Page 11 of The Stone Initiation
The way he spoke about me, as if I wasn’t even there, as if I didn’t matter, made me want to punch him in the mouth.
The woman shot me an apologetic look that held the edge of desperation. She feared this douchebag.
I locked gazes with him. “No.”
He frowned. “Excuse me?”
“I said, no.” I smiled, faux sweet. “I’ll take the test to enroll as a cadet. Thank you.”
He snorted. “Like I said, halfbloods don’t go—”
“Is that a rule? A law?” Gargoyles were big on law and rules.
His eyes narrowed to slits.
“No,” the receptionist said quickly. “It isn’t.”
I smiled thinly up at her boss. “Then sign me up as a cadet.”
“Have it your way,” he sneered. “Sign her up for the next run, which is—” he looked at something behind the counter that I couldn’t see—“ah, tomorrow at sundown.” The sneer turned into a smug smile.
“There’s another in a week,” the woman said in a small voice. “Maybe we co—”
“Tomorrow,” he barked. “If she wants it so bad, she’ll make it work.”
He strode off into the back office and the receptionist visibly wilted. “Oh…Oh dear. I’m so sorry.”
“What for? It’s just a test. I’ve taken plenty.”
“Oh sweetie, it’s not the kind of test you’re thinking of.”
“What is it?”
“No one knows. We don’t even know where it takes place. All I know is you either pass and end up on our system marked as a cadet, or your name comes up as deceased.” She chewed on her lip. “Are yousureyou want to do this?”
I’d be an idiot not to feel a stab of fear, but I never let fear stop me from going for the things I want.
Aside from Levi…
I shut down the annoying voice.
Right now, I wanted answers. I could either do this or spend the rest of my life wondering how my brother died. “I’m sure.”
She tapped something into the computer, and the printer whirred and spat out some paper which she folded and handed to me. “This is your ticket. The bus leaves from Central Station at two p.m. tomorrow. If you want your shot, you’ll need to be on it.”
I took the ticket and tucked it into my pocket. “Thank you, Hattie.”
“You’re welcome. And best of luck.” She smiled wistfully. “It’s about time one of us got into that place.”
One of us? She was like me? A halfblood? She smiled and I returned it.
“I hope to see your name on my system,” she said.
“I’ll do my best.”
I had no clue what was in store for me tomorrow, but I was one step closer to my goal, and that would have to do for now.
CHAPTER6
