House of Cards Read Free

now, every night her hair grew about an inch longer. Rae knew how to stop the rapid growth when it reached the length she wanted. She planned to go back to its original long length.
    “Rae? Are you listening?”
    She blinked and stared at Julian. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
    He shot his eyes in the direction to her right. “Carter’s coming.”
    “What?” She straightened and realized the room still remained quiet, but everyone was now watch ing the man walking toward her. Does everyone here know he’s the president of the Privy Council?
    “Rae, follow me.” Carter nodded. His face revealed nothing, but the sharpness in his voice startled her.
    She glanced at Julian who shrugged in surprise. She had no choice but to follow the tall man across the gym to the blue doors on the other side. The butterflies returned and it seemed to take forever before she finally stepped through the door Carter held open for her.
    The bright hallway contained a long row of doors on each side with a fire exit at the end.
    “This hall doesn’t lead back to Guilder does it?” she joked nervously. Then annoyed at herself for feeling as she did, she forced the anxiety out of her system. The Privy Council had asked her to work for them, not the other way around. She had agreed to the job in order to find answers and today was the perfect time to start.
    “The underground passageways are not connected to the training facility. This building is newer, originally built in the sixties and then revamped several times.” He must have sensed the change in her attitude and stuck his hands into his pockets. “I wonder if a tunnel dug here and connected would save students some time – the ones working here and trying to get to class.”
    Rae walked beside him down the hall, noticing windows in some rooms, others with lo ud noises, both mechanical and human, coming from them. “Why keep the Privy Council’s building locations a secret from students at Guilder?”
    “Fair question. I used to ask it myself when I first started.” He paused at a door with a window and frowned at the vacant inside. He glanced down the hall and sighed before opening the door and stepping in. “It’s safer for the students, and for us. It also holds an allure about keeping it hidden.” He wouldn’t say more.
    He sat down at the oval table so his chair faced the window and door. He pointed to the chair closest to Rae. She pulled it out and sat down with her back to the door.
    Carter sat silent, watching her and glancing to the window and door behind. He tapped a thumb impatiently against the table top. After a few moments, it grated on Rae’s nerves.
    “Who are we waiting for?” Rae hoped it was Devon. Carter seemed to like the two of them working together. Maybe he would be her Botcher-instructor-thingy.
    Carter opened his mouth, about to answer, but stood instead and walked over to the door. He opened it.
    Rae turned in her chair, expecting to see Devon. Instead a tall, lean, beautiful woman dressed in tight, black leather pants stood in the doorway. Her long, brown hair, pulled tight in a ponytail, swung as she strode into the room. She stopped short when she saw Rae.
    “You have got to be kidding!” she exclaimed to no one in particular.
    Carter cleared his throat. “Jennifer, I’d like you to meet Rae. Rae, this is Jennifer.”
    Rae stared at the woman. She didn’t mean to, but it was hard not to. The woman held a power that could still an entire room with one hip swing. The tight clothes showed off muscle and strength Rae could only dream to having. What’s her tatù?
    Jennifer crossed her arms over her perfect chest. “Stand up.”
    Rae rose from her chair and pulled her shirt straight. She suddenly wished she had worn the Lululemon outfit Molly had bought for her to train in instead of her comfy grey jogging pants and old Converse t-shirt. She stood awkwardly beside her chair.
    Jennifer looked her up and down, glanced at Carter and then