Girl of Steel and Stone

Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen

The holidays were a blur of boredom. Not that it lasted long. About two more weeks. Two more weeks of nothing in which I explored the city with Jared. Once walking in the streets, the other time over the roofs.

Jared was number 19. Selene number 24. Kenneth number 16. Travis a surprising number 4. Kevin number 39. And Marcus... Marcus didn't pass. It was sad and it was terrible when we saw him pack his bags and leave, even if he told us it was fine. He said he had had an offer for a job as an officer in the army, but he said he didn't want anything to do with it.

I may have thought him a coward. But I didn't say it. He had enough trouble without my opinion.

We all moved into our new rooms. Rooms with windows.

As I was number 1 more than a few people had sent me hateful looks. Not my problem they were jealous.

I finally got a new bracelet around my arm and had to tell the story of how I lost the first one exactly seven times.

Training lost its appeal when people started to come to my training sessions to talk about me behind my back or to try to find out why I was number 1.

Soon there was only one day left 'til the start of the next year and we – the Second Years – were asked to go to the Dining Hall at three in the afternoon.

New recruits were arriving each day and the way de descendants looked around as if we should worship them made me want to bash their skulls in. They had respect for no one.

I was walking down the stairs to the Dining Hall when I saw two new descendants picking on a villager girl who clearly wanted nothing more but to hurt them. But she looked afraid. Afraid to be kicked from the school perhaps?

'Hey guys,' I said, unable to help it. Was it just me or were the descendants even more stupid this year? 'What are you doing?'

They turned towards me and while one cowered under my unflinching gaze the other puffed up his chest.

'Nothing, just go on your way,' he said dismissively, looking down at me. So yeah, he was maybe a head taller than me. But also pathetically weak.

'Be careful, boy,' I said. 'You don't want to have me as your enemy. Anyway, girl where are you heading?'

As soon as I looked at her she stood up straight. Her eyes dead and empty. She had obviously qualified me as a threat, which was why her hand was hovering above her gun.

'Towards my room. C-11. This idiot was supposed to bring me there,' she said gesturing at the cowering guy.

I snorted. 'Come on, I'll bring you.'

'Hey hey,' the one with the puffed up chest said. 'We weren't done with her!'

'Do I look like I care?'

'Man, you don't want to mess with her,' a totally unappreciated voice said from behind me. 'She's the best of the Second Year.'

'Why don't you just shut up, Thorn? I don't need your help,' I growled, not bothering to turn and look at him.

'Roan,' he said, clearly irritated. 'It's Roan.'

'Who cares?'

'You're Roan Thorn?' the puffed up chest said. I could hear Roan sigh tiredly. Aww. How cute. He was irritated.

'Yes, he is. Now, why don't you talk to him while you leave this woman alone. He's way more interesting.'

I smiled sweetly at him, and even sweeter when I saw a muscle ticking in his jaw at my sarcasm.