Chapter 86

                                    

                                          
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Jess threw herself into her bed, rolling down her purple pajamas to hide the bruises on her leg. During training, the weight of being the next Order permeated her thoughts and she slipped, hitting her leg hard on one of the obstacles for their parkour run. Her leg had started bleeding but she continued on to hide her wound and gritted her teeth to lessen the pain as she landed on her feet.
                          
Now, across her calf, was a large, bumpy scar that she felt the urge to pick. Trying not to give in, she put pressure against her leg with a pillow, pushing her mind to something else.
                          
Lukas had noticed the change in her pace. Typical Lukas, worried about her. He asked if she needed anything and she politely refused, but Jess believed he knew.
                          
Pushing that to the side as well, she thought about her session today. Lukas was surprisingly quick, learning everything in minutes with intentness. He pushed her limits when they had to box against each other - since he was more muscular than her, it took a lot of energy to dodge or parry.
                          
Isa had asked him what he thought about joining this new Order when she thought they were alone. Jess had been standing on the other side of the door, shamelessly listening in while she was resting, hearing him say, "It sounds like something every kid aspires to be in. Heroes of the world. What did Jess and her brother say? Did they even have a say in this?"
                          
"They didn't," Isa had said. "But that was because they didn't know I wanted to do something like that. I wasn't going to push for them to be in the Order if they didn't want to, but they agreed to training which I did want for them. They're just as much my family as they are your friends, Lukas. I don't want them to be hurt by anything I do."
                          
"... What are we going to do as the new Order?"
                          
"Protect, of course. But behind the scenes. No one has to know who you are. No one will know a new Order even exists."
                          
"What about the old Order?"
                          
"I've talked with them about this already. They've agreed that you lot are perfect and have decided to disband and retire."
                          
"But if they disband, we won't have the role models to look up to anymore. The country won't have them. And they won't know about our existence if we're behind the scenes. Why haven't you told the Jesses about this yet?"
                          
"Because they're leaders. They have the capability. If I tell them about this, they're going to accept the job whether they're ready or not - you should know, you followed them for a bit during the Witherstorm. I want them to be physically and mentally stronger before making their decision. They're... still kids, just like you. Even if you are all almost young adults, you're making a huge commitment. It's true, I'm biased towards them since they are my family, but the same goes for you and others who will join. This is no small task and I don't need children. I need adults. Adults who know their own capabilities and weaknesses. The only reason I tell you now and not them is because you seem like someone who can keep a secret. Jess was really worried about you, you know. Please don't let her down and take care of her as she would for you."
                          
Jess was still trying to recover from her sparring with Lukas, taking in deep breaths when she came back after their conversation was over, but she noticed that Lukas seemed to have a different aura as they practiced the second time around. He still hit deadly hard as he had been doing, but his eyes were focused and deadset on her. Before, he was unsure, eyes wavering and soft, but now, he had nothing to hold back. Had his conversation with Isa changed something?