“Thank you.”
I return to the chipped, wooden table Sora sits at, cradling the bowl I was handed at the serving line. The gruel looks disgusting. A thick, lumpy stew with overboiled carrots sloshes against the rim, and a hunk of black bread sits beside it, dense enough to scrape the roof of my mouth if I’m not careful.
At least the coffee looks decent. It’s dark, bitter, and mercifully strong, just how I like it.
“Why were people acting so weird when I spoke to Knox?”
“They like to pretend we don’t exist,” she says with a shrug. “They receive the medals and recognition while we do the grunt work.”
I stare across the room at the other side, where a group of Gifted sits in a circle, sneering at me.
I guess they didn’t like me crossing the invisible line that separates us.
The courtyard is vast with lines marked for formation.
The new batch of recruits stands stiffly, backs straight, and eyes forward. My hands clench by my sides, the sleeve of my jacket hanging a little too long.
The Sergeant’s voice cuts through the crisp morning air. He’s a Common. It is clear from his plain, ill-fitting uniform and the absence of the color class that marks the Gifted ranks, along with the lack of a nameplate.
“Commons! Move!”
Sora gives me a reassuring smile before she dashes off into the distance. My legs pump as I take the lead. Nobody knows I was trained for years by the lieutenant. Sullivan put me through worse than anything these sergeants could attempt.
During a brief water break, Sora jogs over, sweat dripping down her brow.
“You’re keeping pace well,” she says. “But don’t get cocky.”
I grin. “Too late. How are you holding up?”
“Barely alive,” she mutters, eyes drifting toward the grass where a group of Gifted stands in a circle like vultures. They have their own training and combat fields. They shouldn’t be here.
I notice the same group from the mess hall who were glaring at me. They are speaking to our sergeant, and he turns away, heading towards the tower.
Where is he going? And why is he leaving us withthem?
“Shit,” Sora echoes. She grabs my hand. “We have to leave.”
We duck behind a low wall at the edge of the field. My heart hammers in my chest. I’ve never been one to hide from a fight; usually, my chin is high and proud, eyes burning with menace. But I know when the odds are stacked against me. And right now there are three of them and one of me. They have powers, and I can’t reveal mine.
One moment, they are several paces away, and the next, they are in front of us. The boy in the middle has his palm on the shoulders of his friends. He must be a Transporter and is able to move across large distances in the blink of an eye.
“That’s her,” he sneers. “The one who broke the rules.”
Sora is trembling, and her grip on my wrist is painfully tight. I harden my face and straighten my spine. I won’t let them intimidate me.
“It was a mistake,” I say, hating the words that escape me. But I have to protect Sora. She kind of reminds me of my sister. “I didn’t mean any offense.”
“How do you know, Knox Fraser?” he asks.
“We’re together,” I blurt.
It is the first thought that crosses my mind. One that I hope will stop them in their tracks before they hurt us. Knox isclose with Ender. I’m not sure of his position, but he definitely outranks them.
They exchange a disbelieving look.
“She’s lying,” the girl says, staring at me from under her nose. “Look at her. She’s a Common. Knox wouldn’t go for her.”
“No, I’m not lying,” I say hastily. “He’s going to feed you dirt if you mess with me.”
