Valeria took a slow deep breath as they entered the Sovereign chambers, which remained mostly unchanged since her first visit two weeks ago.

"You came," Jada said, hands on her hips. "I wasn't sure if you would. But here we are again." She walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured herself a glass of wine. "Care for a glass of wine this time?"

Valeria shook her head. "Still underage, Sovereign."

Jada took a gulp from her glass and turned. "Alright, let's do the questions again. I can imagine you have more than three questions you want to ask this time. I can't promise to answer everything, but I will answer what I can."

Unlike the first time she entered this room, Valeria took a moment to think of her first question. While the urge to call Jada out on her lies was tempting, she knew there was a bigger question that needed answering. "Who was the Rogue that attacked us?"

Jada shook her head. "I'm not sure who he is, but I know he was no Rogue. That was a Shadow Knight."

Valeria raised an eyebrow. "What's that? Some kind of Faction?"

"Shadow Knights do not belong to any faction or group of people. They are lone wolves who feed off chaos, destruction, and death. Like us Rogues, they draw their power from the shadows and the dark, but unlike us, they seek to destroy the world, rather than remain hidden within it."

Valeria sat in silence, overwhelmed by this new information. She completely forgot about Jada's betrayal as she absorbed every word and was both fascinated and terrified to learn about this villainous figure. She took her time before asking her next question. "What are the Artifacts? Can they be used to stop him?"

Jada finished a sip from her glass and laughed with a hint of futility. "Oh Valeria, how I wish I knew those answers. No one knows exactly what the artifacts are, but we know they are ancient - as in BC – before Christ. No one knows all of their secrets. One thing I do know – holding an artifact while focusing on a certain goal, will show you future events that increase the likelihood of achieving that goal."

Valeria was about to ask for clarification, but Jada continued. "So, for example, when I touched the Rogue Artifact back when I was your age, I wanted, more than anything, to find a way for the Rogue and Celestial Factions to achieve peace. Back then, I was still close with my childhood friend Lawrence Tyrell, even though we had been whisked away to opposing groups. Uniting our factions to serve the common good has always been my goal, and every time I touched the artifact, It showed me future events leading toward what I always wanted; Lawrence and I fighting a common enemy...together."

Jada's voice cracked on the last word, and her hands trembled as she fumbled the wine glass in her hands. She turned away before the rest of her emotions seeped out. She cursed under her breath and slammed the wine glass down on the table. "I'm such an idiot," she grumbled.

"Well," Valeria replied with a hint of sarcasm, "I guess that's true, because your plan didn't work. Speaking of which - why didn't it work?"

"My nearly perfect plan had one flaw," Jada said with a sigh, "one I was unable to foresee. The Shadow Knight possessed an Artifact himself, and clearly anticipated our ambush. He already prepared a shadow double – a type of decoy – to fool us. Only now do I realize the problem with my plan. I desperately wanted a way for our factions to unite and work together – and wasn't able to use my artifact to see past that. The Shadow Knight wanted a second Artifact for himself, and this allowed him to foresee beyond our two factions simply working together. He and his devotee, Brigitte, used their artifact to envision a future where they could turn our trap against us. Now my dream of an alliance is dead, and my best friend might suffer a similar fate." She choked up again as she muttered, "It was all for nothing."

Valeria suddenly felt the anger slowly creeping back. "Nothing, huh? I guess that's how you felt about using Erin and me as pawns. You fed me movies, clues, and skills that would allow us to get inside, because you knew the Shadow Knight would follow us in there."

"Correct," Jada said without turning around, her tone guttural. "Like powerful Rogues, Shadow Knights can become invisible within the dark, and I foresaw a perfect chance for my friend and me to ambush a common enemy, who should have been captured easily. I thought a combined victory against such a vile enemy would be enough to unite our factions and usher in a new age."

"I see," Valeria said, massaging her chin. "So, was all of this to stop a faction war? Or, was it about you trying to rekindle feelings with an old friend?"

Jada turned and met her eyes. The sobbing emotional wreck of a woman had completely transformed into something familiar. Relatable.

Valeria recognized the anger and fear staring daggers back and her and smiled. She had finally found a weakness under all that armor. "Does Frank know about your side bang?"

"Shut up!" Jada snapped. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know you're a liar," Valeria continued, a smile across her face. "I wonder how long you've been lying to Frank..."

There was a flash of movement, but even Valeria couldn't keep up with it. Hands closed around her throat, and she struggled to breathe as she was pushed against the wall. She tried to wriggle free, but Jada was too strong. She leaned close; her teeth barred like a wolf ready to devour its prey.

"You don't know a damn thing about me," Jada hissed. "If you ever disrespect me or the men I care about again, I will put you back where I found you. Got it?"

Valeria grasped the hands around her neck and tried to resist, but the lack of oxygen was taking its toll. Spots danced in front of her eyes and her vision dimmed. She had always been afraid of Jada, now more than ever.

But that would not stop her.

She headbutted Jada with the last of her strength. The move worked, as the hands around her neck released and oxygen found its way back into her lungs. She assumed a crude defensive stance, but this proved unnecessary.

Staring at her hands, Jada looked like she might break down again. But she bit her lip, stood up straight, and crossed her arms against her chest. "That was a test," she said, her voice uneven. "And you proved stronger than I thought -"

"Stop lying!" Valeria exclaimed. "You just tried to choke me out! If you're not going to apologize, at least own up to your shit!"

"What is going on here?" Frank asked as he entered the room.

"Nothing," Jada said, trying to remain calm. "This doesn't concern you."

"Valeria's wellbeing is my concern," he said, his tone defiant.

Valeria took slow, labored breaths, trying to regain her bearings. She wondered if Frank was really here, or if this was another hallucination. Part of her hoped his concern was genuine. But another part was skeptical and wondered if he was complicit in Jada's plan.

"She's fine," Jada said, her arms crossed.

"Are you okay, kiddo?" Frank asked as he approached.

When he got close, she pushed him away. "Don't call me that! Stop acting like my Dad. You used me, just like her."

Frank shook his head. "No, I didn't." Turning to Jada, he said, "I didn't know what was going on either. She lied to me too."

"Oh please," Jada said, rolling her eyes. "Stop acting so hurt. You know me better than anyone, babe. You should understand what I was trying to do."

"You've always been able to see the big picture," Frank said, his tone affectionate. "I've always loved that about you. It's one of your greatest strengths - but it can also be your worst flaw."

"Flaw?!" Jada exclaimed. "Bullshit. I want to fix this shitty world. I learned the truth from an early age. You want to make an omelet? You need to break some eggs. I might have hurt her feelings a little bit, but Valeria is a strong young woman – she'll recover."

Valeria shook her head. "You don't get it. You used me, Jada. My previous foster parents didn't give a shit about me, and neither do you. I was just a sacrifice to help your plan succeed."

Jada glared at her. "You don't know anything about sacrifice."

Valeria noticed Jada's tense posture and felt her own muscles clenching. She felt the urge to grab the woman's shoulders and scream, why did you lie to me? How could you do this to me?

But she didn't.

She remembered what the voice had said. It had asked if she could put compassion above her own ego. It had hinted that Jada had a reason to lie. She must have had her own personal burden, and only one thing came to mind.

Her daughter's death.

"When I was unconscious," Valeria said, trying to contain her anger, "I had some flashbacks. I saw you at the detention center two years ago. Were you really there?"

"Wait, what?!" Frank exclaimed. "You knew about her before I did? That anonymous tip about her weeks ago - that was all your doing?!"

"Maybe," Jada said, ignoring her husband's outburst. She turned to Valeria. "So I knew about you two years ago. Does it matter?"

Of course, it mattered. Jada abandoned Valeria two years ago. She was left alone to suffer homelessness, the detention center, and her previous foster family, where she endured painful trauma. Horrible experiences that scarred her for life.

"It does," Valeria said, her voice quivering. "You said the artifact showed you events that led up to today. You knew what would happen to me two years ago, as you knew I'd eventually become your protégé."

"I see where this is going," Jada said with a bitter sigh. She turned to the table nearby and took a sip of wine. "I knew you'd figure this out. Go ahead and get your accusation out of the way."

Valeria bit her lip, as Jada's offer was tempting. It was enticing for Valeria to recount her trauma, and make Jada feel guilty about it.

Compassion.

"Two years ago," Valeria continued aloud, "Your daughter was still alive. And yet, you knew I'd be your protégé. You once told me – a Rogue family can only have one child, or one protégé. So...did you know your daughter was going to die before she got sick? If so, I'm sorry. I can't imagine what that's like."

Frank exchanged nervous glances between the two of them. "Is that true?"

Jada turned toward her, eyes moistening with tears. "Wow. Just when I think I have you figured out - you pull a fast one on me, girl. I didn't expect you to say that."

"So it's true," Valeria said, trying to contain her anger. Now she understood why Jada had orchestrated the lie. "To achieve your goal - you knew I'd replace your daughter. I wondered why you wouldn't give a shit about me. You hate me because I had to take her place."

"No!" Jada protested with unbridled raw emotion. "I don't hate you. I never have. I was angry with God for a long time, but then, I realized Bianca's death might not have been his fault. When the artifact finally showed you as my protégé two years ago, it didn't show me how Bianca would die. I did everything I could to get my daughter medically examined, kept her safe from any kind of accident, but in the end, nothing worked. When she got sick, I began to wonder if I brought this curse on myself. I was so focused on using the Artifact to find a way to unite our factions, that I never stopped to consider if I was using something cursed. In the end, it all may have been unavoidable, but if I blame anyone these days, I blame myself."

"I can't believe this," Frank said, his fists clenched. "How could you keep this from me? How could you do this to her?!"

Jada shook her head. "You don't understand! I knew a Shadow Knight had appeared and was trying to start a war between our factions. I never knew exactly where or when he would strike, except in the vision the Artifact showed me. I knew he would follow Valeria and Erin into the Midas vault. Don't you see? As Sovereign, I needed to capture him to prevent a war!"

"At what cost?!" Frank asked, his voice trembling as he moved in front of Valeria. "You sacrificed two of our daughters for this! All without consulting me!"

Valeria looked up at him with surprise. They only had one daughter, right? Was there another daughter they forgot to mention? But Valeria knew that wasn't true. There was only one reason why Frank would have mentioned a second daughter, as implausible as it seemed.

"I don't know if the artifact caused Bianca's death," Jada replied quietly. "I never would have sacrificed her intentionally."

"But you do know what Valeria has been through," Frank continued, his tone menacing. "She was used – and abused – by the people who were supposed to protect her. You used her too! How is she ever going to trust us again?"

Jada looked over at her with a weak smile. "She's a strong young woman. I figured she could handle it."

Handle it? Valeria thought, her hands trembling. Jada still didn't understand how much damage her deception caused. She looked up to her as an inspirational mother figure; a woman she hoped to be like someday. But a real mother shouldn't lie and use their daughter. "You're wrong," she said, her tone defiant. "You have no idea what I've been through. I understand why you lied, but it still hurt. Part of me wants to leave. I can make my own way in the world without you and this Faction."

Jada studied her a moment, a smirk across her face. "I know you could. If you leave, you will be completely on your own. Are you prepared to be alone again?"

"She wouldn't be alone," Frank said, standing by her side.

"Ugh," Jada groaned. "We talked about this babe. Stop trying to save her -"

"I'm not saving her," Frank interrupted, turning toward Valeria. "She saved me. She made me feel like a father again, so stop using that excuse."

"Were you talking about me?" Valeria asked, her voice raw. "Your second daughter?"

"Of course," Frank replied. His dark eyes met hers, and she didn't detect any guile. He offered a sincere smile and said, "I promised to do what's best for you. I can help you leave this faction, find new parents, whatever you want."

"You'd leave this faction with me?" she asked with disbelief.

He looked over at Jada, his gaze intense. "I would."

Jada frowned, her hand slowly reaching for the dagger on her belt. "You'd pick her over me? After all we've been through? You think I'd just let you both leave?"

Frank took a step in front of Valeria, his hand hovering over his weapon. "You know how much I love you, Jada. I've always supported you, believed in you. I always knew you were meant to become a leader, and you know me. You know I've always wanted to be a father, and nothing will stand in the way of that, not even you."

Valeria felt a mixture of emotions as Frank and Jada stared at each other without saying a word. The tension in the air was palpable, and she wondered if they'd engage in physical combat. She had never witnessed such an intense verbal argument, and Jada's posture and tone were frightening. Valeria hated to admit it, but she understood Jada's logic. She still respected Jada and understood her plan, even if it made her feel small and unimportant.

But then there was Frank. After her parents' deaths at a young age, no one had ever stood up for her before. No one had been willing to sacrifice anything for her. She had read stories about parents sacrificing themselves for their children - but had never witnessed it. She had never felt unconditional love, until now.

"Wait!" Valeria exclaimed. She took a step in front of Frank and raised both arms, trying to prevent an altercation. "I've decided to stay...with both of you." She turned to Jada. "I understand what you did. But I want you to understand that it hurt, being lied to. Can you promise it won't happen again?"

Jada took a slow deep breath. She released her weapon and her posture relaxed. "Fine," she said, ending the tense standoff. "I will try to not keep secrets. But you chose to become a Rogue, and that means you will never be safe." Her eyes narrowed at Valeria. "I promised to push your limits and make you strong. I'm a woman of my word too," she said frowning at Frank. "I will not apologize for that."

"It's okay," Valeria said, trying to force a smile. "I don't think I've ever heard you apologize."

"It's not my style," Jada said, a smirk slowly tugging at her lips. "But I'll settle for restitution."

Valeria looked up at Frank and whispered, "what's that mean?"

"She's offering a bribe," Frank whispered back. He looked over at Jada and crossed his arms. "Why can't you just apologize and –"

"Offer accepted," Valeria interrupted. She hated to cut him off, but she knew Jada would never apologize. It was a difficult pill to swallow, as Valeria had hoped Jada would fill the maternal void left after her mother's death. She wanted to trust her, confide in her, and love her, but that just wasn't in the cards at the moment. Respect, fear, and admiration would have to suffice. "I have a demand," she said aloud.

Jada rolled her eyes. "Name it."

Valeria looked over at Frank with a smile. I already have something I've always wanted after my father died, she thought to herself. I hope Jada will embrace me as a daughter someday too. So, until then, I'll just have to settle for...

"I want a Smartphone."

Jada's tough exterior cracked as a smile spread across her lips. "You sure do drive a hard bargain."

"Yes or no?" she asked while looking over at Frank.

"It's fine with me," Frank replied with a smile. "I thought you'd ask for a car, but it's too late now."

Valeria bit her lip. Shit! I should've aimed higher.

"Alright," Jada conceded. "But you better not spend all day using that thing. You still have a lot to learn, and it only gets harder from here, even for someone special like you."

Valeria considered this a moment. Everyone had declared her special; Frank, Jada, and even Erin had told her this. "How am I special?"

Jada shook her head. "That's a complicated question – one I think we'll save for another day." She looked over at Frank. "Take Valeria to our room and meet me back here with my brother. We have to start preparing."

"Preparing for what?" Valeria asked.

"If Lawrence dies," Jada said, her tone visceral, "We need to prepare for war."

"That's not something you should worry about, kiddo," Frank added. "You need to focus on school and Rogue training." Valeria started to protest, but Frank cut her off. "If that's not enough to keep you occupied, I heard Xun's still looking for a Blitzflag Runner. Come on, let's go."

Valeria groaned as she followed Frank outside the Sovereign's Quarters. Her mind raced with so many unanswered questions. Were Frank and Jada really done with their argument? Would she be able to trust Jada from now on? Who was the Shadow Knight, and why would he want to start a war? If his plan succeeded, would the Rogue and Celestial Factions declare war? Would Erin and Sai become her enemies?

Frank led the way through the Coterel marketplace, and Valeria noticed a familiar store nearby.

Darrow's Daggers.

She remembered stopping inside this store on her first day, eager to own one of the deadly blades on display. Now she wasn't so sure. Her stomach lurched as she imagined holding one and using it against the people she cared about. Would she – no – could she do what was necessary if she encountered Erin or Sai on the battlefield?

Valeria's mouth went dry, her hands dampened with sweat. A familiar sense of anxiety washed over her, so she closed her eyes and took slow deep breaths.

You need to be on your guard all the time.
As a Rogue, and as a woman.

Jada's words haunted her as she opened her eyes, studied her reflection on the store's window, and walked away.

I always have been, and I always will be.

             ###########

            End of Book 1.

           #############

            To be continued.

Book 2 - Valeria Torres and the Blade of Life - First draft done, will post at a later date.

Book 3 - Valeria Torres and the Shadow Knight - about 1/3 of the way through first draft.

(I will also provide updates on the author's note at later dates - thanks for reading!)