Immortals of Indriell- The Collection

by Melissa A. Craven

  The incline was steep, and the way was rocky. Quinn slipped and couldn't regain his footing as he slid back down the path.

  “Careful!” Tessa rushed to help him. She couldn't fathom the sheer look of terror in his eyes as he punched the ground, bloodying his knuckles in frustration. She faltered in her steps, wondering what he could possibly have done to deserve whatever had put that look on his face.

  She wrapped her arm around his waist and lifted his arm over her shoulder. He flinched at her touch, like he hadn't realized she was there.

  “Take it easy, Quinn,” she said softly. He leaned heavily on her as she helped him get back on his feet.

  “Every second counts.” His tortured voice was like a knife in her gut. “I won't let her go back to Michael. Not after last time.”

  “Shhhh.” Tessa squeezed his hand and offered him her water bottle. “Go.” She pointed him toward the path. “Perform the task you've been given and put it behind you at the end of the day. It's the only way to get through the difficult times.”

  “Thank you.” He gave her a quizzical look, like he wasn't sure she was real. “I forgot what kindness looks like in this place.”

  As she watched him move up the path and disappear in the distance, she felt a stab of guilt. Part of her wanted to tell him his family was looking for him. That they didn't want him to be here. Yet she wouldn't tell him. He'd made his decision when he came to Soma for help.

  Keep your nose out of it, St. James. It's none of your business. But something about Quinn's demeanor didn't sit well with her. If he didn't want to be here, why didn't he just leave?

  ~~~

  "These samples aren't any better than the ones you've been producing for the last few months, Tess." Chase poured the crystal clear water onto the ground. "We're not making the kind of progress we need to be making if you want to get your assignment anytime soon. I'm thinking of recommending another year of training."

  "Please. No." Tess closed her eyes with a shiver. "Anything but that."

  “Most students your age aren't ready to leave training yet. If you need another year, take it. But if you want to get ahead, then you need to be working harder and practicing more. Maybe we should meet daily if you want to pick up the pace."

  At the rate she was spending money, she'd have to add another year at Amrita even after she'd taken her first assignment. That thought nearly killed her. She only had three months left, and she was finally out of there.

  "Can we identify what toxins are still present? And then maybe I can focus on understanding those, so I can have a better idea of how to extract them with my gift?"

  "I'll have to put some research time into it."

  "How much will that cost?" She winced.

  "My regular hourly rate for maybe ten or twelve hours of research."

  Tessa nodded. It would take half of her winnings from the next Amrita to make that happen, but she had to do it. Maybe her mother would understand if she didn't send money this month. She'd have to tell her Soma financial advisor to stop the automatic deposit into her mother's account. Just this once. She'd make it up later.

  "Fine. Let's do it."

  "Wire the money, and I'll get on it tonight. We will figure this out, Tess. I promise. I have faith in you and your ability to produce results."

  "I know. I just need to work harder before our meeting with Livia next month."

  “You have to be ready to knock her socks off."

  "Oh, I'll be ready if it kills me."

  ~~~

  “You're co-training with Santi today.” Eric passed the clipboard to Tessa to log her time for the Fold payroll. Not that it paid much. She always used her monthly paycheck to tip the Soma staff for all their hard work. Whatever was left, she put in her paltry savings account.

  “I'm pretty sure Santi hates me.” Tessa scribbled her name on the sign-in sheet.

  “I'm pretty sure Santi hates everyone,” Eric said.

  “If I had Livia's ear the way she does, I'd be the happiest person in Soma.”

  “You are the happiest person in Soma.” Eric gave her a wink.

  “What can I say, Friday is my favorite work day.” She smiled. “I get to train the two cutest kids in the world.”

  “Watch out for Lennox. She kicks.”

  “And bites.” Tessa laughed. Lennox was her favorite student, but the girl had anger issues. She'd grown up in Soma the way Tess had, but she struggled to get along with the other kids. That was why Tessa worked with her regularly. Lennox's teachers in the Fold wanted Tessa to help her see how much of an advantage living and training at Soma could be. But the girl was lonely. Her only friend was Hunter, and she tolerated him at best.

  “Have a good day!” Eric called as the elevator arrived to take her to the tenth floor.

  Lennox was a bully. And Tessa wasn't sure Santi was the best influence. She stepped into the cool lobby of the Fold, swiping her access card to enter the classroom wing. Her training with Lennox and Hunter wasn't physical. It was something of a social sciences class.

  “Good morning,” Tessa greeted the sullen Santi. The other woman had dark circles under her eyes, and she crossed the room with a limp.

  “Let's just get this done.” Santi dragged four small desks into a circle. “I have a mountain to climb later today.”

  Like Quinn, Santi was always in trouble.

  “You know if you follow the rules here, it's really a great place to train.”

  “You're an absolute moron if you believe that.” Santi slid into her desk with a wince.

  “Whatever. The kids will be here in a minute. Let's just try to make this fun for them?”

  “I'd rather run up a mountain than work here. This place is … a whole different kind of torture.”

  “You don't like kids?”

  “That's not it.” Santi gave her a haunted look.

  “Tessa!” Hunter rushed into the room to give her a big hug. The twelve year old boy was a gentle soul. He probably wouldn't prove to be as talented as Lennox, but the two kids worked well together, so their teachers liked to keep them in the same classes. Mainly because Hunter tempered Lennox's behavior. Some of the other boys picked on Hunter, and Len took her bodyguard duties seriously. If anyone messed with Hunter, they'd have to deal with her.

  “Where's Len?”

  “Right here.” Lennox trudged into the room. She hated any class that required her to sit at a desk. She'd rather spend her time sparring and working out in the gym than cracking open a book.

  “No books in this class today, Lennox. You can wipe that frown off your face.” Santi smiled at the girl. The smile transformed her face entirely. She loved Lennox as much as Tessa did.

  “What are you doing here?” Lennox asked, climbing into her seat beside Santi. “Are you teaching here now?”

  “Sometimes when my schedule allows it.”

  “What are you teaching us today?” Hunter asked.

  “Not sure. I think Ms. St. James has a plan. Though I'm not sure how I'm supposed to contribute.”

  “This is more like your counseling sessions with James. We're just going to talk today, and Santi will weigh in with her perspective.”

  “Boring.” Lennox sighed.

  “You think going to a real school would be any more exciting?” Santi asked.

  “Yes. At least at a real school there are more kids and less fighting.”

  “This is a real school,” Tessa said. “And fighting is like recess to you.”

  “At a real school, we'd get to go outside between lessons and then go home to families at the end of the day,” Lennox said sadly.

  “I remember going to a regular school when I was a little kid,” Tessa said. “I learned the important things. Math, reading, science, and history. But I didn't learn anything about being Immortal. That's why I came here when I was eight, and I've been here ever since. I can't imagine training anywhere else.”

  “But most kids train with their parents at home,” Hunter said.r />
  “That's kind of the old fashioned way of doing it. Many families stubbornly stick to old training methods that don't really work anymore. It was fine for our parents and grandparents, but those of us born in this modern world have gifts they don't understand. We desperately needed a place like Soma to teach us. That is why we are all here.”

  Santi made a low disgusted noise and crossed her legs under the table. She sat there with her arms folded across her chest and her mouth a fine line of tension, like she was having trouble holding her tongue.

  “You disagree, Ms. Santiago?”

  “Yes. I trained at home my whole life with my ancient parents and grandparents. I also have a more modern gift they didn't quite understand. But they never stopped trying to help me. And they never stubbornly stuck to the old ways.”

  “And yet, you have come here to train?” Once again, Tessa couldn't understand why someone like Santi, who obviously didn't want to be here, didn't just leave if Soma turned out to be more than she could handle.

  Santi's face clouded with confusion. “I suppose there are … circumstances about my place here that I can't really discuss freely.”

  “The point is, kids, you are in the best place you could possibly be at your age. You will be so much better prepared for your Awakening when that time comes. You'll hit the ground running and make so much more progress than you ever would at home. For some kids who opt to train at home, or are not talented enough to get into Soma, it takes years to make the kind of progress we make in weeks or months here.”

  “That's not entirely true, Tessa,” Santi said.

  “You don't think we can ensure a newly Awakened Immortal can learn to control their gift in a matter of weeks? I've seen it done. Many times.”

  “So have I. At home. You make it sound like training at home would take years to learn to control a gift.”

  “In the majority of cases it does, Santi. Your experiences might be different because you are a very powerful woman, but those without your talent can struggle for years to attain the kind of control we teach our youngest students in weeks.”

  “I would question where you're getting your information,” Santi mumbled.

  “Statistics don't lie.”

  “Made up ones do.”

  “We are getting off track.” Tessa sighed. “The point of our lesson today is to remind you that while life at Soma can be difficult, and our expectations are high, you will receive the absolute best education in the world. And one day, when you've achieved the goals set for you by you instructors, you will walk out of here with so many opportunities you never would have training at home.”

  Santi shot her a glare so cold, it sent a shiver through Tessa's body. She might not believe what Tessa was teaching these kids, but at least she was holding her tongue for the moment.

  “You'll have plenty of time for fun and goofing off a bit later in life. Right now it's important to start thinking about your future. My mother works her fingers to the bone to get by. She's never had the advantages I've had. She never stops working. Imagine holding down two full-time jobs? She teaches school in the mornings and works at a factory on second shift and weekends. And she's done that for more than a hundred years. Rarely takes time off. Never takes a vacation. Her life will always be like that. At least until I make agent, and I'm able to take care of her for a change. That day is coming soon, and we'll both know the separation has been worth it.”

  Santi's face softened. “I can relate. My family has struggled much the same as Tessa's. I just don't think Soma is the only answer to that problem. Taking a child away from their family deprives them of too much.”

  “I beg to differ,” Tessa said. “You have a successful example sitting right in front of you. I miss my mother every day, but she and I are in this together.”

  “When's the last time you actually talked to your mom? The way I see it, you don't know what you've missed by not being with her during the last very important decade of your life.”

  “It's not like I even have a mom,” Lennox said. “But I guess walking out of here with a decent future ahead of me sounds good.”

  “It'll work out for you, kid,” Santi said. “And when you have your own kids some day, you'll be able to teach them all the fancy stuff you've learned here.”

  “We're going to have two kids. A boy and a girl,” Hunter said. “And we'll live at the top floor of Sterling Tower.”

  “You are deluded if you think I'm going to marry anyone,” Lennox said. “And I'm going to live at the beach. I've never seen the ocean, but it looks awesome on TV. A place with sand, sun, and all the fresh air you can handle has to be a fun place to live.”

  “One of these days, Quinn and I will take you there.” Santi tucked a stand of stray hair behind her ear.

  “Can I live with you guys?”

  “And me too?” Hunter said.

  “Let's take it one day at a time, kids,” Tessa said. She didn't want Santi promising them anything she'd never be able to deliver.

  “So from now on, we're going to study hard, practice daily, and always remember you're both just a few short years away from your Awakening. The most important thing you can do for yourself, especially you, Lennox, is to graduate from the Fold with an invitation into Soma's higher education program.”

  “Otherwise, we get sent home, right?” Hunter asked.

  “Unfortunately, not everyone can earn a place at Soma.”

  “What will happen to me if I don't make it to Soma?” Lennox asked.

  “Let's just cross that bridge when we get there.” Tessa couldn't look the girl in the eye. She would likely never make it into Soma, though Tess hoped she could pull it off. Tessa was one of only a few who knew Lennox had recently experienced an early Awakening. If her teachers ever discovered it, she would be expelled from the Fold and have no hope of entering Soma. This world was no place for a girl with no future. But Tessa hoped and prayed Lennox could make it here a few more years. She had no where else to go.

  “Hey.” Santi leaned forward and grabbed Len's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. “I don't want you worrying about that, okay? We will take care of you,” she whispered. “All of us.”

  “Okay, kids!” Tessa clapped her hands. “Ms. Mason is waiting for you in the warehouse. Have fun out there.”

  Lennox and Hunter raced out of the room. Playing in the warehouse was their reward for a good week in class.

  “Are you really so blind you can't see how much those two are missing?” Santi folded her arms across her chest.

  “Sacrifices now will give them a head start later.” Tessa gathered her things. She had an appointment with her physical trainer in the gym and talking to Santi made her nervous. “We live a hard life here, but Hunter's parents want a better life for him and Lennox needs Soma if she's going to have any kind of future at all. You may not agree, but I've seen the good this place can do. In the future, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't undermine my authority in my classroom.”

  “You know it just as well as I do, don't you? You work with Lennox all the time. She loves you.”

  “Know what?”

  “That girl's days here are numbered. It's only a matter of time before they kick her out.”

  “Lennox will rally. She's a tough girl.”

  “She's a thirteen-year-old child with no family and the limitations of an early Awakening. Where do you think she's going to go?”

  “Let's just hope she can fly under the radar for a few more years. She doesn't have much of a chance at succeeding here, but it's the only chance she's got.”

  “Are you even listening to yourself? I thought I was naive when I came here, but you're really a product of your environment.”

  “I feel bad for Lennox. I really do. But filling her head with promises we can't keep isn't going to help her. The best chance she has is to make it here a little longer until she's old enough to take care of herself.” And when the time comes, I'm going to help her. Tess refused to leave the k
id with nothing. She fully intended to send Lennox to her mother in the event she was expelled. But Tessa couldn't help but think Santi had a point. Her perspective on Soma had Tessa questioning things she'd always accepted as fact. Santi grew up with a powerful family around her. They trained her well, despite their limitations and traditional ways. But they clearly loved her. Whatever Santi came looking for from Soma, she hadn't found it. Tessa just wondered what was keeping her here.

  “I feel sorry for you.” Santi shook her head. “But I have a mountain to climb.”

  ~~~

  CHAPTER

  FIVE

  "Do you trust me?" James asked.

  Tessa nearly jumped out of her skin when she closed her apartment door behind her.

  "You scared the shit out of me! What are you doing here? How are you even get in? I locked it."

  "I got Eric to let me in. He has a major crush on me."

  "So why not go out with him instead of breaking into my house?"

  “I have other things I'm dealing with at the moment.”

  “I haven't seen you much the last few weeks.” She took a seat beside him on the sofa. He didn't look so good. “Is everything okay?”

  “Stressful times. The last Amrita didn't go too well for me. Recruits were low, so I'm off the circuit 'til next year.”

  “I wish I could get off the circuit,” she muttered.

  “And what would you do for money?”

  “Good point. I wish I could offer you a loan, but money is tight for me right now with all my extra training.”

  “I'll be okay. That's not why I'm here. Do you trust me?"

  "You know I do."

  "Enough to help me break all the rules … ever?”