Like the last excerpt, this is extremely raw. But I hope you like it anyway 
This picks up where the last one left off.
Anouk slowed to run by Nnena and Nin, a gangly seventeen-year-old and her kangaroo rat unamenti. Nnena shot her a slow, sideways glance.
“Out all night at the races again?” she asked coolly.
Anouk cleared her throat and turned back to the recruits. “Fluidity and momentum, ladies!” she shouted, “The goal of obstacle running is to move quickly and efficiently through any environment!”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” said Nnena. She planted her hands on a barrel and threw her legs over it. “You can’t keep doing this, Anouk.”
Anouk leapt over the tail of a riding snake. “I’m working on it,” she muttered.
Anouk threw herself into an alley and began jumping back and forth between the walls, moving upward. The stone scraped her calloused hands as she climbed, thighs and biceps burning with every quick leap. Below, the girls followed. The older ones were able to keep up, but the younger ones struggled. One big-boned girl fell onto her back with a whine.
“Push into the wall, Teshka, not downward!” Anouk called down at her. Senka leapt onto the roof above.
Teshka flopped against the dust as Anouk hoisted herself up to join Senka. “Why do we have to learn this junk, anyway?!” Teshka shouted. Anouk smiled at her.
“You’re an assassin now, Tesh!” she called. “You have to learn to travel where your target isn’t likely to look!”
Teshka grumbled, standing and brushing off her clothes.
“And not only that—“ Teshka yelped as Anouk appeared from above and pinned her to the ground. She pressed the hilt of her obsidian dagger into the girl’s throat. “—Arial attacks are some of the most effective, I find.”
Teshka’s eyes widened into disks. “Can you teach me that?” she asked.
Anouk laughed and pulled her to her feet, slipping her dagger back into its thigh sheath through a hole in her trouser pocket. “Of course I can,” she said.
Anouk explained her climbing technique to Teshka and made her try again, walking her through the process from below. Senka watched from above, amusement sparkling in her eyes. Once Teshka had reached the top, Anouk followed. She hooked her fingers over the top of the wall, grunting as she pulled herself up. She straightened, smiled at Senka, and looked up.
Sarai stared down at her with icy yellow eyes. Fear exploded in Anouk's chest. There was only one reason why her mother would be here.
She knew.
Mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment, the one in shock and the other in quiet fury. The two bore a striking resemblance, though Sarai was taller, more mature, and pristine in appearance. No hair escaped from her tight red bun, and her white uniform was pressed and spotless. Her completely emotionless face completed the look. Only her eyes betrayed her rage.
Finally Anouk collected herself, dropping into a deep bow. “Master,” she said.
Anouk gasped as a hand grabbed her head pushed her back into the alley. She acted quickly, digging her hands and feet into the walls to slow her fall. The burning pain brought tears to eyes. She landed hard on her back with a growl, stinging palms welling with little spots of blood. Senka appeared beside her, shivering as she curled up against her waist.
Sarai landed before them and straightened, her bobcat unamenti Abrecan following close behind. Anouk wondered briefly how the woman’s legs hadn’t broken. But this thought was quickly replaced by those of her imminent death when one of her own racing gloves hit her in the face. She didn’t bother to ask how her mother had slipped it from her.
A long, tense silence fell. Blood pounded in Anouk’s ears.
“Tell me something.” Sarai’s tone was dangerous. “Why do you, of all people, persist in the belief that you can keep secrets from me?”
Anouk didn’t bother to stand. She lay slowly back, closing her eyes. Oh, gods, she thought.
Another thick silence lapsed as Sarai’s gaze threatened to burn through her daughter’s skull. Anouk’s breathing became shallow, and a lump began to form in throat. But she refused to cry.
When Sarai finally spoke, her words were terse and sharp. “You will go. To the palace. Now. Find Samar—she has an assignment for you.” Sarai's voice lowered. “You will terminate your target immediately thereafter. And when you return, you will retreat to your chambers, where you are hereby confined until further notice.”
Anouk opened her eyes. “Mother… The Joining…”
“Do you question my orders?”
Yes, Anouk thought, clenching her fists.
Don’t, thought Senka forcefully.
Anouk laid perfectly still, jaw clenched as she glared at the sky. “No,” she finally growled.
Sarai’s searing gaze lingered on Anouk for another moment before she burst into motion, striding toward the street. Anouk jerked her chin away as she passed, refusing to look at her.
This gesture caused Sarai to stop. She continued to look straight ahead as she spoke.
“Criminal," she said.
The word lacerated Anouk with shame. Her breath caught, and she froze. Sarai stepped into the sun and disappeared.
More coming soon! I still want to read some Legacy!
This picks up where the last one left off. Anouk slowed to run by Nnena and Nin, a gangly seventeen-year-old and her kangaroo rat unamenti. Nnena shot her a slow, sideways glance.
“Out all night at the races again?” she asked coolly.
Anouk cleared her throat and turned back to the recruits. “Fluidity and momentum, ladies!” she shouted, “The goal of obstacle running is to move quickly and efficiently through any environment!”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” said Nnena. She planted her hands on a barrel and threw her legs over it. “You can’t keep doing this, Anouk.”
Anouk leapt over the tail of a riding snake. “I’m working on it,” she muttered.
Anouk threw herself into an alley and began jumping back and forth between the walls, moving upward. The stone scraped her calloused hands as she climbed, thighs and biceps burning with every quick leap. Below, the girls followed. The older ones were able to keep up, but the younger ones struggled. One big-boned girl fell onto her back with a whine.
“Push into the wall, Teshka, not downward!” Anouk called down at her. Senka leapt onto the roof above.
Teshka flopped against the dust as Anouk hoisted herself up to join Senka. “Why do we have to learn this junk, anyway?!” Teshka shouted. Anouk smiled at her.
“You’re an assassin now, Tesh!” she called. “You have to learn to travel where your target isn’t likely to look!”
Teshka grumbled, standing and brushing off her clothes.
“And not only that—“ Teshka yelped as Anouk appeared from above and pinned her to the ground. She pressed the hilt of her obsidian dagger into the girl’s throat. “—Arial attacks are some of the most effective, I find.”
Teshka’s eyes widened into disks. “Can you teach me that?” she asked.
Anouk laughed and pulled her to her feet, slipping her dagger back into its thigh sheath through a hole in her trouser pocket. “Of course I can,” she said.
Anouk explained her climbing technique to Teshka and made her try again, walking her through the process from below. Senka watched from above, amusement sparkling in her eyes. Once Teshka had reached the top, Anouk followed. She hooked her fingers over the top of the wall, grunting as she pulled herself up. She straightened, smiled at Senka, and looked up.
Sarai stared down at her with icy yellow eyes. Fear exploded in Anouk's chest. There was only one reason why her mother would be here.
She knew.
Mother and daughter stared at each other for a moment, the one in shock and the other in quiet fury. The two bore a striking resemblance, though Sarai was taller, more mature, and pristine in appearance. No hair escaped from her tight red bun, and her white uniform was pressed and spotless. Her completely emotionless face completed the look. Only her eyes betrayed her rage.
Finally Anouk collected herself, dropping into a deep bow. “Master,” she said.
Anouk gasped as a hand grabbed her head pushed her back into the alley. She acted quickly, digging her hands and feet into the walls to slow her fall. The burning pain brought tears to eyes. She landed hard on her back with a growl, stinging palms welling with little spots of blood. Senka appeared beside her, shivering as she curled up against her waist.
Sarai landed before them and straightened, her bobcat unamenti Abrecan following close behind. Anouk wondered briefly how the woman’s legs hadn’t broken. But this thought was quickly replaced by those of her imminent death when one of her own racing gloves hit her in the face. She didn’t bother to ask how her mother had slipped it from her.
A long, tense silence fell. Blood pounded in Anouk’s ears.
“Tell me something.” Sarai’s tone was dangerous. “Why do you, of all people, persist in the belief that you can keep secrets from me?”
Anouk didn’t bother to stand. She lay slowly back, closing her eyes. Oh, gods, she thought.
Another thick silence lapsed as Sarai’s gaze threatened to burn through her daughter’s skull. Anouk’s breathing became shallow, and a lump began to form in throat. But she refused to cry.
When Sarai finally spoke, her words were terse and sharp. “You will go. To the palace. Now. Find Samar—she has an assignment for you.” Sarai's voice lowered. “You will terminate your target immediately thereafter. And when you return, you will retreat to your chambers, where you are hereby confined until further notice.”
Anouk opened her eyes. “Mother… The Joining…”
“Do you question my orders?”
Yes, Anouk thought, clenching her fists.
Don’t, thought Senka forcefully.
Anouk laid perfectly still, jaw clenched as she glared at the sky. “No,” she finally growled.
Sarai’s searing gaze lingered on Anouk for another moment before she burst into motion, striding toward the street. Anouk jerked her chin away as she passed, refusing to look at her.
This gesture caused Sarai to stop. She continued to look straight ahead as she spoke.
“Criminal," she said.
The word lacerated Anouk with shame. Her breath caught, and she froze. Sarai stepped into the sun and disappeared.
More coming soon! I still want to read some Legacy!
