Free United (The Guardians Book 2) by Jessica Roe Page A

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?”
    Her automatic reaction was to snort, but it was lost in Gustavo's outraged protests. He slammed his fist down on the table with a roar. “A ridiculous idea from an utterly ridiculous child! What Vàclav was thinking when he chose you as his successor remains a mystery to me!”
    Well now Gable wanted to be a Guardian, if only to spite Gustavo for being a total dick.
    “You spit upon the sanctity of the Guardians,” Esha hissed. “To bring in this. . . traitor as one of our own.”
    Dorian ignored them like he hadn't heard a word they'd said. “Well? Have you?”
    She still couldn't quite tell if he was being serious. Why had things suddenly taken such an odd turn? Why was all the focus on her? “God, no.”
    “And rightly so.” Gustavo shook his head. “No Guardian team in all the world would take her on.”
    And then, surprising them all, Charles cleared his throat and said, “Actually, I would.” When they turned to stare at him in shock, Zay and Nicky included, he only straightened his shoulders in resolve instead of backing down. “In our brief acquaintance Gable has already proven herself to be highly knowledgeable and far more skilled in combat than many a Guardian I've worked with in my time. Say what you will about her old employer, but he trained her to an exceptional standard. It might serve us well to have that to our advantage.”
    Gable watched Charles in disbelief but he didn't once glance her way. The guy had certainly changed his tune about her, that was for sure.
    Dorian nodded at Charles in appreciation. “It is her past with Pablo and her insight to the darker aspects of the Outcast world that I think we will find highly valuable. She certainly has a unique perspective. Already we've learned more from her about vampires than we ever knew. She knows things that we simply do not. Yes, she has many assets.” He cocked his head as he watched her, the smolder back in full force. “Many, many assets.”
    Talon rolled his eyes. “If you