Chancey’s tone was full of accusation, but I wasn’t going to let him goad me into an argument that would take my attention away from the mission.
“I’ll do whatever I have to in order to make my grandfather proud,” I responded. “Don’t act like you thought I was some saint, because I never was.”
“You need to call this off. People are dying, Charlie.”
The screams of perishing soldiers rose up from the gardens, and I replied, “People die every day. Better they die for me than for someone else.”
“Fuck you,” Chancey spat. “When the hell did you turn so goddamn cold? I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
“Because you can’t. Letting people get too close is a recipe for disaster.” I kept my words even and plain. Fighting was a waste of energy right now.
“Your father?—”
“My father has no spine!” I bellowed, rounding on him. “Do you thinkhehas what it takes to defeat the Warden? Because we all know he’s incapable of ruling a nation. I deserve to be Emperor. I’m stronger, smarter, younger and more willing to do what it takes. My father doesn’t deserve to lick the bottom of my shoes.”
“You could’ve told me about this,” Chancey growled.
“What for? I didn’t think I’d have to enact this plan for years, if ever. I was happy to let my grandfather keep the throne for as long as he lived, but I knew I wouldneverallow my father to rule. Because my grandfather died so suddenly, I’ve had to set my plans into motion and take action quicker than I expected, so excuse me if this isn’t going as smoothly as I hoped.”
“You’re a real piece of work, aren’t ya, Charlie?” Chancey said in disgust. “Out of you two, I thought Ava was the crazy one, but you’re proving to be nuttier than she ever had the capability of being. Say what you want about her being off her rocker, but she’d never pull something like this.”
“Ava still wants to save the world. She doesn’t realize we can’t save the world unless we bring it under our control.”
“Yourcontrol, you mean,” Chancey flung out.
“Do you think any of this is easy?” I came closer to him, feeling my arms start to tremble. “I’m doing this to keep everyone alive and safe. We’re lucky as all hell that mygrandfather is the only one we’ve lost recently, and I’m going to make sure it stays that way. Nobody else has the balls to do what needs to be done around here. I’mnotgoing to allow another one of the people I care about to die on my watch, not when I have the power to do something about it! So what if I’m willing to sacrifice a few soldiers and civilians— faceless, nameless people to me, people that I have no knowledge of? I don’t care if they live or die! It’s worth it to protect what means the most to me! I won’t sacrifice that!”
“You already have! I could’vediedduring that heist!I gave up one of my wings for you!” Chancey bellowed. “I’m never gonna fly again, and you know what? I thought it was a worthy sacrifice, because it was foryou, Charlie.”
I heard the tears in his voice, and I wished I could say it had an effect on me, but it didn’t.
“And here you are, spitting in my face,” he continued. “You were gonna leave me pinned under that elevator, and I even begged you to, because I believed if I died at least it’d be for something bigger than me.”
Chancey gave a low, sickening laugh that was devoid of humor, only devastation. “I fell for that once before when I was a part of the Celestial Church, and I was stupid enough to fall for it again. We were brothers in the ring, and I thought we were brothers still, but you ain’t nothing to me. You’re just another psycho who has big guns, and by fuck you’re gonna use ‘em, aren’t ya, Charlie?”
“You’re damn right I am.” I left Chancey behind me as I turned away, back to the balcony. “I’m sorry you gave up a wing for me, but now it’s my turn to take flight. So watch me fly.”
Chancey’s voice was full of disbelief. “You really don’t care at all, do you?”
“Whatever good was still left in me died with my grandfather. I’m glad it did. It was holding me back from everything I needed to become.”
Chancey fell silent, giving up. I didn’t care if his heart was broken. I’d have to do a lot more damage before this was all over. At least he was still breathing. I couldn’t say the same for so many others that we’d lost along the way. He needed to be grateful for what I was giving him, and happy that he was still alive.
More footsteps entered— dozens of them. I was annoyed. Couldn’t they leave me alone until this was over with? It really wouldn’t take long.
I sensed that one of them was my guard. “Eddie, status report.”
“Your plans are going well, your highness,” Eddie rattled off in a disconnected, far-off tone. “Ilamanthe will be conquered before evening falls.”
“Good. Stay close.”
Cameron didn’t have authority as Emperor until his coronation, so he couldn’t order any of my soldiers to stand down magically. Even so, I didn’t trust Eddie not to turn on me, so I made sure my orders were clear and he remained in a place where I could make sure he wouldn’t go running off.
“Everyone’s here,” Eddie announced. “Kallie, Marcus, Ivy, Danny, Alistair, Ez, Opal… all your friends.”
“Quite a liberal use of the word,” Danny grumbled under his breath. “We've seen what you're trying to do, and this has gone too far. Iknewyou were up to something. I just couldn't put my finger on it. This plan has been brewing within you all along. You didn't even know what you were planning, yourself, but we should've stopped you long ago."
“You couldn’t stop me, not even if you tried.” I was tired of these insolent little games. Did hereallythink he could stand up to me?
