Stoupající

3

The moment my feet land inside the train I have to bite my lip hard in order to not scream in pain.

"Damn it, Stiff!" Eric barks furiously. "I told you we should have taken a car."

"It's just my ribs," I say through gritted teeth, wrapping my arm around my upper body. "I'll live. Just give me a minute."

He shakes his head but does not say anything. I take a couple of deep breaths and slowly the pain starts to fade.

The cut on my cheek is almost healed, my broken ribs, however, will take another three to five weeks according to Will.

"Okay, so regarding the meeting," Eric speaks up again. "You are supposed to listen and observe, you only speak when you're spoken to. Everything said during this meeting is confidential and you are not allowed to tell your nosy little friends about it. Is that clear?"

I glare at him. "My friends are not nosy."

"Oh please," he snorts, crossing his arms in front of his chest while leaning back against the train wall. "That Candor girl lives for gossip."

"Chris is not Candor anymore, she's Dauntless," I snap at him.

"Whatever you say, Stiff."

I see the broad smirk in his face and ball my hands into fists. I will not let him get a rise out of me. So I just shake my head and lean against the wall next to the door und watch the scenery.

"We're almost there," Eric says about half an hour later. "Any questions before we go in?"

I shake my head.

"You nervous?" He asks while getting ready to jump. I get into position next to him.

"A bit."

It's the truth, though I am nervous for entirely different reasons than what he thinks. I am nervous about what I will find out today. That my friends and I are right and Jeanine is indeed looking for Divergents. The fact that she has not invited any leaders from the other factions is suspicious. Normally, every matter is discussed in leadership meetings with all factions present even if it does only concern two of them.

Our destination arrives and both Eric and I jump.

This time, when I land, I swear so loud that even Eric stares at me like I have grown two heads.

"Sorry," I murmur, while holding my ribcage again. He smirks and shakes his head in amusement.

"We'll make a real Dauntless out of you yet, Stiff."

For lack of a better comeback I stick my tongue out at him. Clever, I know.

"Come on," he sighs and then leads the way into the Erudite building. We take an elevator up to the fifth floor and then walk toward a large conference room. In front of it stands Jeanine, a couple of files under her arm.

"Eric," she smiles. "It's good to see you again."

"Jeanine," Eric replies and shakes her hand.

"And you, Beatrice," she turns toward me and I cringe internally. "Eric has told me all about your progress in leadership training. He says you're promising."

"Thank you," is all I can come up with.

"I have my own leader in training with me today. I think you already know him, Beatrice."

She waves into the conference room and a second later a young man comes walking toward her.

In tense up immediately.

"Caleb," I murmur, my eyes wide.

"Beatrice," he returns just as surprised as I am. Eric glances between the two of us, his brows furrowed.