I needed to play nice here. Like negotiating trade deals, I didn’t have to make friends, but I couldn't alienate people I could use in the future.
“Good.” Winston clapped, and white squares of magic and metal, the length and width of my forearm, appeared on easels behind him. I wrinkled my nose. Wundarboards. Basic reflections of will. I definitely wasn’t showing off with that.
“Take a moment to get to know your new brothers and sisters.” Winston smiled and spread his hands. “Life’s about people, not the jobs we prepare you for.”
I cracked my neck and turned to my two partners. The short runt looked up at each of us, forcing a bit of light to shine on his pale, freckled complexion. He wasn’t worth my time. I looked over his head, not offering the newest man my hand. “Cayden Lawson.”
“Seth Silver.” The man didn’t offer his either. He jerked his chin up. “I’m here from The Dales, Harrogate. You might know of it?”
“I have. Lovely area.” I kept my tone polite.
When the tremors changed the world, wealth became what you physically owned and could keep hold of through force. Harrogate boasted two military bases, a joint American-British one, and a Royal Air Force training facility. Though the world no longer functioned as it once had, the strongholds created there were nothing to scoff at.
Seth was ensuring I understood his role in our little trio. He might not have my name or my sheer magical strength, but he wasn’t someone I wanted to make an enemy of either.
“I’m Quinn, Quinn Question,” the runt between us said, stepping back a little and holding out a small, slim hand.
My eye twitched. No one shook hands or was stupid enough to seek out a stranger's touch. Any prolonged skin contact gave away a person’s magic and potential. But this tiny, hooded runt had nothing between his ears.
Seth leaned forward, eager to gain an advantage, and shook. “It’s nice to…” Seth trailed off, jerking his hand back.
He took a few calming breaths before stepping forward and placing his hands on either side of the man’s hood. It slid back, revealing the runt’s small head and dark-red hair, up in a high ponytail.
“Where’s your brother?” Seth asked, looking around.
I studied the side of Quinn’s face. Seth must already know him. Maybe the poor runt was disabled.
Quinn put his hands on his hips. “I don’t have a brother; I’m here alone.” He flipped his hood back up.
“Now that you’re all friends,” Winston called out, drawing our attention. “To your Wundarboards!”
Seth guided Quinn out of the center and under a large yew tree, mostly out of view. He jerked his head at me to retrieve a board. I narrowed my eyes, shocked he’d dare give me orders, but his attention was already on his friend. I begrudgingly stepped forward and retrievedour toy. As I set it up in Seth’s chosen spot, he tried to place Quinn in front of him. The man shifted uncomfortably and stepped away from Seth.
I frowned.
Winston walked between groups, handing out lists of tasks glowing with his lemon-yellow magic. He came to us last and handed the list to Quinn.
“Complete all the tasks and come see me,” Winston said, addressing the group. He lowered his voice, his gaze fixing on Quinn. “Despite Miss Hope’s... well, hope,” he added with a smirk. He placed his hands on his stomach and chuckled. “You won’t be able to hide for long. That’s not why you’re here. You only need to keep up your male persona until you make some friends.”
My stomach dropped. The runt was a woman.
Winston prodded Seth, who inclined his head. “Seth would make a good friend.”
I glanced at Quinn, who studied Seth with narrowed eyes.
The sound of cracking bone right next to my ear made me jerk back. Two massive canines descended from Winston’s mouth, dripping with yellow power. Monster. The rumors were true. The Architect had monsters in his ranks. Fear, that I refused to acknowledge, made my blood run cold.
Winston focused on me. “We’re keeping an eye on you, Lawson.”
A deep growl accompanied his words. Just as fast, his teeth returned to normal. He chuckled as if he hadn’t twisted the natural order of the world and glided to the next group of students with a smile on his face.
I was very good at controlling my emotions, and right now, I was glad of it. Never let your fear show. This wasn’t my compound, and these people were not my family.
Monsters.
I walked alongside immortals from BT, so horribly twisted by the birth of magic they lost their humanity.
I let fear shake my body once before I controlled it. No one else had the same reaction, since no one else received the same one-on-one treatment I did. Maybe I was missing something.
