The Awakening by Meczes Stuart

Author:Meczes, Stuart [Meczes, Stuart]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Smashwords
Published: 2012-02-01T06:00:00+00:00

18

To my disappointment, Gabriella wasn’t about, so I ended up showering and changing in Delagio’s room. The décor was GQ trendy - a sleek combo of black marble and wood. On the way out, I noticed an array of Stetsons hanging on a hat rack in the hallway. I put one on and looked in the mirror. I hastily put it back again.

Think I’ll leave the trend setting to Delagio.

Rachel was waiting for me at the foot of the main stairs. Her hair had been pulled into a tight pony tail, emphasising her fae features - high, angular cheekbones and slender face.

She re-adjusted the glasses on her nose as I reached her. I found myself wondering if she even needed them, or had simply grown used to wearing them as part of her disguise.

“Afternoon, Alex,” she said.

“Hi Miss St- I mean Rachel.”

She handed me a cereal bar. “I thought you might be hungry. This should help keep you going until the feast later.”

“Thanks,” I smiled.

We took an elevator at the far end of the hall. Rachel pressed a button depicting a sword.

Combat Arena, said Mrs Elevator.

As the cab hurtled along the Nexus, I discovered I didn’t feel nauseous at all. My body had adapted.

“So how long have you been an Infiltrator for?” I asked through a mouthful of oats and berries.

Rachel smiled. “Put it this way, I brought in my first Chosen while Edison was still wrapping his brain around the light bulb.”

I raised my eyebrows. “That’s... wow. So do you enjoy it?”

Her smile faded. “Enjoy is a strong word. It’s an important and necessary part of what we do.”

“It must be hard though, always having to pretend to be someone else.”

Rachel gave a thoughtful nod. “It can be. But I never forget why I’m here.”

The elevator drew to a close. I swallowed the last bite of the bar as the doors rolled open.

We stepped out into a large circular dojo. The walls were lined with thick white padding. A large Tatami mat covered the entire floor. It bowed ever so slightly under our weight. An array of hand to hand weapons rested in various racks around the perimeter, along with eight evenly placed Golems. They were marionettes without a puppet master - heads bowed and arms hanging by their sides.

Rachel walked to the side of the dojo, slipped off the large heels she was wearing and nodded for me to do the same. Pulling a booster from her uniform pocket, she placed it neatly next to my trainers. I watched as she moved into the centre of the dojo, stretched her arms up to the ceiling and unfurled her wings. They burst through narrow slits in her uniform, making a rattling sound as she shook them out.

“Ah, that’s so much better,” she sighed. “I get horrendous back cramp when they are in retraction.”

They were actually quite beautiful. At first I’d thought of them as insect wings, but on second inspection they looked like they’d been woven from the thinnest, purest silk.

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