Page 123 of Decimation

He nods, satisfied, and rises from his chair. I stand as well, extending my hand.

“Thank you for your time,” I say.

He shakes my hand firmly, his grip confident. “Thank you, Grand Master. Your leadership is a beacon of hope in these uncertain times.”

I smile, though the words taste bitter on my tongue. Leadership. Hope. It’s lies, all of it. And unlike my brother, I’m not so stupid as to fall for all this false flattery.

As I see him out, another man enters. A high-ranking Lord from the U.S, his expression grave. We exchange pleasantries before settling back into the chairs.

“The situation with Charles,” he begins, his voice low. “It’s causing unrest among the lower ranks.”

I nod, my expression serious. “Charles’s betrayal was a blow,” I say.

The senator leans forward, his gaze intense. “And what of the Esau? Are they still a threat?”

I hesitate, choosing my words carefully. “The Esau are a persistent enemy,” I say. “But we’re rooting them out, one by one.”

It’s the same thing I’ve repeated over and over today. The same exact words, but I can see it has the required effect. He nods, as though that is all he needed to hear.

Before he can speak further, a scream pierces the air, sharp and panicked.

I freeze at the sound. I know that sound so well; Leandra.

The Lord’s eyes widen, and we both rise from our chairs. “What was that?” he asks, his voice tense.

I don’t respond, I’m already moving toward the door. He follows after me, his footsteps echoing behind as we hurry down the corridor.

The scene that greets us is chaos.

Leandra stands in the centre of the room, her body trembling, her hands slick with blood. At her feet lies the man I just met with, his lifeless body sprawled on the floor while a steady pool of blood develops around him.

The guards stand frozen, unsure of what to do. I’ve given them strict instructions to protect her, to follow her, but to treat her with respect. I don’t want her to feel a prisoner in this place, though in truth, if that’s how I have to keep her, then I will.

Leandra’s eyes are wild, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. She clutches a dagger, her knuckles white, as if she’s ready to strike again.

I step forward quickly, trying to diffuse the situation. “Leandra,” I say, my voice calm but firm.

She doesn’t respond, her gaze is fixed on the dead man at her feet. “It’s him,” she whispers, her voice trembling. “It’s him.”

I move closer, my hands raised in a gesture of peace. “Who?” I ask, my tone gentle.

She blinks, her eyes finally meeting mine. “He was there,” she says, her voice breaking. “He, he was one of them.… who tried to, who hurt me...”

I glance down at the man, his lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. He was one of them? One of the men who hurt her, who broke her?

My anger is quickly tempered by the realization of the consequences. This man was powerful enough that his disappearance will not go unnoticed.

The Lord steps forward, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. “What’s going on?” he demands, his voice sharp.

I turn to him, my mind racing as I try to come up with a solution to this new problem.

He’s seen too much. He knows too much.

I jerk my head toward the guards, a silent command. They move quickly, grabbing the man by the arms.

“What are you doing?” he protests, his voice rising. “You can’t…”

“Silence him,” I say, my tone cold.