Cruel War (The Gilded Sovereign 1)

Father sighs, shaking his head before responding. “Let me talk to the Crowns, and we’ll decide what the best course of action is.” My dad, one of the Sovereign Elders. Even though I’m second born, I am a crown as my father’s the head of the society and his colleague, Leonard Harding. His daughter, Kelli Harding, isn’t allowed to become one of the Crowns.

Two Lancasters have never sat at the table before. The vote came in only a month ago for me to be there, and I’m still coming to terms with it.

All my life I’d grown up knowing Philipe, my older brother, would be at that coveted table, but now, we’re both named as successors.

“I want her, I want to break her. She should never have come here,” I insist once more, but he doesn’t look at me. Not yet. When he does pin me with a glare, I know he’ll refuse. “The Sovereign wouldn’t refuse me a job like this,” I tell him. “They’re all too old to do anything themselves.” I can’t help smiling when I say it, earning me a chuckle from the old man.

I shouldn’t mock them because I want this. I hunger to show them what I’m made of, that I belong at the table alongside my brother and the other new leaders who will soon take over. I was named after one of the gods, so I should, in fact, be right there, wearing my crown.

“Ares,” Dad sighs as he sets his pen down and meets my gaze, “I doubt she’s here without eyes on her. Fergus Harrison is her father’s best friend and partner. He’s moved here without any need to. Granted, we’ve got a background check on him, but other than that, we don’t know what his ulterior motive is.”

“I can always put pressure on him. Find out what he’s doing here.”

“No, we wait. You’re too impulsive, Ares. You’ll start a war.”

“And you didn’t?” I bite out in frustration. This isn’t new, it’s an ongoing feud that came to a head five years ago, and I’m done waiting. “Listen to me, Dad,” I lean in, placing my palms on his desk. “If I can sit at the table you ruled over, if I can be one of the Sovereign, then they can gift me this as my first task. I’m ready.”

“Let me speak to the others,” he tells me earnestly. “We don’t like eyes on us, and you’re far too impulsive right now. If you can keep calm, do this without anyone finding out, or even a hint of a rumor about us, I’ll allow it.”

“What if I start the rumors?”

He pierces me with a glare. “Is this about revenge? Or is it about the girl?” he asks.

I shrug, not knowing how to answer him because I don’t know why she’s gotten under my skin. When I saw her talking to Tarian, my blood heated to the point of pain. I wanted to punch my best friend in the gut. Now that I have Dad’s blessing, I will make her run so far, so fast, she’ll never come back to my town. Perhaps it’s time for me to play a twisted little game.

“I like toying with my food.”

Another low rumble vibrates through his chest, the corners of his eyes crinkle with amusement. “Playing with the prey isn’t something I like to do because the more time you spend around her, the more you’ll start to care,” he tells me, something I refuse immediately by shaking my head.

“She’s nothing to me,” I bite out, crossing my arms in front of my chest, as I regard my father. “My anger and need for revenge outweigh my craving for her body.”

He shakes his head as if he knows something I don’t. But I don’t let up. I’ve had girls before and shoved them out the door after. Love? It’s a useless emotion that only causes pain. And if I were to fall for someone, it wouldn’t be the poisonous little flower who’s walked into my town.

“Fine. Break her… If you can,” my father challenges. “We’ll need to be careful, though, a warning would be best. But if she goes running to Fergus, I’ll be forced to do something to shut her up myself.”

“I’ll make you proud,” I affirm with a smirk.

He’s about to respond when his cell phone jolts us both from the conversation. When he answers, I can’t hear the caller’s voice, but I don’t move to give him privacy.

“Yes,” he responds to a question I’m itching to hear. “I’ll have the boys on it. I have a feeling Harrison is going to cause problems,” he says again, then listens further with a few nods before hanging up. “It seems you boys have your first job.” He cuts his gaze to mine.

“What?”

“Dahlia Milton is yours to do with as you wish. We have another visitor to town, and I want eyes on her. She came along with your toy. Rukaiya Harrison can be a task for either Etienne or Tarian. She may cause more disruptions than we anticipated.” He doesn’t seem to be perturbed, and I wonder why he’s not angry.