Page 48 of Wings of Destruction

Because it’s important, because I know there will certainly be a reckoning later, I force myself to read the entire thing.

The letter goes on to detail my supposed faults and what it means not only for our part in the war effort but Roman’s reputation. The last and final cherry on top of the written beatdown comes in the form of a sentence lauding Tristan for his efforts to right my mistakes.

“Tristan had to step in to cover for you and it is not his position to do so. His actions show a strength of character…” I trail off in disgust.

My cousin, the golden child with sunshine streaming from his backend, and I am supposed to bend down and get eye level with it.

No thanks.

I roll onto my side and land on both feet, striding to the fireplace. A flick of a button sends the gas spiraling up through the logs, pumped through pipes in the stone walls, and I take great care to strike a match against the mantel. A flame bursts to life.

I toss the match into the logs, waiting for them to catch, and add the letter to the depths of amber.

“Sorry, Dad.” The edges burn and the ink burns bright green before the paper is gobbled. “I’m never going to be Tristan.”

I’ll never be the kind of man Roman Ryson wants me to be no matter how many punishments he brings down on my head.

The fireplace isn’t as quick or efficient as dragon fire but in this case, it does the trick.

The rebellion isn’t just about my father anymore. It’s about every village like Fallkirk, every girl like Morgan who becomes collateral damage in his war for control.

It’s about the fact that I stood there and watched Evie grind someone into the dirt who should have been untouchable.

I refuse to live my life by Roman’s definition of strength. He holds himself to a strict code of rationalized conduct although his moral code has been corrupted somewhere in his life. Unfortunately, he expects everyone else to fold themselves into the same tiny, warped box.

Anyone who doesn’t is considered a traitor.

“Should I expect an entire novel next time?” I tell the flames. “Invent some new insults for next time.”

Ryson won’t care. He cares about very little these days except his own goals for the future and if someone gets in the way of his vision, he crushes them. Even his son.

Even my mother.

When I was thirteen, Ryson took me from my mother and forced me into a proper education. Under his watchful attention. I rebelled exactly once.

I snuck out and went home, back to my mother, prepared to make a stand like a man and choose my own life. Screw my absent father who only cared about me when it benefitted him.

Ryson respected the act, he did. But he’d never let any son of his be a farmer. So he slit my mother’s throat and let the blood spray everything in the room, including me.

“You will either fall in line or you will learn the consequences the difficult way,” he’d said mercilessly. “I trust we won’t have to have this conversation a second time?”

I wrap my fingers into fists and drag my mind back from the dark and terrible memories. It won’t change anything.

I’ve done everything my father asked of me and more from that day on and for one purpose. Vengeance burns my throat and mouth as the last bits of paper flake away into dust.

The walls press in on me and I ready myself for the moment when they crash together. The size is double what the rest of the underclassmen are given but there are four walls, a ceiling and a floor, and the box grows smaller as I watch. Lifeless.

Ryson would say that privilege has its perks but I say nepotism can only get you so far if you aren’t willing to stand on your own laurels. The size of the room is a tribute to him, not to me.

The over-large armoire, the king-sized bed, the adjacent bathroom…

Do I deserve it?

Disgusted, I head back outside, down the curving staircase at the end of the hall with the banister warm beneath my palm.

My life is different. Being intimidated by someone else’s strength is what makes my father weak, not strong. How can you justify getting power by crushing those without and cutting off anyone who may have any?

I head left instead of right.