Kazana has lived factionless her entire life, having been found by the rebels who strive to live without the faction system she becomes their new secret weapon. The plan is clear, choose dauntless, pass initiation, infiltrate the system, but what can she do when a certain leader sees through her façade? AU/One year after Tris' initiation.
A/N: Hello, if you're reading this for the first time then you'll have noticed it's a long story, but I can assure you that the journey is worth it. I envision Eric to look the way he does in the film, for those in search of romance, mystery and suspense then you have come to the right place. If you have thoughts or theories on any of the chapters then please do not hesitate to share. I truly adore each and every review I receive, no matter the content.
Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent, I also do not own Eric which pains me deeply.
'Maybe the wolf is in love with the moon, and each month it cries for a love it will never touch.'
...
In an ideal world, Kazana would feel nothing but bliss as she watched the ember glow bathe her city, a gentle hum sounding in the distance as the train made its way back to the place that she'd soon know all too well.
It's unfortunate then, that the life of the Factionless was anything but blissful. The stench of rotting food, stale alcohol and body odour followed her as she retrieved a thick winding of rope from beneath a bunched up sheet in the corner of the rooftop she now resided upon, a sight no guard would think to check as Kazana well knew, fastening it to a railing she looked wistfully at the zip line that led to dauntless headquarters.
What she'd give to ride that just once, perhaps she'd get her chance soon, providing everything went to plan. She climbed down the rope with haste, stopping halfway to glance around before bringing her legs up and over her head and hanging upside down like a bat; she couldn't stifle the laugh of glee that escaped her, savouring a moment in which she could forget her cold reality.
"Where've you been? Evelyn is looking for you," Edward ran towards her.
He looked more panicked than usual. Everyone had been on edge since Evelyn had announced the mission to the entirety of the group, for three years only a select few knew what she had planned. Edward had joined the previous year after being attacked by a student in his chosen faction.
"Nightly Checks, they've increased the number of guards, they're suspicious Ed, but what happened at Erudite? Did everything go smoothly? Am I on the system?" Kazana reeled off the questions anxiously, there was a reason she'd never be in Abnegation when curiosity plagued her at every turn, but what did she know of belonging?
Ed's expression softened as he ran his thumb over the underside of his eye patch, a nervous habit he'd picked up over the past year. She couldn't help the pang that came over her whenever she caught him staring off in to the distance, she know he was thinking of Dauntless, of the future that had been so viciously snatched from him.
"Later, Evelyn needs to discuss tomorrow with you, I'll tell you everything afterwards." He didn't move away immediately, his eye darting down to the rope in her hands
"Guard watch, huh?" he smirked.
Taking the rope from her hands he turned her in the direction of the warehouse that they were currently using as headquarters and moved her forward with a swift smack of the bum. He sprinted away laughing before she could retort.
With a shaky sigh she made her way up the stairs, they were caked with dirt. Evelyn's door was shut which no doubt meant she was talking to another member of the group in private. Kazana leaned against the wall at the top of the staircase and felt a crunch of glass beneath her feet, the scattered remains of someone else's escapism. Alcohol was either a friend or a foe, this held especially true in their run down streets.
Kazana grimaced as unwanted memories flitted through her mind.
Having grown up Factionless, it was no surprise that she knew hunger better than anyone, understood the weight of her hair as it clung to her face and neck sodden with months of filth.
She could only be thankful that Evelyn had found her in her Twelfth year, before the monsters that hid in the shadows could come creeping, she could not say the same for some of her peers and Kazana would always be grateful, she owed Evelyn her life.
The door finally opened and out strode Cain, he had been her instructor for four years having been exiled from Dauntless for speaking out against the leaders. He had ranked first in his own initiation process.
She and Evelyn found him curled up on the tracks leading to the fence, whatever fire might have once lit his eyes was gone and it was clear in the slump of the shoulders, the blank look on his face that he wanted the train to arrive soon.
"Kazana, how are we feeling this evening," he leaned in and raised his eyebrows. "Nervous?" She narrowed her eyed in mock fury, shoving his shoulder away she ascended towards the room.
"Not in the least, I'll see you in the morning?"
He gave a terse nod as she shut the door behind her.
Cain was the reason she could now be considered a force to be reckoned with, she'd been training with him the day Evelyn had put her plan into place, shooting, blade throwing, hand to hand combat, and it would all come to serve her in short time were everything to fall in to place.
Unknown to her peers, Kazana had taken to climbing from a young age, a form of escape she supposed as she took a seat opposite Evelyn. What little light illuminated their faces came from a flickering candle on the floor between them.
The windows had been boarded up and abandonment was the first word that came to mind as she looked at the empty space around her, maybe that's why she liked it so much. She'd watched the dauntless climb buildings as a young child, before it was crucial that she hide away from curious eyes.
Admiration and envy filled her as she watched the muscles in their arms ripple and tense as they made their way with ease up the sky high buildings. Kazana's body was strong but she knew, even all those years ago that she would never be like the women in Dauntless without enough nourishment.
She looked down at her fingers, the skin clung to the bones, they looked like they wanted to escape as they protruded from her wrists, her hips, her back. It had always been that way, another thing she had been told would change.
Her mouth watered as she envisioned endless plates of steaming hot burgers and chicken wings, thick chunky wedges of chocolate cake and to wash it all down…clean water. That, in particular, would be a true luxury.
Evelyn watched as Kazana looked down at her hands, deep in thought. She cleared her throat and Kazana was pulled back into reality, she smiled sheepishly at the woman she now considered to be a mother figure.
"Are you nervous?" Evelyn enquired softly, Kazana released the large breath she had been holding and shook her head "No, but I've been asked that a few times today which is starting to make feel otherwise," she rested her chin on her knees and hummed thoughtfully, "Edward said you were looking for me".
Evelyn straightened then, she smoothed a lock of hair from her face and reached behind her to grab a stack of papers, tattered and tainted with the grime that seemed to cling to Kazana's atmosphere, it was in the air that she breathed, and it had been for 16 years.
"Yes, this is the last chance you and I have to discuss tomorrow, you must be up before dawn, and Edward will accompany you to Amity where arrangements have been made for clothing and other essentials." Kazana hoped that by other essentials she meant a hearty breakfast and a shower.
"Did everything go to plan? Am I on the system?" The question had been torturing her for hours.
Evelyn nodded, "I thought you'd have extracted that information from Edward by now, the mission went smoothly as was to be expected" Kazana detected a hint of pride in her voice.
"Erudite seem to have upped their security, it wasn't easy getting in but there should be no issues tomorrow providing you do everything as we discussed." Evelyn leaned in, her eyes dark and intense under the candle's glow she asked, "Who are you?"
This was a question Kazana had struggled to answer for 16 years, but she had learnt this person with such conviction she began to believe it was her. She knew who she was.
"Kazana Jane Thomas, daughter of Matthew and Phoebe Thomas. I am Sixteen years old, I have grown up in the Amity Faction my whole life, my parents are both teachers and therefore they have been responsible for my education up until now, I have never been to the Hub. Tomorrow will be my first time, when I attend the choosing ceremony."
Evelyn watched her with careful scrutiny, she came even closer now and their faces inches apart, she spoke, "And what will you choose?" Kazana pulled away, lips curled in a slow smile as she lifted her chin and met Evelyn's gaze with new found confidence.
"Dauntless."