I want to get a medusa tattoo on my right arm. I'm not sure why, but when I passed by the pit, I saw the design of one, and here I am, sitting in Raphael's design room.

I didn't know who else to turn to for the tattoo, and even though there's no resentment between us, I feel bad for not continuing the friendship we had. I hope he doesn't feel used.

The curtain opened, and Raphael entered with a cup in his hand. When he saw me, he frowned.

"Interesting." he murmured, entering completely and closing the curtain behind him. "How did you get in?" he asked.

"Did I have to ask for permission?" I asked, frowning playfully. "No one stopped me." I shrugged.

"I don't think anyone is stupid enough to do so."he sighed, sitting in his chair and taking a sip of his drink. "What brings about your unexpected visit? Why has Grace descended among mortals?"

"Can't I visit you? Four told me you missed me." I excused.

"That was two weeks ago." he rolled his eyes. "Just tell me what tattoo you want."

This time, I rolled my eyes. "I want a medusa. I'm leaving the design up to your judgment and imagination." I smiled without showing my teeth.

He sighed, nodded, and took out his tablet. The glow illuminated his face as he began to draw with an electronic pencil.

"Color?" he asked.

"Nope." I grimaced.

He continued drawing, making light and disorderly strokes as the shape slowly emerged. I was starting to get impatient. I didn't like his attitude, and if I didn't sometimes like him, I would have left.

"I'll take some time. Tell me something to pass the time. How's training going with Zeke's little brother?" he asked, looking up quickly.

"He's the first one. He's good, but Lynn might outdo him. But overall, they're very nice, and I get along with them very well." I replied.

"And who will you recommend for the leadership position?" he asked with a disguised smile. "I guess you'll make the decision."

"Actually, no. I'll suggest to Eric who's good, but he'll make the final decision, and they have to finish in first place." I sighed. "By the way, how was your year? How many divergents did you find in the aptitude tests, and how many are in Dauntless?" I teased with a smile.

He looked up with a smile. "This time, I gave my position to Tori. She took care of the selections."

"How many divergents in Dauntless?"

"Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. Despite your nature, it's evident that you're already part of them." he muttered.

"What are you talking about?" I frowned.

"They are people. You'll be safe because you blend in, but they are vulnerable. Let them progress just as Four and I let you progress." he said.

"Why do you think I'm a monster?" I scoffed.

It seemed like the conversation was about to take a bad turn. His certainty in labeling me bothered me, especially since I wasn't sure about my position in this role and how I would react to the other divergents. But he seemed convinced that I was the worst person in the world.

He sighed, closing his eyes. "I'm upset, that's all. You're not a monster, it's just that your absence makes me think you've changed and you're with them." he said, looking up at me.

"There are no sides, Raphael." I grimaced.

He chuckled, looking at me with his intense gray eyes, as if he wanted to call me naive. "I hate to admit it, but Tom was right when he asked me to join them. They had good ideals, a utopia full of pleasures and freedoms. I rejected them because the way they killed the leaders seemed unnecessary, and I didn't trust them."

I shook my head with a bitter smile. I couldn't even remember what they were fighting for. From the moment they decided to attack Eric, they became my enemies.

"I know you don't agree, and I didn't understand because after all, you're divergent, until now. Eric is the one who has you on his side, and I don't blame you, but be careful. There will come a time when the people below will get tired and go after him, and they'll drag you down with him."

"Is that a threat?" I asked cautiously.

"No, Grace. It's your friend asking you to be careful. Four talks to me and says he sees you in a bad place, indecisive, as if you're searching for something."

I chuckled. "Of course he did, Four told you." I laughed bitterly.

"He wants to protect you." he murmured.

"Do you know about the serum?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He nodded. "He wants to leave, to escape. We're looking for a refuge, and maybe I'll go with him. We found out that Erudite wants to overthrow Abnegation, and Dauntless is helping them. We don't want to be accomplices, and I doubt it will be peaceful... And judging by your expression, I bet you already knew." he muttered the last comment.

"Maybe." I said, avoiding his gaze. "I know very little, I still don't know what they'll do."

"They will kill people, Grace."

"There's nothing concrete." I intervened.

"Don't be naive. They won't go to their faction and ask for the government with a please." he rolled his eyes. "Four saw how they brought in more crates of that serum, thousands of vials. They're planning something very bad."

"We don't even know how they'll use the serum."

"They're starting to attack Abnegation in their morning articles."

"That doesn't prove anything." I denied.

"Come with us." Raphael requested abruptly. "Grace, don't be a murderer. Let's go before it's too late and you have no choice but to shoot."

I pressed my lips together at Raphael's request.

To flee, to leave everything I built, the effort and dedication I put into being in power, and worst of all, to leave Eric. The blue-eyed man felt guilty for leaving me alone during the abortion, so we set aside our problems and acted as if nothing had happened. His loving boyfriend attitude was active, and I didn't know how long it would last, but that wasn't a reason for me to leave him.

"I can't." I whispered.

Raphael made a face. "I had to try."

He sighed and picked up the electronic pen again to continue with the design. I bit my lip, trying not to feel uncomfortable after refusing to flee with them. I didn't need to think about it, I wouldn't go with them, I wouldn't leave Eric.

I approached Raphael, seeing him focused on the tablet. I immediately remembered that I needed to ask him something. He and Four were the only ones who had interacted with divergents, they should know.

"Raphael." I murmured.

"Hmm?" he grunted as he continued to concentrate on the design.

"Is divergence hereditary?" I asked cautiously.

He lifted his gaze for a moment, cleared his throat gravely, and for a moment, his eyes descended on my person, he looked at my stomach, and I rolled my eyes when I noticed it. If Four had told Eric, what assures me he hadn't told Raphael?

"I don't know." he responded, looking back up. "If only they didn't kill them and started studying them, it would be very helpful." He shrugged and returned to the design. "Why?" he coughed.

"You're terrible at pretending, did he tell you, didn't he?" I asked with disappointment.

He stopped the design, turning to look at me with a grimace. "He came to me last night, said he's worried, told Eric you were pregnant, but it was an act of recklessness, he was angry and it slipped out. He can't face you."

"He shouldn't have done that." I said with annoyance.

"I didn't want to tell you, I thought of ignoring the incident, but the tattoo could harm him, and..."

"I already had an abortion, it doesn't matter." I interrupted, rolling my eyes. "Are you going to do the damn tattoo or not?" I asked bluntly.

He sighed, nodded, and lowered his gaze, continuing with the tattoo.

*******************************

I left the tattoo studio with a bad taste in my mouth, but I had my medusa on my arm and as always, he had done a good job. He didn't mention anything else about Erudite and their plans. The topic died down, and I made it very clear that I wanted to stay with the man I love even if he's a villain. Meanwhile, Four returned to my blacklist. I just hope Raphael tells him what I did.

I walked down the hallway thinking that maybe I was responsible, at least in part. If only I had told Four from the beginning about what I had done, this could have been avoided. I turned the corner intending to go to the dining hall, but a certain group of people caught my attention, especially because they were the initiates that Four was training.

There was that loudmouth, that guy holding the girl against the wall while two guys watched with a smile.

"What's going on here?" I asked sharply as I approached the group.

The guy let go of Tris and stepped back to a safe distance. "Will you tell me?" I raised my eyebrows when I saw them silent.

"She hit me." the dark-haired guy spoke first.

"He mocked me about the article Erudite made." Tris seemed to defend herself. "That's why I attacked him." she excused herself.

"You still haven't learned to shut up, Pedro ?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, looking at the guy who, despite being taller than me, didn't dare to meet my gaze.

"My name is Peter." he corrected with his head down.

"I don't give a shit, Pablo. I'm tired of those damn articles and your stupid habit of talking non-stop. Get lost or I swear I'll help the girl kick your ass."

Peter turned around and left with the others. He wasn't afraid of me, there was total annoyance in his eyes, but he still wouldn't contradict me. The three of them left my sight, leaving me alone with Tris.

"What does that stupid article say?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"That my brother Caleb and I fled from Abnegation due to abuse, like Marcus hitting his son, but it's not true, they didn't..."

"Stop." I interrupted, raising my hand and closing my eyes. "Did you say Marcus and his son?"

"Yes." she whispered. "Erudite is attacking Marcus, they say his son deserted years ago because of the abuse."

They were talking about Four, I know, I'm totally sure, what surprises me is the casualness of the subject and how the brunette denies it as if her life depended on it.

"And is it true?"

"They are good people." she immediately responded, putting her hands on the fire without thinking, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"And the son? What do you know about him?"

She shrugged, both puzzled and shy. "I know his name was Tobias, but I don't know which faction he migrated to."

I nodded with a smile, it was definitely Four, and his nickname helped him hide, it was the perfect anonymity.

"Okay, that's all. Ignore Peter, he'll get tired eventually." I shrugged, showing indifference, which elicited a smile from her. She nodded, turned around, and left.

I sighed and continued on my way, thinking about Raphael's words and what Tris had told me. Erudite is attacking Abnegation with everything they have, and although Marcus deserved it, I'm sure there's a percentage of the faction that didn't deserve it.

I was about to reach the dining hall when the group of Dauntless blocked my path. I stopped, as did they, and their conversation. I wasn't sure if I should see it as an opportunity or a misfortune.

However, it didn't stop me from smiling back at Jeanine, who approached me, interrupting Max and Jina. Eric wasn't around, so I could persuade Jeanine to involve me.

"Grace, I was just thinking about you. I'm tired of trying to get Max to have you talk to me."

"You should contact me directly, my ID is connected to my personal phone." I suggested, showing her a smile. "I understand Max can be very stressed, especially with the upcoming plans." I glanced at Max, who grimaced in displeasure.

"You see, Max?" Jeanine spoke to the faction leader. "I don't know why you refuse." She placed her hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"She expressed her wish not to participate, Jeanine. It's unprofessional, and I recall giving you several more viable options." Max's jaw was tense, and he looked at me as if I were the enemy.

I should fear him, I know. He's superior to me, and yet I didn't, I enjoyed teasing him, especially because Jeanine was by my side, holding onto my shoulder with a gleaming smile.

"Nonsense." exclaimed the leader of Erudite. "I want her on the project."

"The slots in Dauntless are limited, and all members are of utmost importance. I couldn't just remove someone." Max spoke with a grimace, glancing at Jina for a moment.

"Then I'll give her access. I've witnessed her ability to plan and her bravery, a potential I don't intend to waste." she turned to me with a smile, one filled with pride, to which I responded in kind.

"Jina is in charge of planning in the field." Max interrupted.

"Yes, I've seen it. After that, Eric has to discard the idea to plan it again, and still, we don't have certainty." She looked at me again. "Would you accept?"

"Of course." I smiled.

"Excellent, I'll give you the details in a few days, then I'll invite you to my faction, and together we'll solve the mess these two make." she gestured, indicating she meant Max and Jina.

"That sounds good." I agreed.

"Perfect, see you later, Grace. Take care."

"Goodbye." I murmured.

Jeanine disappeared from my sight with a smile, while Max's gaze screamed how upset he was. Jina kept her eyes on the ground, walking alongside the brunette, losing sight of them.

I'm in.

My pulse quickened as I realized the situation. I ignored Raphael's warnings, I didn't care about Eric, Max, and Jina, I went over them, and followed Hill's advice by accepting Jeanine.

I don't know what awaits me, I don't know what I have to plan, I just know that I'll have to meet Jeanine's expectations and toughen up if I have to kill someone.

I can't help but wonder what position Freya would have been in. I suppose she would end up where she is now. She wouldn't have accepted something like this, let alone work for Jeanine. My mother would have disapproved of my behavior, my decisions, and how I interacted with the enemy.