-____________- 2.0

Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Hey! Okay, hopefully you read the last chapter....and hopefully it wasn't too terrible...Emily and I were talking, and we both agreed we'd written MUCH worse...like in 1.0.....anywho....feel free to comment...or just read....and have your friends read. :)

-Siri-

Siri leaned back into her chair, trying not to upset the men on either side of her. Her third consecutive meeting was by far the most boring, all they were discussing were new procedures to enlist troops. She had already listen to them veto using prisoners as troops, and drafting troops, and adding a money incentive. She occasionally added a word or two, but for the most part she just sat there, letting them fight it out. They would ask her for the last word, anyways, and she had no need to speed things up.

Her mind wandered as they revisited using prisoners as soldiers. If she was active in the debate, they would have moved on to the next subject by now, but she knew that once they were done, it was dinner, and she was still in charge of Tharren's meals. She sighed inwardly. She would need to work out a new kitchen schedule, and have one of their maids bring him his meals. Marcelle would have been her first choice, after all, she would jump at the opportunity, and not miss it for anything, at least, not until she found a new play toy. But now, Siri had to find another worker to bring him his meals...maybe Ava would do it.

A barrage of memories from the morning flooded Siri's mind, and she blushed. She still didn't know how she had let it get that far, that Tharren had stopped it. Why had he stopped it? If he hadn't...Siri took a breath. If Tharren hadn't, then they wouldn't have stopped. She should be grateful that he had kept her innocent, although she didn't know how innocent she really was anymore.

But he was the one that had kissed her first! He had...had he just been fooling with her? To see how far he could get her to go? She pursed her lips. She would have gone all the way, he knew it. Why hadn't he brought her all the way? Was she not good enough?

Siri abruptly stood up and pushed her chair in. She nodded at the men in the meeting. "Carry on, and tell me your conclusion once you get it. I have more important things to do." She ran out of the meeting.

Siri wandered the halls, not a clue on what she was supposed to do. Part of her wanted to go confront Tharren, but most of her didn't. She took an aimless turn, to what she suspected to be an empty hallway, but was disappointed. Two dark-haired men, one who looked more like a teenager than a man, were walking and talking down the hall. The younger man looked up, and his face light up in a smile. "Siri! Hi!"

Siri instantly recognized Audrey's younger brother, Cole, and realized that it was her brother, Matt, who was walking next to him. "Hi guys!" She ran to give them a hug, pushing her worries to the back of her head. "Matt's mentoring you now?"

Cole nodded. "Yeah. I'm a junior senator. According to Seth, I'll be shadowing Matt for the next year."

Siri turned to her brother, who nodded, an amused smile on his face. "I'm happy that I got Cole as my shadow, instead of one of those other prissy senators' sons. From what I've seen, he might have inherited some of Audrey's...abilities with people." Matt looked at Siri, "So what did you do today?"

Siri laughed, hoping that her brother wouldn't notice her lies. "I went to training this morning, and then I was at meetings all day. I just left one early, actually."

Matt nodded. "Did you forget your belt at training again? Gods, Siri, you might want to go get it before it gets snitched like the last one."

Siri frowned and looked down, she swore she had put on a belt this morning... "Shit!" She knew exactly where she had left it. "I did forget it!" She smiled tightly at the two. "I'll catch up with you guys later. I have to go get my belt back!"