Page 18 of Twisted Truths

I bend over to pick it up, slipping it around my neck as Gianna passes me a white long-sleeved sundress that falls to my knees. It may be the end of winter, but the weather is unseasonably warm. I dress quickly, then Gianna’s deft fingers braid my hair while I flick open the clasp on the locket and stare down at the last photo of me and my sister, taken on my sixteenth birthday.

Why is Gabriel requesting me? As Ascendent Sierra said, our roles are defined for a reason, and I don’t know why he’s making allowances for me. Does it have something to do with Madeline? There was something about the way he looked at me on Friday that makes me wonder exactly what she meant to him.

When I’m ready, I hug my roommate and murmur a soft, “Thank you.”

“Stay safe.” Her smile is tight as I leave our bedroom. We both know what this means—I’m on Gabriel’s radar, and my chances of being chosen at the next Awakening have increased.

I lower my head as I walk towards the front door.

“Be careful, Hadley,” says Ascendent Sierra from her place beside the living room window, her warning low. “Keep your head down. You are representing the Circle. They won’t take kindly to unwanted attention. Gabriel is calculating. He doesn’t do things on a whim.”

My stomach twists at her words, then it hits me. Sierra was one of Gabriel’s Chosen, but she couldn’t fall pregnant. She knows him intimately. I wonder what she thinks about him seeking me out.

“Am I in danger?” I whisper.

“Do as you’re told,” she says, her face and tone expressionless. “And don’t speak unless spoken to.”

I nod, forcing a calm expression despite the storm brewing inside. Leaving the commune, even for the briefest time, is going against my promise. Does Gabriel know what I was doing when I ran into him on Friday? Is that why he chose me for the market crew?

“Go, Hadley. Don’t keep him waiting.”

Releasing a deep breath, I rush out of the cabin, skidding to a stop when I spot his silhouette in the dim light. The sun has not yet risen, and the shadows swirl around us, dark and nefarious, stretching long and eerie in the stillness of the early morning. The cool air bites at my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the way my heart races at the sight of him leaning against the tree, waiting for me.

He straightens when he sees me, and I force my eyes to the ground as he pushes away from the tree, stepping into the faint light creeping across the horizon.

Closing the distance between us quickly, I draw in a sharp breath as his presence looms large, and I fight the urge to look into his intense grey eyes.

“Are you afraid of me, Hadley?” he murmurs, his warm breath brushing over the shell of my ear. Goosebumps erupt over my skin, making me shiver.

“N-no, Guardian,” I whisper.

“Why won’t you look at me?” There’s no malice or contempt in his tone; he’s simply curious.

“It’s not proper for me to meet your gaze, Guardian.” My voice is barely audible, the words trembling as they leave my lips. The weight of his presence is almost suffocating in its intensity.

He steps closer, and my heart skips a beat. His scent wraps around me, dark, woodsy, and undeniably him.

“You didn’t seem to have a problem in my father’s home.”

I fight the instinct to retreat. “My apologies for my disrespect, Guardian. I was not expecting you. It will not happen again.”

Gabriel makes an indistinct noise at the back of his throat and steps back. But instead of relief, I feel a deep sense of unease. His gaze is still heavy on me, and I stand frozen to the spot.

Finally, his smooth voice breaks the silence, low and steady. “Don’t mistake my restraint for kindness, Hadley. I’m watching you.”

I stay silent.

“Come on, we’re late.”

Gabriel stalks towards the orchids, where the truck is waiting to take us into town. I follow a few paces behind him, my gaze firmly fixed on the ground until we reach the gate where the truck idles, its engine humming quietly in the still morning.

He opens the door to the backseat of the cab and snaps, “Get out,” to the blonde girl seated closest to us.

“G-guardian?” she stammers.

“Get out,” he repeats. “Find Ascendent Sierra in cabin twenty-seven. She will redirect you to complete Hadley’s roles for the day.”

Her blue eyes flick to me before she hastily unbuckles her seat belt and climbs out of the truck. “Yes, Guardian,” she says as she slips past him and hurries towards my cabin, knowing if she’s late for whatever my role is, she will be punished.