I nodded and walked forward to the empty chair. “Yes, I’m Ms. Carvene.”
Four men and one woman ran their intelligent eyes over my person. I hadn’t had time to shower or change before the dinner bell had rung. I’d barely been assigned my small room and dropped off my bag before the herd of candidates had filled the housing hallways, all in a rush for the dining hall.
The woman gestured to the seat with a wave of her hand. “You may sit down.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” I sat and tried not to fidget.
She ran her fingers over her tablet, her piercing eyes lowering to the screen. “You’re our last interview, so you’re catching us at a great moment.”
I breathed a sigh of relief.
The men didn’t speak.
It looked like the woman was running this.
“I’ll be honest with you, Ms. Carvene. I’m surprised your father signed off on your form.” Her dark gaze flicked up to my brown eyes. “You do know that we will verify all signatures, correct?”
I blinked. “Yes.”
I actually hadn’t.
But if he read my letter, he knew where I was.
There was a ten-year minimum jail sentence for anyone who forged a legal guardian’s name for entrance to the Corporate Army. I didn’t think my father would tell them he hadn’t actually signed it. I was twisting his arm, but it was needed for my freedom. I would apologize later.
I placed my hands on my lap and waited.
She continued to watch my every move. “Why do you want to join the Corporate Army?”
I nibbled on my bottom lip.
Her brows rose in the silence.
The truth was best here. “I don’t want to marry a stranger. I don’t want to be a parent right now. I want to run my own life.”
The soldier blinked. “Thank you for your honesty.”
I tipped my head in acknowledgment.
“Do you believe that you’ll pass the tests here?”
“I do.”
“What are your skills? Typically, women your size don’t stand a chance here. But seeing as your father is General Carvene, I imagine he had you professionally trained?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Your skills, please.” She tapped on her tablet, her finger poised over the screen.
I listed all of them aloud.
When her finger eventually stopped moving over the screen, her dark gaze peered up at me in surprise. “That is impressive.”
I shrugged and nibbled on my lower lip again.
Her gaze ran over my features. “I take it you want to be in the infantry?”
“No.” I instantly shook my head. “I’d like to go into your intelligence unit.”
