Hell Hath No Fury - Book One

Vetting

Ava felt her pins behind her eyelids and rubbed them before bringing herself to knock on Theo's door. She was so tired it was hard to stay awake. She hadn't slept at all, staying up all night worrying about her moral dilemma. She laid in her hammock all night, morning, and aftermorning up until it was time to meet Theo. The longer she laid in her hammock, the worse she felt about not coming clean. For hours she had switched tracks and started to try and find a way to explain herself, willing to come clean and take the risk. As the meeting came closer, she began to grow increasingly more anxious. She couldn't come clean, could she? She was at an impasse. No sleep and she still had no answers.

She heard Xyra call from the other side that it was open and Ava let herself in. Tuni, Xyra, and Theo were all in the room. Ava directed a smile and a wave at Tuni who returned it with glee. Ava was motioned to take a seat and she did.

"You look tired," Tuni pointed out, "Have you not been getting sleep?

Ava cursed Tuni for that. What if they figured out she hadn't slept from nerves, "Not last night. I was getting cramps in my legs."

It was the truth, she had been.

"Make sure to stay hydrated. You've been out in the sun for a long time and your body is probably not used to that. Come by my place and I'll give you something to take at night for the cramps," Tuni offered.

"Of course, thank you Tuni," Ava said, then fixed her attention on a waiting Theo.

"Thank you for joining us on your day off," Theo noted politely, even though Ava didn't have much of a choice, "I'll let Xyra go over some details before I jump in with the questions. Good?"

Ava nodded that she understood.

"Right, I am going to be recording your answers. Tuni is here to bear witness to make sure I accurately record your answers. She is also here in the case that you feel uncomfortable or pressured, she can escort you out for a breath of air. The questions we are asking you are from a list of standard vetting questions we ask everyone. You are not being singled out or made to produce specific answers. This is just for your safety and ours, understood?" Xyra droned on in a monotone voice like she had repeated the phrase so many times she couldn't be bothered.

Ava nodded that she understood.

"Let's get started then," Theo flashed Ava a reassuring smile and looked at the paper in front of her. Ava noted that the writing was in Aelizan, "Can you state your full name?"

This was her decision time. She had fully prepared for whichever way she decided to go but now she was finally forced to come to a decision. She looked at Theo, who had a warm and inviting smile on her face, and felt guilt. There was no way she could come clean, not now. She wanted to cherish at least a little more time with the girls, and Theo before they saw her in a different light. It was selfish, she was intentionally hiding something from a crew that had welcomed her with open arms. She pushed her guilt aside and did what Cooker had said, calmed the fuck down. She took a deep breath and began.

"Ava Ableworth."

She heard scribbling.

"Where are you from?"

"Metramir," Ava answered easily. She had visited the Ableworth family there many times.

"Who did you live with before?" Theo asked.

"My family."

"What was the reason for leaving your home? Were you in any danger?"

"I wasn't in any danger," Ava said. It was true. Technically she was in danger because of the raid but that was not the question, "I left home because I was to be married off."