Page 37 of Rule
Her wide eyes lock onto mine, fear and uncertainty swirling within them. “I knew you were holding something back. What is it?”
Her resignation makes me smile sadly. Challenging the Inner Circle is not an easy task, but I know that she's ready for it.
"Scarlet," I say, the urgency in my voice making her tense. “There is a group of warriors called the Inner Circle. They are a group of powerful individuals who have been protecting Origin for centuries. They are the elite guardians, ensuring our society maintains its secrecy and stability. The mantle is passed down from generation to generation, much like Origin itself, but these six men are the pinnacle of Origin’s safety.”
"Max," she whispers, her voice trembling. “Are you saying I need to take them down? How? By fighting them?”
Taking a step toward her, my demeanor serious as I deliver the news. "You have been training for this moment, Scarlet. You are stronger than ever before, both physically and mentally. We all believe in you. You will issue a challenge to their role, and you must win if we are going to succeed with you taking over the rule of Origin."
"We wouldn't let you face the Inner Circle if we didn't think you could handle it." Tristan says, his hand finding its way to her shoulder.
"Remember your training," Miles adds, his words steady and reassuring. "You've been through so much, and you've come out stronger each time."
"Look at us, Scarlet," I urge her, needing her to see how much faith we have in her abilities. "We all love you and stand by you. Together, we will challenge the Inner Circle and show them what you're truly capable of."
Scarlet's reaction is visceral; she swallows hard, her hands shaking as she clenches them into fists. The weight of what we're proposing is evident in every line of her body. She takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, trying to regain control over her emotions.
"Can we really take them on?" she asks, her voice wavering. "CanItruly confront the Inner Circle and not just survive but succeed?"
"Scarlet," Hugo says softly, stepping closer to her and placing his hand on her arm. "You have come so far in your training. We all have. Together, we can face anything, even the Inner Circle."
"You can do this, Scar," Adam urges, his eyes locked on hers. "Each of us brings something different to the table. Our combined skills and determination make us a force to be reckoned with; you won’t be alone."
“Alone…the six of us will fight them?”
Shaking my head. “No, that is your right as the challenger of the Overseer.”
“The Overseer is dead.”
“And as such, the Inner Circle are the Overseers now.”
“So, this is a kill or be killed situation?”
“Yes.” There is no point in making it out to be anything less than it is.
“Wow. Nice withholding, you fucking assholes.”
She stands up and walks out of the room, and not one of us can blame her.
“Do we go after her?” Hugo asks.
“No,” I mutter. “She’ll be back to yell at us some more in a few seconds.”
Smiling when I’m proved right, not five seconds later, Scarlet storms back into the room.
“You’re all a bunch of fucking dicks with mush between your ears. You think I can do this? Are you out of your fucking minds? Maybe you think I’m like Ruby? Maybe it’s her that you want and not me? Hmm?”
“Don’t be fucking ridiculous,” Adam snorts. “Ruby doesn’t have a patch on you. She might be ruthless and all guns blazing, but you are a stealth fighter, Scar. They will never see you coming.”
“But I’m challenging them. Of course they’ll see me coming.”
“No, they will seeyoucoming, not the fighter, the fucking warrior princess we know you are,” I correct her. She needs faith in herself, or this will never work. She will lose, and we will lose her. We cannot let that happen. My heart cannot bear to lose the one thing that makes it beat.
Watching Scarlet's eyes flicker between us, searching for certainty, I take a step closer to her, feeling the need to reassure her and remind her of how far she has come. "Scarlet," I begin, my voice steady and confident, "remember the day we started training together? You kicked ass."
"Max is right," Tristan says, his gaze intense on Scarlet. "You've mastered hand-to-hand combat, learning techniques from each of us that complement your natural agility and speed. And your stamina and grit are off the charts hot."
She giggles, relaxing slightly.
