veins, and I’m so absorbedin my thoughts that I almost miss the figure waiting beside my door when I finally return to the recruits’ quarters.
Kellen leans against the wall opposite my room, arms crossed over his chest, insignia glinting in the light. His posture is relaxed, but there’s no mistaking the deliberate nature of his presence. He’s waiting for me.
My heart sinks. Did Elias report me after all?
I yearn to sprint in the opposite direction—to finally admit how foolish this whole thing was and make it back home before they catch me. Because if they do, I will face the consequences with the same defiance that brought me here in the first place.
“Ashford,” Kellen acknowledges as I stop before him. “You weren’t in the dining hall, so I came to inform you of a change in schedule today. Tactical room three, ten minutes.” His tone reveals nothing of his thoughts.
“Yes, sir.” I’m so relieved I almost sink to the floor in a puddle of stress tears.
Not an arrest, then. At least not yet.
The leader pushes from the wall, his movement fluid and controlled. He studies me for a moment longer than necessary, his gaze seeming to penetrate every bit of armor I wear. “You’re improving,” he remarks. “But you need to work on your defensive posture, it’s a bit frantic.” A pause. “And be more careful about which doors you walk through.”
My blood freezes. He knows. Maybe not everything, but enough. How?
“I don’t know what you mean, sir.” My voice is far steadier than I feel as the walls tilt.
He makes a soft sound—not quite a laugh. “Of course not.” He steps past me, his shoulder nearly brushing mine. “Ten minutes, Ashford. Don’t be late.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CASSIA
The sliver of sunlight cutting across my bed tells me I’ve slept longer than intended. I bolt upright with a gasp before remembering: free day. The rare mandatory rest period built into our training cycle. No predawn assembly in the yard, no Commander barking orders while we struggle to hold impossible-for-a-human positions, no simulation training that leaves me dizzy and dissociated.
Just a day of blessed quiet where the mask can stay off a little longer.
