The Forgotten

1

ADRIAN

Adrian tried his best not to stare at Sephi in the mornings when she walked into class. Usually he succeeded. Today, however, was not his lucky day.

Nobody else seemed to have this problem, though. Not anymore. A few years ago she'd been new and every day had been a test. The average Legacy was a backbiting snake and it had taken everyone by surprise when the new recruit had showed her claws.

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Sephi was the face of innocence. It was comical really. They'd followed her around for weeks, like vultures circling stranded prey.

And had to deal with the consequences.

She'd gotten into three fights within her first week. And won them all. By the time the third one had rolled around her patience had worn thin.

A Legacy boy had been writhing in her grip when she'd threatened to keep going until there was no one left. Every single recruit had backed off after that.

Adrian held his smart pen between his teeth as Sephi walked around the desks in the room toward him. He pretended to write something on his tablet as he pushed the chair beside him back with his foot. A beat later she was sitting next to him, pushing strands of hair away from her face.

She looked up. And smiled.

Adrian blinked twice before he could mumble, "You're lucky DeSoto is running late. You know how cranky he is in the mornings."

"I could always woo him with my witchy wiles," she said, smirking like a fiend.

He searched the classroom, smirking. "Who pissed you off?"

"Mmm, no one." She lied and as she settled in her seat with her tablet, ready to take notes, DeSoto strode into the room. Her almond eyes narrowed as she watched their professor set up for class. "But it's only 9 AM."

The lecture on foreign political relations was dull enough, but Sephi had taken notes like a maniac. Unlike him, she had something to prove. Or so she said. The Governor held her in such high esteem it seemed kind of useless to have her tested to join the Corps in the summer. Adrian was certain it would take her no time at all to become one of the most notorious senior agents their government had ever seen.

When class ended he and Sephi made their way to the Sun Court to get their daily, government recommended, dose of vitamin D. He felt the energy come back to his limbs and his mood shift considerably as they made their way outside. The city air that filtered in through the vents above the windows was surprisingly chilly and Sephi pulled on her favorite jacket. He knew she'd found it over at the warehouse shortly after she'd transferred in. It was a thick black leather and if he had to guess by the way it fit her it had probably belonged to a man before her. He watched the curls arrange themselves around her shoulders again once she tugged them out of the collar.

He was beginning to tell her about a dreadful fancy dinner he'd had to attend over the weekend with his father when Sephi froze on the stairs. She whipped around so fast her body blurred and Adrian couldn't help jerking away. She'd caught a football in her hands–a ball that had clearly been aimed at her ass.

Two Legacies from DeSoto's class looked down at her from several steps back.

"Look, she can catch! Maybe witches aren't so bad after all..." The blond one on the left, Miles, slithered over until he was close enough to whisper in her ear, "Or maybe being the little Prince's bitch taught you some tricks."