Charlie~~
If Nora's a Class One like I already suspect she is, Dad will slowly destroy her. Not all at once. He will take his time. He won't even intend to destroy her. It will happen in the process of studying her. I don't know how he will do it exactly. The specifics, I mean. He has options. One way or the other, she will end up dead.
Stefan turns away from the glass window as Marcella exits the room on the other side. "What were your thoughts?" He's referring to Nora.
Tightlipped, I sink into the chair behind me, eyeing my brother. Even this close together, it's hard to tell we're related, unless you stare long enough. We both got Dad's nose, the shape of his mouth, but where I'm just tall, Stefan is built out with muscle and still has a few inches on me. My white skin is pale enough that Dad's newer employees have made comments that it looks like I've never been outside, and they're right. Stefan's skin is a light brown, and he got his mom's eyes. I got Dad's.
"Charlie," Stefan's voice is a warning.
"I prefer to save my initial thoughts for Dad. I'll be happy to fill you in later. But surely you didn't come all the way into the dream just to watch Nora as Marcella oriented her?"
He tucks his hands into the pockets of his dress pants. "I have a meeting with Sabine." The one sister that makes up the quadruplets. The other two members are Hewn and Amant. Sabine runs the facility in the north, and Hewn and Amant the western and southern respectively. Dad's grooming Stefan for the eastern facility we're both currently asleep in. It's our main one.
Dad appears between me and Stefan, with no warning given. Not that there is a way to tell when someone is about to awaken in the dream, but he could have at least shot us a text—or an email at the very least. He takes a step back so that he can see both of us. Now he is who I would have expected to be here for Nora's orientation. "Well?"
I force my eyes to not flick to Stefan, not wanting to see his smug expression at being privy to this conversation. "She isn't one."
Dad arches an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, but she's not."
"Her father is the most powerful Lucid I've ever met."
"Being Lucid isn't genetic."
"We don't know that. Your mother could have been one."
I sneer—a moment of forgetfulness that it's not just me and Dad present. "I guess we'll never know." My tone is tight even as I attempt to get a handle on my facial expressions.
A muscle twitches in his neck. "Keep an eye on her. And next time I ask you about her, don't lie."
I sink deeper into my seat. "Why weren't you here for this?"
"I had things to finish up with Hewn." With a nod to Stefan, Dad leaves, my brother following him out the door.
Alone, I'm left facing the chairs Nora and the girl Radia occupied. I shouldn't have lied. He saw right through it.
I haven't lied for any of the others. Nora shouldn't be different. It's not like she's looking out for me. I have no obligation to her. Obeying Dad is my responsibility. He's my boss. And whether I want the job or not, Nora is now my assignment.
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