Aziel would take this spot if he were attending, but these leadership meetings were officially transitioned to me several months ago. It’s a huge responsibility, and I thought it meant I was on my way to leading Wrath’s military efforts.
That honor has been given to Rexton. I hide my simmering anger behind a friendly smile.
“Good afternoon,” I say, taking my seat.
I pay Rexton the same amount of attention as I do everybody else.
The generals nod. Each has a small stack of paperwork before them, and they skim through the pages with unhurried movements. An identical stack has been placed in my spot, and I suck my cheeks into my mouth as I take a look. The top page contains today’s agenda, and the rest contain supporting documents for each topic.
Rexton put this together.
I’ve been leading these meetings for several months, but I’ve never made such formal preparations. Should I have? I was afraid Aziel’s generals would find it tedious, but they don’t look the least bit upset as they skim through Rexton’s report.
Fuck.
I look up, giving Rexton my full attention. “I would prefer to receive meeting agendas the evening prior,” I say, “so I have time to prepare.” I’m impressed with how level my voice remains. There’s no shake, no quiver, no sign of frustration. I’m playing my part well.
Rexton nods. “Of course. I’ll make sure to do so in the future.”
Will he? It’ll be a good indicator of how aggressive he plans to be in his attempt to steal Wrath from underneath me. Will he act fast and strike hard, or will he take a slower, calculated approach?
I’ll find out soon enough.
The next fifteen minutes are spent in silence as we read the documents and familiarize ourselves with today’s topics. Rexton wishes to discuss the border between Wrath and Greed. Best of luck to him. The mountain range that separates the twokingdoms has been a thorn in Aziel’s side for as long as I’ve been alive—probably even longer. I’m not sure why Rexton thinks he can come in and fix it. He’s cocky.
The generals straighten up one by one, silently signaling they’re prepared to begin. I’m the last to finish, but not by an egregious amount. I make sure of that. I refuse to give them any more reason to discount me.
The generals are polite to me because of my title and strength, but I’ve never been to war. I’ve never fought in combat, and they look at me differently because of it. They view me as an outsider, as a person who will never truly understand the complex nuances of war.
As far as I’m aware, Rexton hasn’t experienced military combat either. He was still a shadow during the last war, and while he kept my mother safe on several occasions, he wasn’t an active participant on the battlefront. He fought in the pits afterward, but that’s not the same.
He’s just as inexperienced as I am.
Rexton rises as I finish reading through the documents. The room’s attention shifts toward him, and I cross my arms over my chest before leaning back in my chair. He’s leading these meetings now, and I’m eager to see how he handles them. Will he be any good?
I hope not, but he most likely will be. The fates are always against me.
“Before we begin, is there anything specific anybody is hoping to discuss today?” Rexton asks the room.
I shake my head. The generals do the same.
The two I usually avoid are sitting on either side of me, their power stifling. It threatens to distract me, but I focus on Rexton. This meeting is essential, and I refuse to let them pull my focus from the demon across the table.
Rexton begins. He’s prepared and well-spoken, and after a few minutes, I come to the painful realization that he’s also intelligent. I’m not too surprised. Despite his parents’ abuse, he was sent to the best private schools within Wrath. His family was wealthy, and they ensured Rexton was given an education many would kill to have. My siblings and I attended most of the same schools.
Well, Valeria and I did.
David was pulled out shortly after his sixteenth birthday. His incubus needs kicked in with puberty, and he was having difficulty focusing beyond his newfound hunger. He was transferred to a school within Lust. They were better suited for his needs, and from what I understand, he thrived there.
At least, that’s what I’ve heard. I never paid much attention to his whereabouts. David was irrelevant to me. I had ambitions to chase, and monitoring my brother’s lifestyle and education wasn’t a part of them.
“That won’t work,” I say, cutting Rexton off. “The mountains are too steep, and the building cost is too high. Not to mention the cost of maintenance. It isn’t feasible.”
This is a battle I’ve fought and lost several times. I agree that we need better military coverage along the long mountain range splitting the border between Wrath and Greed. There are several weak spots, but the cost to improve our coverage is unbearably high. Convincing both the generals and Aziel to agree to set aside such a significant portion of our defense spending is impossible.
“I’m not looking to build campsonthe mountain range,” Rexton says.
I raise a brow. What the fuck is he intending to do, then?
