How Much I Know - a Renegades | Marissa Meyer fan fiction

Chapter 10

"Unless she's resistant to Max."

It was suddenly silent in the Council hall. Mara picked up on the tension and was careful not to move a hair, not wanting to draw attention to herself. This atmosphere had been erected by Karen's comment - Mara wasn't sure if that was the girl's real name or not, but she imagined her father here, telling her that, "No matter what you call them, a person is a person, and if that person wants to be called a certain name, so be it. What harm will come to you for just calling someone the name they prefer? They are still human, Mara, and deserve to be treated with respect, and that means following other people's preferences. Names are no exception."

Mara smiled with the memory. Yes, she would call the girl 'Karen' even if that wasn't her real name, because it was respectful.

The Council members shifted uncomfortably. "We don't want to risk it," Tsunami finally commented.

"Yes," Captain Chromium interjected, "but Max is lonely. He needs company. Maybe Miss Umidore could fill that role. It's worth a shot."

Reluctantly, the rest of the Council nodded. "It's settled, then," Captain Chromium decided, "Miss Loen will train Miss Umidore physically, while young Mr. Everheart will assist in the training of Miss Umidore on the power scale. It should be understood, however, that this new assignment will not excuse Miss Loen from her other responsibilities. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Council," Karen said.

"Miss Umidore, we have other matters to discuss with Miss Loen. If you would kindly leave us. You will find Mirage in the hallway to escort you back to your room," the Dread Warden requested, although it was more of an order.

Mara inclined her head, then quietly moved to the hallway. She could feel the stares of everyone in the room trained on her, and she pretended that she was intimidated. She was stronger than everyone in this room combined, but she didn't like to show it. At least she wasn't going to get confined to a cell, although that was exactly their intention. She would be with her "trainer," Karen, most of the time and then with "Max," whoever that was, for the rest of the time. In other words, she would be kept under watch at all times.

She turned the corner of the hallway, and she could hear the audible releasing of breath from the Council room. They were scared of her, she realized. She supposed they had a right to be, judging from the fact that she had the ability to resist all of their power combined, but it was still disorienting seeing as Mara was used to being treated like a naive little girl. Not someone to be feared.

To be honest, Mara was scared of herself too. This power she knew nothing about had come to the surface, and now she had no idea how she was even able to use it. She felt like she was living in a body she didn't belong to. She felt alone and misjudged. She felt like she was living a life she never wanted.

She didn't feel powerful. She felt afraid and shattered. Her life had left her in just a few hours. What was she now?

"What did you see?" Tsunami's voice asked hurriedly.

"I don't even think the girl is halfway toward the elevators yet, Tsunami," said Captain Chromium.

Mara stopped to listen. She wondered what this was all about. Maybe she could learn more about her situation by eavesdropping.

"If you want to prove your innocence, you first need to prove it to yourself," her father had said.

"I mean, if you don't get caught, why not?" Narcissa had told her when they were playing with her superpowers in the back of the library.

"'Character is what you do when no one is watching.'" At least, that's what all those philosophy books from the library told her.

What was her character? She was small, gracious, naive, and scared. She would not eavesdrop, and that would make it easier to prove her innocence.