The general nods.
I begin working with the others on a plan. Rexton chimes in with a few questions, but he leaves the strategy planning to me. Aziel does, too. It’s a lot of pressure, but I think I’m doing a relatively good job of not crumbling underneath it. I’m trying my best not to.
Rexton’s touch helped. He took some of the edge off, pulling me down from the edge of losing control.
It’s almost an hour of planning before I fall silent, out of thoughts.
Aziel turns toward me. “Is there anything else, Cassia?”
I pause, thinking it over, before shaking my head. I’m not eager to rush into battle without knowing what Prince Nolic has planned. We’ll prepare our troops, but we need more information before making any moves.
“Great.” Aziel brings his hands together, shifting his attention to the generals. “I’m sure you’re all eager to see yourfamilies…” He eyes Raum. “And to shower. Let’s reconvene later this week. I’ll have time put on our schedules.”
The room empties with startling speed.
“I’d like to speak with you alone, Cassia,” Aziel says.
I knew this was coming.
Rexton steps out of the room, leaving me alone with Aziel. My father looks exhausted as he sinks into the chair I tried forcing Rexton into earlier, and he slouches forward before grabbing the arm of another chair and dragging it toward me.
“Sit.”
I drop, relieved to be off my feet.
“I want to discuss the ambush,” Aziel starts. “You’re disappointed by the casualty counts?”
I half-shrug, half-nod.
Aziel continues. “You handled yourself well today. The counts were high, but it was an ambush. They’re expected to be higher than usual. You impressed the generals today, and you impressed me.”
I shrug. “There were seven thousand Greeds, and fifteen hundred Wraths were injured or killed. Even for an ambush, those are bad numbers.”
Aziel leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “We were ambushed, Cassia. We underestimated Prince Nolic, and that’s something weallshare the blame for. We learned from this, and we’ll do better next time. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
I chew my bottom lip, ripping at the skin until I taste blood.
Aziel continues. “Once things with Prince Nolic have settled, I’d like for us to begin discussing a formal transition.”
It takes a minute for those words to register. Does that mean what I think it means? Is he serious?
“…A formal transition?”
“Yes.” Aziel nods. “Seeing you take charge these past few weeks, moving past your hatred of Rexton and volunteering tojoin Raum’s war camp, has been eye-opening. You’ll always be my baby girl, but you’re an adult and it’s time I begin treating you as one. I haven’t been fair to you, and for that, I’m sorry. It’s time for you to take a more active role within Wrath’s leadership.”
Chapter Forty-Three
REXTON
CASSIA’S HAPPY. ELATED. Fucking ecstatic.
The emotions slam into me, so intense and potent that my footsteps momentarily falter. I’m relieved, and I fight back a smile as her feelings travel through our bond.
I fear that some of the hostility between Cassia and Aziel is my fault. My return to Wrath has thrown Cassia’s life off-balance, and Aziel hasn’t supported her wishes to have me killed. They’ve been at odds for a while now, and it’s nice to see things shifting.
Relief tumbles through me as I push open my office door. I haven’t been here since joining Cassia in Raum’s war camp, and I fear the work that’s built up in my absence. The fear mounts as I step into my office, and I groan as I eye the comically large stack of paperwork on my desk.
I’ll worry about it later.
