The Gender Game Bella Forrest (best young adult book series TXT) 📖

more about the mission, more about the risks and the dangers that I was about to be thrust into, but if he told me everything that was on his mind now, I doubted I'd get a wink of sleep, and I needed to be fresh for the day ahead.

Deciding not to press, I glanced back down at the profiles. "Are you on speaking terms with these men?"

"Yes," Lee said. "Though I try to stay under their radar as much as possible, in case you haven't gleaned that yourself by now."

"Have you ever met King Maxen?"

He nodded darkly. "Yes, a few times. I've been summoned to visit him before along with other members of the board."

"What's he like?"

Lee grimaced. "He's everything that you've read about in the papers. Ruthless and fiercely intelligent, with a demeanor personable enough to influence people and get things done. A deadly combination."

We lapsed into another stretch of silence as I gazed through an open window and down at the mountain.

Samuel let out a snore. He had fallen asleep with his head still on my lap.

"Maybe that's our cue." Lee chuckled.

I slipped myself out from beneath the dog, lowering his head to the carpeted floor against his paws before heading out of the sitting room with Lee.

So far, Lee had given me no reason to feel uncomfortable around him or think that our relationship would be anything but businesslike and perfunctory, the same as if he'd been a woman. In fact, his personality struck me as rather flat and bland (something that was not uncommon among Matrian males).

But even in spite of the ease I'd come to feel around him, my heart couldn't help but quicken as we climbed the staircase to the next floor.

He's going to give me my own bedroom, right?

Thankfully, as we arrived on a landing, he took a right turn and led me to what was clearly a guest bedroom, containing a single bed. The view from here was prettier than downstairs. I even spied a stream flowing near the road that I hadn't noticed before.

"There's a single outfit for you to wear tomorrow in the cupboard, along with a night dress and underwear," Lee told me, pointing to a mahogany chest of drawers in one corner of the room. "Hopefully they'll fit. Tomorrow, we'll equip you properly."

“All right."

"Well, I'm heading to bed," Lee said, backing out of the room. "See you in a few hours."

After we bade each other good night, he closed the door behind him. I moved to it instinctively, searching the back of it for a lock. There wasn't one.

Although I felt almost guilty for it, I found myself dragging a chair to the door and barricading it… taking a page out of Josefine's book.

10

I woke up to the sound of drilling drifting up from somewhere beneath me. I was in a daze as my eyes shot open and I took in my strange surroundings. Then I remembered. I'm in Patrus.

My head ached dully as I headed to the bathroom. I'd eaten too much last night and I felt dehydrated. I drank from the cold water tap before washing and looking at my outfit, which turned out to be a modest blue dress that stopped just below my knees, and a light gray woolen cardigan. I rarely wore dresses even before I was incarcerated, but this one wasn't too bad. The bra was too large, however. I strapped it on anyway before pulling on the dress and buttoning up the cardigan. Lee had also helpfully provided me with a watch, made of silver like his.

I padded out of the room and into the corridor, which was almost blindingly bright. Sun streamed in through a skylight in the ceiling, warming my skin.

Amidst the drilling, I heard the clinking of cutlery and I headed down to the kitchen to find Lee already dressed. He sat at the table looking clean-shaven and bright-faced, in front of a bowl of what looked like oatmeal. He wore a smart gray suit, his black hair combed neatly back.

"Hi, how did you sleep?" he asked.

"Pretty well, thanks."

"Good. I was going to come and wake you up in ten minutes. You should eat some breakfast." He gestured to the stove, where a pot of warm oatmeal sat. On the counter next to it were a bowl of deep pink berries and a jar of honey. I helped myself and took a seat opposite Lee at the table. The berries were the sweetest, most succulent I had ever tasted, and the milk was creamy and rich. Much better than my usual breakfast.

Lee was watching me as I finished, his expression thoughtful. "I suppose I've been in Patrus too long to appreciate the food like you do. I've forgotten how good it tastes compared to Matrus."

Although much of Matrus' fresh produce was imported from Patrus, they gave us the worst of their harvest, always keeping the best for themselves. Not that I could blame them. Matrus would do the same if they were in Patrus' position.

"Where's that noise coming from?" I asked as the drilling continued.

"I have someone down in the garage fixing my third motorcycle," he said. "Hope it didn't disturb you."

"Not really."

I found it funny that he had three motorcycles when there was only one of him. It wasn't like I'd be able to ride it; Samuel would sooner be granted permission than me.

I finished my breakfast and noting that I was done, Lee straightened before speaking. "Right," he said, glancing at his watch. "It's time for us to head off. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

"Okay, wait here. I'll be down in a minute."

I roamed the kitchen as he left and stopped at a window that was slightly open. Even though I was feeling nervous about the day ahead, the beauty of the landscape lifted my spirits a little. The luscious greenery. The fresh air, fragrant with morning dew and the scent of pinewood. The swallows, chirping and soaring over the treetops.

I supposed I