Huh, I'd spent all this time thinking it over in my head, and I still had no idea.
"I guess I really need to understand what I'm expected to do here. I was literally taken out and told to know my place, but I have no idea what my place is supposed to be." I say, raising my hands to air quote ‘my place’ because I’m not buying into that shit.
I look between both of them, seeing as they both know much more than me.
"Featherstone Academy will expect you to leave here with your skillset heightened and with job leads that fall in line with your blood. Both mine and West's are best around weapons, just in different ways."
"Okay, so it's correct to assume you attended here too?" I ask. I know Rafe did, but I need to hear it from West.
"Yeah," West quietly responds, looking down at his hands.
"What outcome does Featherstone expect of me?"
"Well, because you have been given access to three bloodlines you will likely take on numerous jobs between what they offer to the organization," replies Rafe, placing a fresh coffee in front of me.
"So, for your father's bloodline it will always be to steal in some way. For your mothers, it'll refer to infiltrating legitimate businesses to benefit Featherstone or ensuring solid connection through bribery. Mine will likely be the worst, I'm afraid Luna. I never thought you would have to take my bloodline, and I would never have expected your mother to push this through. So it likely came from someone else higher up. With my bloodline death is always involved. I’m hoping they train you in my skill set but only as a defense to your other skills." He sighs.
We all remain silent with that hanging in the air for a moment.
"So, I'll be expected to kill people?" I ask, the words feeling foreign on my tongue.
Neither of them respond, and that answers my question. The shiver that runs down my spine is uncontrollable. Mulling that over I consider what that means. I could never bring myself to hurt innocent people, no matter what, but if I could get my hands on the people who did this to me I would likely kill them. I just know, deep down it would hurt my soul all the same.
"Is there any way out of this world for me? " I ask, wrapping my hands around my mug, needing the heat.
"I'm trying Luna, but this is higher up the food chain than I originally thought. I'm at a loss and I can't overrule The Ring, including our families. Someone wants you here Luna at all costs, I just don't know what for,” Rafe offers.
I thought we were in 2020, I thought we had freedom of choice, freedom of speech, but apparently that doesn't apply here.
"Okay, so I'm supposed to just go along with this, accept this is my life now?"
Rafe and West stare at each other, communicating with their eyes. It's clear I know nothing here and it isn't helping me that they are still considering keeping things from me.
"Can you not do that?” I slam my hand on the table, “I'm at a disadvantage already and I don't need you keeping any more secrets."
"It's not that Luna, this is bigger than all of us. There are so many rumors you can never really know the truth in this world. We don’t want to tell you too much too soon or tell you wasted lies.”This comes from West.
“Well, I think you need to tell me something to expect, fucking top tips, anything because I literally have nothing to go on, and the people attacking me know much more. They’ve gotten me once. I refuse to let them beat me twice.” My determination is clear, and I fucking mean it.
“Right, well a lot of the battles between the bloodlines are based around Totem, have you heard of him yet?” Rafe asks.
“His name came up in History yesterday.”
“Well he is the devil himself. He’s always wanted to control Featherstone as a whole and was never satisfied with the drips they fed him. Everyone knows he’s still out there but impossible to find, and even harder to kill it seems. The main rumor is that he has an heir, an heir willing to follow in his footsteps. Now of course they would never name that child Lopez. So if it is true, we do not know who they are, or even how old they may be.”
I nod in understanding, but I don’t really know what to say, likely because I don't truly know the extent of this man.
“In the same lesson they also mentioned something about Ace students having to compete in something called The Games and it’s mandatory?”
I have my response as soon as I mention the games and the color drains from both of their faces.
You ever asked a question, and regretted it the second the answer isn’t what you want it to be? This is mine. I think I would have rather been oblivious. I can’t bring myself to ask more about it right now.
“Okay then, how am I supposed to survive this world?”
“Luna, there are a lot of cold-hearted people here, who won’t think twice to do things you wouldn’t usually consider. You need to keep your wits about you, and they need to fear you by whatever means necessary, otherwise they’ll make you a toy.” West sighs.
“Honestly, right now though, make them think you’re obeying their orders. Until we can figure out more details about what’s going on within The Ring. That’d also mean us keeping a distance still, because nobody knows of our connection,” he continues, running his hand through his messy hair.
“You’re asking me to not stand my ground and be true to myself West? You tell me they need to fear me, but you don’t want me to retaliate
