Free Sovereign (Sovereign Series) by E.R. Arroyo

feel myself blushing.  “I told him you were holding back.”
    “And
as it turns out you were,” Nathan’s voice chimes.  He stands behind me, and I
whirl in my seat to face him.  He seats himself beside me and I feel infinitely
uncomfortable.  “Here she is.  The woman who makes running a marathon look
easy.”  He called me a woman and I’m not sure how I feel about that. 
I’m just a girl.  A silly girl with grand ideas about freedom. 
    I
take a bite of bread.  I have no idea if he expects me to respond, but I have
nothing to say.  Bide your time , I think. 
    Nathan
clears his throat.  “Well done, soldier.”  He claps me on the back, then he’s
gone, just as fast as he arrived.  I don’t look up until he’s left the room,
and when I do, about half the eyes in the room are on me.  Hate it, hate it. 
Hate this attention. 
    Sean’s
eyes are burning into me most of all.  He’s using the only energy left in his
body toward hating me.  I didn’t humiliate him today.  Nathan did.  I excuse
myself early and storm to my room on the first floor, only to realize I don’t
have access without 587.  I slump to the floor to wait, wondering when I’ll
have my own clearance.  I wonder if they’ll put a chip in my neck and scan my
fingerprint.  Are they really dumb enough to trust me with those things?  I’m
sure they can limit my accessibility to certain things, though. 
    I
look toward the footsteps approaching me, expecting Marsiana.  But suddenly I’m
twelve again, and I’m alone in a dark space with two boys who hate me.

Chapter
Five

    Sean
and Billy stand over me while I scramble to my feet.  Before I can speak, a
fist slams into my stomach.  Billy’s punch is a hundred times harder than it
was five years ago. 
    I
double over, not willing to accept that this is happening again.  I can’t fight
them, I can’t give Nathan a reason to punish me.  I’m done breaking the law. 
    A
knee strikes my ribcage.  I think that one came from Sean, but I’m not sure. 
He should be passing out from dehydration, not beating me up. 
    Sweaty
hands grab my neck and I cringe away from them, swinging my leg straight out
and making contact with something, but I can’t see what.  From the corner of my
eye I see a security camera, and know that I shouldn’t fight back.  But I have
to do something.  I block the next fist that comes at me, even though I’m still
crouching.
    When
a body moves toward me, I aim for the crotch, but he dodges.  Billy I think.
    They
both grab my shoulders and slam me into the wall.  I struggle against them, but
they’re strong together.  Sean wraps his hand around my throat and his eyes are
insane with animosity.  “You think you can humiliate me in front of my
superiors and then play some sympathy game?” 
    “No,”
I choke out, though I can barely breathe. 
    “I
do just fine on my own, 1206.  I don’t need your help.  Don’t even speak to
me.”
    “Fine,”
I cough. 
    He
lets me go and looks around to make sure we’re still alone.  “Funny.  Five
years ago you had more fight in you than you do now.  Finally wising up, eh?”
    “I
beat you then, I could beat you again if I wanted to,” I remind him.
    And
then his fist strikes my face, and the back of my head crashes into the
concrete wall.  I feel a trail of warmth move down my scalp and onto my neck. 
I grit my teeth and keep both hands against the wall as the two of them retreat
to their room on the same hall.  Their doors are wide open, not locked like
mine.  I’m assuming the reason is gender.  I wonder if 587 demanded the lock
because she felt threatened or if it was someone else’s idea. 
    Moments
later, the hall is full of men filing into their dormitories for the night. 
Some prematurely undress for their showers, either oblivious to me or just not
caring that I’m there.  I avert my gaze to the floor, trying to ignore the
intense pain around my eye and