“How can you not?” She studies me with her piercing blue eyes, looking so much like our mother that it chokes the breath out of my lungs. “Living a cautious life won’t protect you, Cal. And living a risky life didn’t kill her.”
“Except it did.”
Our mother was vivacious. Full of life, always ready to try something new and go for what she wanted. Many times her risks paid off, like when she pursued our father despite him being the next king and her being the daughter of a farmer, until that final time when it didn’t.
“You know, you would make a strong leader yourself, Dom.Look at how your soldiers respect you, follow you. You would have no problem getting elected and whipping Avon into shape.”
“I know I could have a head for politics if I really worked at it, but I don’t have the heart for it, you and I both know that.” She pulls her eyes from mine, directing her attention to the cloudy gray skies above us. “And even just the thought of…” Her voice drops. “Please don’t ask me to do it, Cal.”
Shame heats my cheeks for even suggesting it. I can’t stomach the thought of killing my father, so instead I place that burden on my sister? Father’s insult grows more and more true by the second. “I would never place that upon your shoulders, Dom. I know what it will do to me and I would never want that for you.”
“If you knew you could do this without the guilt driving you mad, then would you?”
“Of course.” I lie easily.
Dom picks at the grass underneath us, pulling out small tufts and letting them float off into the breeze. “I think I might have a solution.”
I laugh humorlessly. “Something that will make me feel no guilt for murdering our father?”
“Not something. Someone.”
My stomach turns. “Absolutely not, Dom.”
She tosses a fistful of grass in my lap in some kind of childish protest. “Callum, be serious. This is something you have to do. I understand that it might take you some time to accept it, but we both know there is no other choice. And we don’t know when this predetermined period is going to begin. You need to be ready. And there is someone who can help.”
“A Gifted?”
She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Yes, Cal. A Gifted.”
“You know I won’t let them anywhere near me, Dom, and yet you expect me to allow one of them unfettered access to my mind?”
“Lady Caterine—and all of the Gifted at La Puissance I’ve encountered for that matter—is not like that. She has a reputation for helping people.”
“So did the healer that killed our mother.”
Dom sighs again, this time pushing to her feet. “We both know that’s not what happened. But if you want to allow your stubborn prejudices to color you against a whole group of people you don’t even know, then you are not the man I thought you were. Maybe Father was right, maybe you really are a coward. When you’re ready to grow up and accept that there’s more to this world than your limited view of it, come find me.” She stalks away from me, kicking up clouds of dust in her wake.
I bang my head against the tree, harder this time, trying unsuccessfully to knock some sense into it. I know Dom is only trying to help. Maybe I should give her plan a chance, at least explore the idea. But the thought of putting myself anywhere near La Puissance is enough to make me want to retch.
This is exactly what the Gifted want. They will regain their rights, infiltrate our leadership, divide families. The plan isn’t even fully enacted and yet they are already winning.
I am allowing them to win.
There has to be some way around this, some kind of loophole we can find and exploit. There has to be another solution aside from killing my father and entrusting my mind to a Gifted.
I’m not a coward, but I also refuse to be an idiot. I know in my heart I can be the kind of leader this country needs. I can find balance and restore order. Maybe Dom is right and I’m letting my prejudices color my reactions. And maybe what I really need to do to secure my position is exploit the Gifted the same way they are exploiting me.
Alex,
I know you contacted me at great risk to yourself. I appreciate your bravery. Having a man on the inside like yourself would be invaluable to the Uprising and we welcome your knowledge, insight, and perspective. We are currently gathering funds and organizing our troops. We do not think it will be long before we are ready to move on the rulers of Avon. I know that, personally, that may be difficult to hear, but I also believe you know it is for the best.
I look forward to our partnership.
Sincerely,
August Sotello
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