Secrets Upon Secrets

2 - Avory Slayer

2 - Avory Slayer

"Mrs. Grey!" I grumbled loudly as I marched down the hall of the 'abandoned' warehouse that was currently the base of operations for covert meetings.

In truth, it was a glorified office space that happened to be disguised to look more trashy. In function at least.

That's how River would phrase it at least.

I personally would just call it an incredibly boring trash heap for the lamest parts of her family's 'business'.

Riviera was the daughter of two legends in the underworld. (Or crimeworld, depending on how you look at it.)

Her mother was from one of the ten highest families in the Midnight Sea, meaning technically so was my girl River.

Her mom also has her own reputation though, one even more terrifying than River's. (Which is already insane, even though she's only 19.)

Her dad on the other hand came from a well-established 'crime' family as well, however not as legendary as her mom's.

The two of them however took their existing reputation and multiplied it to the umpteenth power.

Despite their fearsome reputation, I stormed into Mrs. Grey's temporary office room, paying little respect to manners.

"That mission nearly blew up in our faces thanks to that recruit," I ranted, but didn't get to finish.

"Then maybe you should learn to take my threats seriously," Mrs. Grey replied, without turning from the reports some underling was showing her. "My daughter cannot protect you from everything," she said, her slightly accented voice crips and propper.

"Riviera doesn't need to protect me, I'm fully capable of managing myself." I spat back.

Mrs. Grey raised an eyebrow.

"Clearly not," she noted, hardly looking up, "She's protecting you even now," she said, her focus back on the papers. "If anyone else dared approach in such a manner I'd have their heads before they even made it past the threshold of the door," she threatened.

"Good thing I'm not anyone else," I said sarcastically.

She ignored that.

Instead, she just pushed on.

"Mission report." She asked. Well, more like demanded.

I sighed then briefed her on all that went down earlier today.

Riviera and I have been best friends for years.

My brother and I were adopted by a first generation Midnight Sea operative. Juniper Lee.

Technically Robin was only my adoptive brother, but the three of us were still a family.

Both he and I had parents who were Red Hound members.

I'd barely escaped the name and history of both of my parents, though he probably had it worse.

Only his mom was in the Red Hounds, but she uh... was kinda the leader.

Her reputation might have been the only one in this generation that was more infamous than Mrs. Grey. (Much to her irritation.)

Lotus Moltenore. Leader of the Red Hounds. Famed villain.

Dealing with the legacies we were left with wasn't exactly easy, but having connections to someone with the Grey legacy certainly helped.

Though, Robin had thrown it all away four months ago.

Last June his girlfriend and mother had convinced him to join the Red Hounds and ever since then he's been fighting on the other side of the shadows.

I can't say that my parents never reached out over the years- especially since I started rising up in the organization- but they lost all sway over me long ago.

If anything, their persuasion only made me hate them more.

Juniper was my mother now. She was the one who took me in when I was weak and unwanted.

I don't know what exactly drove Robin to the dark side of the underworld. In my mind nothing could uproot me. I suppose my 'brother' just didn't feel the same way.

Afterall, his parents didn't exactly abandon him like mine did me.

His father died, and his mother went 'mad', (whatever that means) and he ran away.

But he still left.

And while I'm somewhat understanding of that fact, River, well...

Isn't.

She's majorly pissed at him.

She may have disliked him and thought he was annoying before, but since he deflected she hates his guts.

He used to have this big crush on her, (a fact she hated,) and only left her alone when he got a girlfriend, (a fact she appreciated,) however that girlfriend turned out to be a Red Hound member and helped persuade him to join them.

Combine that with the pull from his mother and bam. You got a recipe for treachery.