“And I’m done being a bystander in my own life.” She sits back in her chair, folding her arms across her chest and fixing me with a hard look. “So, if you wanna talk so badly, then let’s talk about something that actually matters. Tell me about the Invictus.”
“We probably shouldn’t discuss that without the others,” I mumble.
“Why not?” she challenges, brow arching. “Do you need their permission just to talk about it?”
“No, I don’t need their fucking permission,” I growl. “But we’re… a united front.”
“Sure,” she snorts.
I frown. “What are you implying?”
“Oh, nothing,” she sing-songs, uncrossing her arms and picking up her pencil again.
My jaw clenches as I chew over her insinuation, not liking it one fucking bit. It suggests something fractured, like she thinks there’s a hierarchy rather than the careful balance we’ve always maintained.
Raf, Ford, and I operate as a unit. Always have. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t questioning how we’ve been running things lately. If Raf had just listened to us and agreed to go after Ava when she ran, we would’ve figured out that Gideon sold her to the Dollhouse a hell of a lot sooner.
“What do you want to know?” I ask before I can stop myself.
She looks up, and I swear I see a flash of smugness behind her eyes before she schools her expression. “Am I still going to be initiated?” she asks, dropping her pencil and sitting back again.
“Most likely. It’s probably unavoidable at this point.”
“Does that mean I’m safe from the Dollhouse?”
I blow out a slow breath, scrubbing a hand over my chin. “Yes and no. It’ll cement your place with us, but if the Dollhouse seeks help from the Invictus to repossess their asset, there’s no guarantee they won’t hand you over.”
She nods slowly, considering. “So then why don’t we ask the Invictus for help, beat them to the punch?”
“Asking for help from the Invictus comes at a cost,” I say. “It’s often higher than most are willing to pay.”
She nods again, then goes quiet for a long moment, lost in thought. “But as long as I’m here, I’m safe.”
“Yes,” I reply firmly. “The Kings have full reign over campus. It’s one of our trials, to prove we can exert our influence on a smaller scale before moving up the ranks of the Society. Nobody can touch you here unless we allow it, not even the Invictus themselves.” I hold her gaze. “You’re safe, Ava.”
The look in her eyes says she doesn’t fully believe me, but the tension in her shoulders seems to loosen a fraction. She stares back at me for a long moment, then picks back up on her questioning. “What does the initiation involve?”
“NowthatI can’t tell you,” I say, kicking an ankle up to rest on my opposite knee.
“Why not?”
“Because I took vows not to disclose the inner workings of the Invictus to outsiders,” I reply simply.
The way her brow lifts is sexy as fuck. “So I’m expected to just go in blind?”
“Yes.” I lean back in my chair, considering how much I can say without crossing any lines. “The initiation process hasseveral stages. The first is the presentation of the initiate, where you’re formally introduced to the society and take your vows. After that, you’re required to complete a series of trials before the Invictus determines whether you’re worthy of full membership.”
Her eyes narrow slightly. “What kind of trials?”
“Tests of loyalty,” I say. “Beyond that, I can’t elaborate.”
“Did you guys have to do that?”
I nod, feeling a little uneasy with this line of questioning.
“What were your trials?” she asks.
“Can’t tell you that, either,” I sigh.
