Read Online Empower by Jessica Shirvington - Free Book Online Page B

look at me questioningly as I led them around the back of one of the Academy buildings.
    When we reached a small door that could only be opened from the inside, I knocked.
    It was unlocked immediately, light beaming out brightly as it opened.
    ‘Bloody hell,’ Gray mumbled behind me.
    ‘And I’m sothrilled to see you brought your friends, Violet,’ Josephine said, lips pursed as she held the door open. ‘I hope you understand that
he
,’ she lifted her chin in Onyx’s direction, ‘is very much unwelcome within these walls. We do still have
some
standards.’
    Onyx snorted. ‘There is a saying that I do look forward to sharing with you one day soon,’ he taunted.
    I sighed, knowing it was a runaway train.
    Josephine, of course, boarded. ‘And I’m dying to know,’ she said sardonically.
    Onyx tapped his fingers lightly against his temple as if deep in thought as he glanced between Josephine and me. ‘I believe it goes something like: “The Queen is dead. Long live the Queen.”’
    Hell.
    I really did not need to start things off this way.
    Josephine plastered a cruel smirk on her face. ‘Well, I can imagine that thoughts of death do consume much of your time, Onyx. Is that a grey hair I spot?’
    ‘Seriously?’ Gray intervened. ‘Did we just step onto the playground?’
    I turned to Onyx. ‘We’ll meet you later on,’ I told him, leaving no room for discussion. Then I looked back at Josephine. ‘It’s midnight and we’ve had a long day, Josephine. Gray comes with me or I don’t come in, and we both know you wouldn’t be standing at this door if you didn’t want me here.’
    Her eyes narrowed briefly but she opened the door fully and stood aside. ‘I see time hasn’t improved your manners,’ she muttered. ‘He can join you, as long as he can behave and show some civility.’
    Gray ignoredJosephine and nudged me. ‘You’re gonna owe me on the epic after this.’
    I had a feeling he was right.
    After Onyx stalked off, Josephine led us along a number of corridors before taking us in a coded lift up to the top floor of ‘Command’ building – into the heart of Academy territory.
    She ushered us into a vacant meeting room and took her position at the head of a large oval table. The room was sparsely furnished, the ebony table, surrounded by a dozen boardroom-style chairs, taking up the majority of the space. The door and three of the walls were painted linen white, while the other wall was made entirely of glass and frosted white in typical Academy fashion. Gray and I took seats opposite one another.
    Josephine looked exactly the same as I remembered. Her brown hair with strong auburn streaks was pulled back in a severe manner and she wore a deep purple pencil skirt and black fitted shirt. Her heels were off-the-charts high and she wore them with the ease of someone slopping around in slippers – though, of course, nothing about Josephine was sloppy. She was as immaculate and as cold-looking as ever as she settled her aqua-blue eyes on me.
    ‘What do you know?’ she started.
    Okay, so clearly we’re not bothering with niceties.
    ‘Spence is missing. Chloe is in a coma but the one time she did come around she asked for me. And some people
mistakenly
think it’s possible Spence has been corrupted.’
    Josephine nodded. ‘And while I’m sure that is not all of it, it’s a good enough place to start, I suppose. And what is your intention from this point? You must realise that this is an Academy issue. Any decisions on how to proceed will be made through the Assembly.’
    In otherwords – through her.
    But this was where my status as a Rogue helped.
    I leaned back in my chair casually, all but putting my feet up on the perfectly polished table. ‘Well, we are going to have to discuss that. You see, I’m not Academy and I do not answer to the Assembly. But we both know you want me here, for whatever reason that may be.’
    Josephine’s mouth twitched. ‘What are you proposing?’
    ‘Why