“I'm going,” Gable declared, speaking up for the first time. It
wasn't like her to be so quiet, but the amount of power in the room
was kind of overwhelming.
Gustavo, the South American Elder, glared fiercely at her, like he
couldn't believe her audacity. “I think not. You are neither a
Guardian nor an Outcast, which means you are of absolutely no
importance here. Not to mention your recent association with Pablo
Nunez, the very reason we need to rescue these Outcasts in the first
place. I'm not even sure what you are doing here at this meeting.”
A couple of the other Elders nodded in agreement, though none of them
seemed to feel strongly enough about it to speak up.
“You guys aren't my bosses,” she pointed out, refusing to
get riled up. “You can't stop me from going. If I don't go with the
team I'll just go on my own. I got mad skills, you may as well use
me.”
“Ridiculous.” Esha turned up her pretty nose in disapproval. She
was outwardly stoic – the only sign that Gable's being there
angered her was the rosy tint to her dark caramel skin. “You are
untrustworthy. And a civilian,” she spat, like it was a
dirty word.
Talon, though he didn't seem as opposed to the idea of Gable's
general existence as some of the others, grimaced sympathetically.
“Esha is right, love. We can send our Guardians, and we can even
recruit willing Outcasts, but we could never allow a civilian to
endanger themselves that way.”
“Now wait just a moment.” Dorian held up a slender, long fingered
hand. Up until that moment he had seemed rather easy going, happy to
watch his fellow Elders take the lead. “I like her. She has. .
.fire. I think you of all people, Ralf, would appreciate
that.”
“The girl?” Gustavo demanded.
“I have a name,” she muttered, and Dorian grinned.
“Yes, I like her. And I like the idea of her. A pretty
little high school princess turned street urchin, turned villain,
turned. . .hero. We should take a minute to at least think about this
instead of dismissing her immediately.” Gable was suddenly grateful
for every moment of attention he'd given her during the meeting. He
stared at her long and hard, the corner of his lips turned up in an
ever present smirk. “Tell me, Gabrielle, have you ever considered
training as a Guardian?”
