“You’re ready,” I say. “And honestly, you’ve been ready for a while. It’s time I pass the reins officially.”
“You’re really going to give it up? Going to trust me to lead them? We argue all the fucking time.”
“I trust you.”
He looks at me warily, as if he doesn’t quite believe me. “I’m sure there are going to be things I disagree with from time to time, but I’m also sure that you have this army’s best interest at heart, as well as all of Fourth Kingdom,” I tell him.
He doesn’t take the bait of the compliment, but he does look a little bolstered. “I thought you liked being commander way more than you liked being a king.”
“I do. But this army doesn’t need me anymore.”
“What about Rip? Half the army’s fear factor is because of the notorious rumors about you.”
I give an easy shrug. “I’ll make sure I bring Rip around plenty to show a united front to the soldiers, and I’ll fight when I need to, but for all intents and purposes, Commander Rip is retiring so we can bring in new blood for the coming days. As far as being notorious...I’m sure you’ll make a name for yourself.”
He snorts and shakes his head but doesn’t voice any other doubts. “What about Drollard?”
“How often you visit is up to you. But as the true commander, you will have more responsibilities, and that means you won’t be able to go there as often.”
“That’s fine,” he says quickly—eagerly. And that right there is all I need to know to confirm that I made the right decision, that heisready for this. He gestures over at Os. “How come Os or one of the other fuckers isn’t getting this position instead of me?”
“You think any of us want it? Fuck no.” Os rumbles out a laugh. “We’re much better off continuing to be your captains and telling you when you’re shitting the bed.”
“Thanks,” he says dryly.
“So you accept? Officially?” I check.
He stands up, and I stand with him, and to my surprise, he holds out his hand and we shake. Much different from the last time we stood across this table.
“Thank you.”
I give a nod as he drops his hand, and I pat him on the shoulder. “Don’t screw up.”
Ryatt rolls his eyes, but it doesn’t have any of his normal acrimony in it. “I’m going to be on your ass about any decisions you make that affect the army, you know,” he warns me.
“Oh, I’m aware,” I say with a smirk.
Another reason why I know I’m making the right choice. Ryatt needs this—needs his own identity, his own purpose, and Auren showed me that. It’s something I should’ve given him a long time ago.
Just then, there’s a knock on the door, and Os thumps over to open it. I see one of the runners pass off a sealed vial, saluting Os as he’s dismissed.
“What is it?” Ryatt asks.
Os twists open the lid and dumps out the scroll inside before passing it to me.
Taking it, I quickly unroll it, eyes scanning over the contents, and then my stomach drops. “Fuck.”
“What?” Osrik asks, snapping out the word in a graveled voice.
“One of the mines. It fuckingcollapsed.”
Both he and Ryatt tense. “Which one?”
I look up from the paper, barely able to stop myself from crushing it in my fist. “Oil.”
Os lets out a curse. “Well, that’s fucking convenient.”
“Way too convenient to be a coincidence,” Ryatt seethes, looking over at me. “What’s going to happen with the First Kingdom deal?”
