When Nathaniel had warned me to expect a long day ahead, naturally I assumed he meant some sort of training. I had even chosen the comfiest pair of pants I had brought, expecting to spend the day in the woods learning to defend myself against the duhovi. Ubel had certainly made it seem like I wouldn't get much time to adapt to the Burkard's responsibilities.

      Neither Nathaniel nor Aadya seemed like the type to waste time. I grew a little suspicious when I walked downstairs and found Nathaniel in regular clothes. He wore beige cargo pants and plain white shirt; not what I would associate with training clothes. Although I'm sure he could fight in anything.

      Per his usual, he didn't bother with verbal greetings. He looked me up and down, and then nodded towards the front door. I followed him silently.

      Outside, he urged me towards the truck.

      "Where are we going?" I asked. Did they have a training facility? I couldn't imagine that Ubel would allow them very much funding for a proper facility.

     "I'm bringing you home for a few hours."

      "My home?" I perked up immediately. That sure beat training to be a Burkhard. I doubted the day would make a difference either way. It would take years of training to transform me into anything other than hopeless.

      Nathaniel nodded. "We don't know what Ubel's plan for you will entail or how long it will take. You'll need to pack more stuff."

      Oof. Instant mood killer. It appeared that I was saved from training to be a Burkhard, because I had to live with them first. I had suspected this might happen. It seemed like the next logical step to take that would ruin my life.

      "Say I miraculously survive what Ubel has planned, I'm still going to have to live with you and Aadya, aren't I?"

      His silence was the only answer I needed. I groaned.

      "What about my life? My family and friends? School? I just have to give everything up?"

     "Summer break is only a few weeks away," he said. "We can get you a doctor's note for the rest of this school year, but when this all settled, you'll be able to go back. You'll definitely have to miss some days, but you'll have some of your old life back. You would only have to live with us part time; just enough to show that you're maintaining your duties."

      I guess that didn't sound so bad. "When this is all settled... you actually believe this will work out for me?"

      "It has to— I'll make sure it does... There's a lot more than just your life at stake."

     He stared straight ahead at the road, as though trying to appear unbothered. The tightening hands on the steering wheel said otherwise. He had just as much to lose as I did. He could lose everything; the last of his family. And with Aadya gone, he would only become a greater target. I was the potential domino that would lead to the Burkard's fall.

      "I'm sorry that your life sucks too, and I'm sorry for making it even worse."

      I blinked as fast as it happened, but I swear his lips twitched upwards. An almost smile.

      "Do you ever wish that your life would go back to normal?" I asked. I wondered if smiling would come more naturally if he had had a normal childhood.

     "This is the only life I've known."

      I grunted. The only life he's ever known... "I'm emotionally unstable right now, I might cry if you say anything to make this more depressing." While not growing up in the Legion was proving to be one of the main reasons I was in such trouble, I couldn't help but be grateful that I had a normal childhood.

      Nathaniel looked at me over his shoulder. He blinked slowly but didn't say anything more. He likely genuinely feared my tears.

     Although I knew his answers were unlikely to be uplifting, I continued to question him.

     "When did you officially quit school?"

     "Do you have something against silence?" he questioned in turn.

     "If you spent a second in my mind you would understand."

     That almost smile came alive once more. "I switched to homeschooling, last year. My attendance was awful for a long time, but I was managing until the duhovi started rising. I can't afford to be distracted anymore."

     Once again, the Legion comes before all. Did Nathanial and Aadya understand how much they were shouldering? They unconsciously held the weight of the Legion on their shoulders and received next to nothing in return.

      "Do you think you'll go back when things settle down?" Look at me giving optimism a go. Delusion was probably a more fitting word.

      There was no hesitation as he shook his head. "Aadya is a great teacher. Plus, I never really fit in with my class. There's nothing to miss."

      Maybe silence was indeed better for once.

     As though taking advantage of my short silence, Nathaniel cranked the radio's volume, essentially silencing any more questions that could further dampen my mood.

     I practically jumped out of the truck before Nathaniel placed it in park. The longest I had ever been away from home was the occasional one to two-day sleepover.

      The front door swung open before I could reach for the handle. I let my dad pull me into his arms and them my mom, resisting the urge to cry. Nothing better than the safety of your parents' arms after waking from a nightmare... except I had woken up yet.

      I followed them inside and hesitated before shutting the door. In the haste of my excitement, I almost forgot how I had arrived. Where was Nathaniel? I turned around to find him where I left him. He was sitting awkwardly in the truck, pretending to not notice me looking back. He was an awful actor. It was evident that he spent more time alone than socializing.

     I tried to wave him inside, but he continued to ignore me. He rubbed at something on the steering wheel; probably wondering where the new finger sized dents came from.

      I sauntered back to the truck and knocked on his window. His lips parted in a sure sigh as he rolled the window down.

      "Yes?" he acknowledged.

     "Are we in a rush?" I asked.

      "No, we've got all day. We've only got one more stop before we head back tonight, and it should only take a few minutes."

      "Are you planning on staying in the truck all day?"

      He looked at me like the answer was obvious, as though any other option was completely absurd.

      "Come inside," I tell him. "It's almost lunch time."

     "I'm fine, right here."

      I huffed. "You're going to sit in the blaring heat all day and stare at my front door like a watchdog?"

      I forgot that sarcasm didn't work on him. He blinked at me again like he didn't see an issue with the situation. I opened his door and took the keys from the fob.

      "You're making this weird," I complained. "My parents are going to suspect something's off."

      He looked at me and then at the front door and back at me again. He studied me silently and sighed his defeat as he unclipped his seatbelt. "This is far from how I expected to spend a Saturday."

      I raised my brows. When most people are age spoke those same words, it was in reference to a party. I had no doubt that that was far from what he implied.

      "How would you have spent your day instead?" I challenged. "On research?"

      He trailed behind me as he spoke, still tentative to come inside. "I take a few hours to visit some friends."

      "Oh... that's actually normal."

      "One of them lives in our asylum. The other is buried in his backyard, but I do quite get along with his brothers."

       I stopped in the doorway and faced him. "You say the most devastating things in the most casual tone... Does the Legion have a therapist?"

      "Of course."

       A group that sentenced people to death or torture for the mere reason of being deemed untrustworthy. How wrong of me to think they might not be considerate enough to allow someone to openly express their feelings?

      "Have you ever used their services?"

       "There isn't much I could say that wouldn't somehow be used against me."

      Ah, there it was. Ubel probably had the therapists wrapped around his little finger, too; taking advantage a person's vulnerability to gain more information.

      I took a deep breath. "You know what? No more Legion talk. We are going to have a normal day, just hanging out with my family."

      "And sharing some version of the truth so they understand why you'll be away."

      I sighed. "We'll have as normal of a day as possible."

       Nathaniel by my side, I shut the door and kicked my shoes off. Time to lie to my parents.