Chapter Twenty-Five
CASSIA
REXTON IS WAITING for me in my office. He’s sitting opposite my desk, his long legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles. He’s sure making himself comfortable. How long has he been here? Why didn’t Jassy warn me?
I grimace, swallowing the giant mouthful of the sugary bread treat I shoved into my mouth mere milliseconds before stepping into my office and noticing Rexton. The unchewed food fights against my throat, demanding it spend more time between my molars. I ignore it.
It’s painful, and I hope Rexton doesn’t notice my mild choking.
Judging by the slight upturn of his lips, he does.
“What”—I cough, placing a hand on my chest—“do you want?”
I kick my office door shut and walk around him, careful to keep a wide berth. Rexton and I rarely interact outside of scheduled meetings, and this visit is unprompted. I suppose I paid him an unscheduled meeting yesterday, but that wasn’t an invitation for him to do the same.
I check my calendar every morning. It’s the first thing I do after rolling out of bed, and this morning is free of meetings. That’s why I took a slight detour to my favorite pastry shop on my way to work.
I’m regretting that decision now, and I spare a glance at my black shirt to ensure no crumbs are lingering. The fabric is clean, thank the fucking gods. A woman can only endure so much humiliation.
Rexton clears his throat. “I appreciated your honesty yesterday.”
Well, I sure fucking hope so. I didn’t enjoy providing it, but I have to gain his trust somehow. I suspect this will be the most effective way.
I’m willing to bet that Rexton has severe attachment issues, and I should’ve taken that into consideration sooner. It makes sense. His family betrayed him in the worst way possible, and that’s sure to take a toll.
“I truly wish to start over with you, Cassia,” Rexton continues. “I understand you’re upset I killed Mammon, and I assure you I wasn’t intentionally trying to hurt you. I have no interest in leading Wrath.”
I tap my foot against the ground, unable to tell if he’s being sincere.
Rexton has already earned the affections of my kingdom, and he’s been given the position I’ve spent years working toward.
It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s intending to steal my birthright.
It’s happening with or without his explicit intervention.
Rexton might be a nice guy. It’s entirely possible. But it doesn’t change anything.
“I would like to start over, too,” I lie. “Hating you is quite exhausting, and I don’t have the energy.”
Hating Rexton is exhausting, but I don’t mind. I’ve never shied away from hard work. I’m comfortable with it, and I love a challenge. It’s where I thrive.
Rexton shoots me a tentative smile, almost like he believes what I’m saying. It’s hard to know. He lived among the Greeds for over two decades, and he convinced Mammon to marry him into her family. He’s remarkably skilled at deception.
I draw in a breath. “Have you taken my concerns into consideration?”
I’m still bothered by Rexton’s dismissive statement yesterday. He should be thankful for my insight. People love to think I’m undeserving of my position, that I was given it only because I’m Aziel’s daughter, but that’s simply not true.
I graduated top of my class, and I work hard. For years, I’ve been the first one here and the last one to leave, constantly striving and pushing myself to be better. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t. Aziel doesn’t operate that way. He’s given me nothing.
“Well?” I tap my fingers against my desk, waiting for Rexton to answer. “Have you?”
Rexton nods. “I have. You bring up a good point, and I agree there’s merit in moving the bases farther north. I’d like to hear more before meeting with the larger group this afternoon.”
Excitement flares, but I tamp it down. Rexton isn’t agreeing to anything, but having him on my side is a huge benefit.
The generals don’t love my ideas, but Rexton has their favor.
They love him, practically creaming their pants whenever he steps into the room.
The generals are some of the angriest people I’ve ever met, but they turn into giddy, lovestruck fools for Rexton.
“What would you like to know?” I ask.
“Everything.” Rexton stands, drawing attention to his height. His loose robes hide his muscular frame, but I know it exists. He’s not to be underestimated. “I have a model of the mountain range set up in Aziel’s meeting room. I’d love to look it over with you.”
I’ve been avoiding Aziel’s meeting room. He has the best modeling equipment, but it’s directly beside his office. He’ll overhear me, and he’ll find an excuse to pop in once he realizes it’s only Rexton and me inside.
I’ve successfully managed to avoid seeing my father this past month, and I’m in no hurry to change that. Aziel is dead to me. Silas is dead to me. My relationship with Gray and Mom are okay, but not great. They’re the only two I tolerate.
I bite into my pastry as I consider Rexton’s request, weighing the pros and cons.
It would be nice to examine a model of the mountain range as we discuss options.
The generals won’t be pleased about any proposed changes this late into the project, so Rexton and I should come to them with as much information as possible.
I don’t wish to speak to Aziel, but I can’t avoid him forever.
“All right.” I shove the remainder of my pastry into my mouth, not caring if the action is unattractive. “Let’s go.”
Rexton raises his brows, his gaze falling to my mouth. He’s judging me. I don’t care. I’m trying to earn his trust, not his undying love. Him catching intimate feelings would benefit my cause, but I’m not aiming for that.
I’m beginning to believe Rexton is avoiding all intimate relationships. As far as I’m aware, he hasn’t shown the slightest interest in any woman since returning, and I’ve heard no rumors of secret affairs. He’s uptight, so I’m aiming for friendship.
I didn’t anticipate it being this damn hard.
—————
A model of the mountain range is already running as we step into Aziel’s meeting room. I shut the door after Rexton enters so Aziel doesn’t happen to walk past and see me. I doubt it will keep him out, but it’s worth a try.
A three-dimensional, holographic model of the mountain range spans the entire length of the table in the center of the room. I mess with the settings until it’s no longer translucent. I prefer it to appear solid.
The proposed bases Rexton and the generals have been discussing have been marked red, and I give them a quick scan before moving north.
The mountains are jagged and unforgiving, including the terrain surrounding them.
Building in most spots is nearly impossible, and the underground lava pits even further limit us.
“This is where I was thinking,” I say. I point to the spot I’ve been secretly eyeing for the past few weeks. “The mountain is thinner so the bases and tunnels will have to be smaller, but it’s historically been a popular area for Greed’s troops to cross.”
Rexton hums, quietly evaluating the spot. Then he moves to the dial on the wall, adjusting the settings to show weather patterns. I’ve assessed this spot from every possible angle, and I already know what he’s about to find.
“There’s too much rain runoff,” Rexton says. “We can’t build a base in a location that’s actively eroding.”
I frown. “It isn’t actively eroding. It’s—”
“No.”
I clamp my jaw shut and bite my tongue so hard, it bleeds. Who the fuck does Rexton think he is? He’s not listening to me, and he’s dismissing my ideas as if I were a wayward pest to be flicked away.
Rexton moves forward, still evaluating my suggested location. “It’s not a bad spot, but the generals will never go for it. Let’s keep looking.”
I shake my head. “The generals respect your opinion. They’ll never go for it if I recommend it, but they’ll consider it if you back me.”
Rexton’s gaze flickers in my direction. There’s pity in his expression, but I turn away before determining for sure. I don’t care what Rexton thinks of me, and I sure as fuck don’t need his pity. I read his file. He’s the one who deserves pity.
Rexton walks around the table, evaluating the model. He’s looking for alternatives. There aren’t many.
He eventually pauses beside me, his shoulder brushing against mine. The touch immediately puts me on edge.
“What about here?” he asks.
My fists unclench, and I straighten out my spine as I shift my attention to the spot Rexton’s gesturing to. It’s south of my suggested location, and I don’t love it. We should keep looking north.
I sink my teeth into my bottom lip, evaluating the other spots I’ve been eyeing these past few weeks. None of them will work, not the way I want them to. Not the way Wrath needs them to. The location Rexton turned down was the best of them.
This wouldn’t be a problem if Aziel weren’t so stingy with Wrath’s finances. Our resources were drained during the war, but that was over twenty years ago. Things are better now.
Besides, Lust is drowning in wealth. They have more money than they know what to do with, and I don’t have the same reservations as Aziel about tapping into it. He and Gray chose to operate their kingdoms as two separate entities, but David is weak.
I’ll force him to submit to Wrath. I’ll absorb his kingdom.
It might anger the other realms—and maybe even the fates—but I’m not concerned with that.
“Well?” Rexton urges. “What do you think?”
I frown. “I want to be farther north.”
Rexton snorts. I take offense.
“What?” I snap.
“Nothing.”
I spin, facing the smirking demon. “Why are you laughing at me?”
“I’m not.”
“Yes, you are!”
I glare at him, at his upturned lips and crinkled eyes. He is laughing at me, and he’s doing a piss-poor job of hiding it. Only yesterday, he was concerned I poisoned his tea, and now he’s openly laughing at me. He must not value his life.