“What? How did I agree?”
“Just now. Maybe not verbally, but your admission and body language are agreement enough. You may still be on the fence about trusting us, but you care about Yemi. That’s enough for me.”
“Why are you so openly trusting of me and want this friendship between our groups to work out so bad?”
I try to guide by the rule that no question is a dumb question.
Sometimes, though, people just ask ridiculous things.
“I’m trusting of you because this relationship, whether you like it or not, is inevitable. I don’t agree with my fate being decided for me, but there are some instances I have to admit that the Valories’ interference was the right call. It’s no coincidence that your Valtrue formed the way it did, and our Binders are tied. Our two groups are supposed to work together. We will. The quicker you accept that, the easier my life gets. So if you would…”
I jiggle the stack of parchments at him once again. My frustration only begins to bubble when he finally stands and takes them from me.
“Your trial is in five days, right?”
“That’s correct.”
He nods, flipping through the papers briefly. “Where’s the rest of your evidence?”
My jaw locks.
“That’s all I’m presenting to you for now.”
“All you’re presenting or all you have?”
My eye is desperate to twitch, but I force it to hold steady.
“You have everything you need for now.”
He hums and gives me a tight smile as he marches to my door without a proper goodbye. My shortness didn’t settle with him well.
“Nero,” I call, halting him before he can open it fully. He doesn’t glance back at me. “I swear to you, no matter how your family reacts after this, we’ve got you. You do have people to turn to.”
If not for the way his shoulders drop a fraction, I’d assume he didn’t hear me. I don’t believe this talk went as bad as the last, but unfortunately, Kyzen isn’t here to confirm that or not.
“Finally,” I mumble as I rearrange my desk and force myself to focus on the tasks at hand.
My quiet breath is interrupted by a knock at my door, and I stare forward as irritation blooms hot in my chest.
“Yes,” I call.
“Uh, Mr., um…Rising Chancellor Amick.”
I turn toward the nervous female standing in my doorway.
“I’m here for my evaluation we had scheduled.”
Of course.
My first Attendant.
Too many things to do, and not enough time to do it.
Why must Kyzen be in the Court when I need him here?
Thayla
11
