Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
His nostrils flare giving away his own agitation. “Of course.” But before we head through the door, he turns to my breeder. “Jamie, I no longer have the authority to tell you what to do but I hope you change your mind about giving your family a proper goodbye, not only for them but for your sake as well. I hope you don’t leave here with any regrets.”
Magnus then glances over his shoulder at me. “Follow me.”
Once the door closes behind us, I don’t wait for him to take a seat behind his desk before I relay my frustrations.
“I believed we had built a mutual respect for one another at the summit, but you clearly take me for a fool. First you attempt to deceive me about what’s in my breeder’s file and now you’re disregarding my wishes to take her and leave, as is my right? I have my own sector to take care of and I don’t wish to challenge you but you will have one if you continue to disrespect me.”
Magnus’ green eyes flash to amber as if he intends to shift but they swiftly switch back. With a heavy sigh, he rakes his fingers through his long red hair. “It was not my intention to deceive you, besides, you have access to the same files that I do.”
I cock my head to the side. “Then why was her picture blurred in the Registry. Only those with a high enough clearance can rearrange the photos in a personal file.”
“You’ve got me there. I did have her photo tweaked a bit when I had her reassigned to the manor but that was before she became your breeder. As I’m sure you’re already aware, because she already had the initial classification as companion when she entered the Registry, any of the other Sector Leaders could have pulled up her file if they were in search of new companions and reassigned her to their district.”
His reasoning made sense. I noticed when she’d received her new designation it listed her as helper. Under the intersectoral laws, any Sector Leader could claim any companion if they weren’t already assigned to another Sector Leader or a high ranking official. Most companions were chosen based on their appearances. A blurry picture would have discouraged anyone claiming her. Magnus probably didn’t count on Jameshia being matched with me through the cross-breeding program.
I slowly nod. “I understand your reasoning. However, surely you know that now she now falls under my jurisdiction, there are laws that I must adhere to now that her file has been flagged. What did you plan to accomplish if I gave you the five weeks you initially asked for? Do you realize in that time, the victims’ family could have petitioned me directly to see that her sentence was carried out? There are no trials for homo sapien murderers in my sector.”
“There are trials for them in my sector.”
At this point, I feel this conversation is going nowhere. “Again, she would fall under my sector’s rules. Your trial would be meaningless.”
“Perhaps, but I was hoping to find a way to remove that designation from her file. I wanted to get to the bottom of the incident. As I explained in the summit, I’ve had to weed out a lot of corruption in some of my regions. The region that Jamie had been previously assigned to was rife with it.”
“So why didn’t you arrange a trial for her when she was initially assigned to this manor?” I ask.
“By the time, I noticed that designation, it was too late. She’d already been marked as your breeder. I was hoping if I had the time to gather enough evidence in her defense you could remove that flag from her file. I’m fully aware that there’s nothing stopping you from having her executed once she’s provided you an heir.”
I blink.
All my life people have made assumptions about me based on my background and have questioned my intelligence, my ability to lead, and even my humanity. But hearing how little Sector Leader Magnus, someone who I’d thought highly of, really thinks of me, I shouldn’t be surprised.
I saw no further need to continue this conversation.
“I will be taking my breeder and leaving now.”
I head to the door without a backward glance.
“Wait! I didn’t mean—”
“We both know what you meant.” I cut him off as I open the door.
I’m surprised to see my breeder still waiting by the door. I’m again hit by her scent. It takes a considerable amount of willpower to ignore it.
My gaze rakes over her slender frame and notice she doesn’t have anything in her hands.
“Did you not wish to take any of your belongings with you?”
She shakes her head. “There’s nothing here that belongs to me.” My breeder still won’t look me in the eyes but I require nothing but her obedience.