Chapter One
James Roarke pouredhimself a shot of whiskey and downed it, his gaze landing on Veilstone Tower in the distance.The massively tall building was the home and business hub of the Coalition.A pretentious name, granted, but every decision made within its walls affected the city and its chosen people.The Coalition ruled the moneyed wealth with an iron grip, not that the plebeians knew that, of course, since the society conducted its business in silence.He had a hunch why he’d been summoned late that night to his grandfather’s retirement chateau, and if it was what he was thinking, everything was about to change.
Just then, his grandfather, David, walked into the den.“I just got word that Howard Havren is dead.”
Let the shitshow begin.“Hello to you, too, Grandfather.”
“The man isn’t even cold yet and there’s already talk on who will fill his position, since he had no heir,” David said needlessly, ignoring the greeting.
The upper echelon families, including his own, fell into an old money hierarchy.The more generational money you had, the higher you were at the top, and so-on and so forth.Those who had the highest status held the most power.Howard Havren had been the ruthless head of the Coalition, and it was a structure that worked very well for the rich, and very bad for the poor.
“As expected, Landry Sessions has already thrown his hat into the ring and declared he will be the next king,” David said, stepping beside him to pour his own shot of whiskey.
“Landry can go fuck himself,” James stated coldly.
“On that, we can agree.”
“Anyone else?”
“Murmurs, but I wouldn’t worry so much about them.”
The one goal James had always had, from the moment he understood how their world worked, was to lead the Coalition.He’d built himself up to sit on that pedestal, and he’d be damned if anyone would knock him off of it, especially Landry Fucking Sessions.The best term James could think to describe him was an idiotic milksop.The Coalition would crumble if he was put in charge, and James refused to let that happen.
“We cannot let Sessions take control of the Coalition,” his grandfather said, mirroring James’s thoughts.
“I know.”
“Good.”David walked over to his desk in the corner of the room.“If your father was still alive, I would have submitted his name for successor.Instead, I’ve already submitted yours.”
“If I have to kill Landry, I will,” James stated flatly.
“His life is not yours to take.”
Not sure where this was going, James studied his grandfather.“What does that mean?”
David gestured to the chair in front of his desk.“Sit.I have to tell you something.”
James settled in the brown leather wingback chair.
“I was thirteen when Howard was chosen as the next leader,” David said.“My own father was part of the council who chose him.One night, I couldn’t sleep so I headed downstairs to get something to drink, and I remember overhearing him talk about a test that Howard had to pass.”
“What type of test?I’ve never heard this.”
“Of course not, he was the leader the entirety of your life thus far,” David pointed out.“I’m not sure what kind of test.Maybe understanding the business.Loyalty perhaps.Truthfully, your guess is as good as mine.Now, I do know for certain, when the other man who ran against Howard failed, his line was wiped out.”
James tilted his head, processing what his grandfather just said.“Wiped out, as in they were killed?All of them?”
David reached behind him to the bookshelf and grabbed a small leatherbound ledger.He flipped it open and handed it over to James.
“That was my father’s diary,” David said.“Now, the test isn’t documented, but the fate of the man who ran against Howard is.”
James skimmed through the page quickly before going back and reading out loud.“In order to minimize the sense of failure and betrayal by the Coalition, the opposer and his family were eliminated.This was the way to avoid a civil war, and to keep the secrets of the Coalition out of public mouths.”
“You can probably expect the same outcome this time around, as well.Hence the non-important murmurings.Once you and Landry threw your hats into the ring, it spooked everyone else.”
James laid the diary on the desk.“I’m not afraid to die, but it won’t come to that.I will not fail.No one is better equipped to lead the Coalition into the future than me.”
One side of David’s mouth turned up in a wry smile.“Since I am now one of the council members, I can tell you that everyone wants stability in leadership.”
