One Of Them

Chapter 1

~Sabina~

Fate and destiny are the two words that mean the most to me at this moment. I've been waiting for this moment for forever and finally today my fate and destiny are going to be sealed. At last.

"Sabina. Sabina."

My eyes focus on Ezra who's waving his hand before my face. "What?" I ask.

"You were spaced out again."

"I'm sorry. What were you saying?" I say as I fall into step beside him.

"Nothing important, forget it," he mumbles.

I don't press the matter, since we've reached the IE headquarters and I'm too busy taking in a deep breath to calm my nerves. All my worries are swirling around me and I find myself frozen in place as I stare at the gigantic, but ancient building looming before us. The rounded, stone stairs lead up to the impressive, large, oak door where the IE emblem of a fist punching through rock is etched into the stone above it.

"It isn't as frightening as it looks."

I peel my eyes away from the building to look at my best friend, my body trembling like an earthquake the entire time. "It's terrifying," I breathe.

"I swear if I survived it, you'll do great." He gives me a small smile as he squeezes my hand in a comforting way and I return a weak smile of my own.

"Thanks," I tell him before I begin to make my way up the stairs.

"Sabina."

I glance over my shoulder at Ezra.

"I'll be waiting here for you. Good luck."

I need all the luck I can get.

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"Sabina Katherine Jones?"

I look up from the magazine to see a lady in a tight navy dress approaching me.

"Are you Sabina Katherine Jones?" she repeats. I nod."Good. Please come with me."

I stand up from the hard chair and on stiff legs, I follow her out of the waiting room. She leads me down a long, narrow hallway and then ushers me into the room at the end. I quickly shove my hands into my jeans pockets, trying to hide the fact that they are shaking uncontrollably. I then lift my eyes from the floor and focus on the young man known as Ethan Mayor who's sitting behind the wooden desk in the center of the room.

"Thank you, Laura, that would be all," he says. The lady beside me bows her head before retreating from the room. Ethan's eyes then fall on me. "Welcome Sabina Katherine, please make yourself at home and take a seat." He gestures with his black-gloved hand to the chair across from him.

Finally, I find my voice. "It's just Sabina."

"So Sabina it is." He smiles. A smile that doesn't seem too friendly. "Now don't be afraid to sit down. I don't bite."

I say nothing as I sink into the brown leather chair.

"Are you ready?"

Nodding, I prepare my mind by clearing it from all of its worries. I want to be able to answer his questions properly. I won't let his high status intimidate me.

"How old are you?" he asks first.

"Seventeen."

"And you already applied to join last year?"

"Yes."

"When you knew you were underaged?" His hazel eyes turn into slits as he examines me.

I squirm in my seat, feeling quite small under his gaze. "I thought it would be worth the try."