Lena yawned while she pushed Sam down the hall. It was late, and she’d discovered in the last week that there wasn’t enough time in any day to complete everything she had to accomplish. Not only did she have her own lessons with Thomas to help her learn control, but she had to teach the girls, help them acclimate, and ensure they were safe, happy, and healthy. She gave daily lessons to a group of hand-picked Senior Wards. And she met with Thomas and Alex in debriefing meetings held late at night due to Alex’s schedule.
She also carved out time to see Sam. It wasn’t simply because he offered clarity about their history and where they might be headed. She liked spending time with him. He was her respite, the quiet part of her day.
They reached his room. She parked his chair beside the bed and put the brake on, but he waved her off again when she came around to lift him onto the bed. An aide would come and ready him for bed.
“It was beautiful, Sam.” She smiled at him in the darkness, referring to the night sky they’d both enjoyed as they talked. “Thank you for bringing me.” Never mind that she had pushed his chair. It had been his idea. He’d told her to come for him the night before she ran off to save the world from the Council.
Sam returned her smile, though his eyes were tired now. “Thank you. And Lena….”
She waited. He liked to send her off with a bit of wisdom he believed she needed to hear. She liked hearing them.
“Pay attention to the voice inside your head. I ignored mine for too many years, chasing after what I thought I needed to put things right. I was wrong. That voice knows exactly what you need. Listen to it.”
“Yes, sir,” she said. She leaned in to kiss the softness of his cheek. He held her hand for a moment, nodded at her, then let her go. She went, not saying good-bye. Sam didn’t like good-byes.
She made her way back out to the private elevator, moving up and down the stairs and through the halls in a tired shuffle. As she turned the last corner, deep male voices echoed in the hall ahead of her, moving toward the elevator as well. She slowed, not willing to risk being trapped in an elevator with Guardians who resented her little display and did nothing to tamp down the lust or resentment threading through their energy. They weren’t all like that, but a dedicated core—
Her head lifted at the sound of her name.
“—because of Lena. He says we’d all be better off once she’s out of the picture.”
She didn’t recognize the voice, but the words froze her breath inside her.
“You shouldn’t be listening to him. The man’s a silver-tongued, two-faced snake—”
“And no one would ever suspect him. That’s why it’s beautiful. Think about it. Think about the army we could create if we had unlimited access to those girls.” The first man’s voice dropped, as if even he knew how foul the concept behind the words was and didn’t want to say them fully aloud.
“When?” Reluctant agreement.
“Spring. We want them comfortable and recovered before—” The heavy security door closed behind them, closing Lena off from the rest of the hateful words. She leaned against the wall, staring at nothing, swallowing back disgust and rage and disappointment.
Some mystery Guardian wanted her out of the picture so they could have free reign with the powered girls? Not freaking likely. She didn’t know how, but she’d make sure she and her girls were long gone by Spring.
***
Lena turned the corner, rage swirling with exhaustion in a mix guaranteed to keep her up. Ahead of her, Rose pulled Lena’s door closed behind her. Lena frowned. Rose wasn’t one of the girls to be tucked into bed, but she would take responsibility for them in Lena’s absence. She’d mentioned heading to bed to be ready for the early risers. Charity and Constance were notorious for waking everyone well before dawn, ready to go.
“Hey,” Rose greeted her with a yawn. “Alex is looking for you. Last minute details. I left you a note.”
Alex, Jackson, and Lena would leave before dawn, hiding their movements through the city in pre-dawn murk. She’d hoped to get some rest before it was time to go. Better to be up with a purpose. The words she’d overheard would echo in her head all night anyway. She’d go find Alex.
Rose blinked and tensed. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Just anticipation.” She couldn’t share what she’d heard with Rose. Not yet. The Neo-barb woman would gather up their charges like chicks and take off, and Lena wouldn’t be available to protect them. She would come back after she’d finished Councilor Three, and she’d tell Rose then. They’d all go together.
“Are you sure?”
“Yep. Get some sleep. You’ll need it.”
Rose snorted a response, muttering about doing exercises, not taking over all of the other crap Lena did in a day.