Page 221 of Scarlet Wars
“Colt.” No humor, all edge. “I was visited by the High Chief this morning.”
My blood didn’t freeze, itvitrified. “What? The fuck did he want?”
Charles blinked, one ginger brow lifting at the unexpected bite in my tone.
“Not much,” he said, though the pause beforehand betrayed him. “He wanted assurance. If global war breaks out between species… Crown stands with their own.”
I stared at him, jaw tensing until I felt the grind of it in my molars.
Bullshit.
The Chiefs didnotwaltz into Crown like it was a casual diplomatic brunch just to get a confirmation they could have secured with a ten-second Nexus connection.
“That all?” My voice came out flat. Skeptical. Zero decorum.
“Seemingly.” Charles folded his arms. “But the personal nature of the visitdidsurprise me.”
A humorless laugh scraped out of me. “It wasn’t a visit. It was reconnaissance.”
His forehead creased. “You think?”
“I know,” I corrected.
“Any particular reason the United Chiefs are suddenly so interested in Crown?”
I shrugged as I prepared to lie to my Leader. “Probably still holding a grudge over that whole ‘we refused to kneel to the consensus’ thing.”
Charles hummed. One of those vague, uninterested sounds that meant his brain had already half-checked out. “Maybe.”
He exhaled like the conversation physically pained him. Charles cared about exactly two things: golf and poker. How a man with the work ethic of someone perpetually on the brink of a nap had become Leader of Crown was still one of the world’s great mysteries. The position predated my birth by several cycles, and somehow, our Council had never even considered replacing him.
“Fine,” he said, waving a dismissive hand. “I trust you know what you’re doing.”
I offered a slow, lopsided grin that tasted more like teeth than humor. “Don’t worry, Charles. I’ve got everything under control.”
He gave me a curt nod.
Which meantI’m ending this call now.
Then the connection snapped.
But the air in my lungs had soured. We’d pushed the Chiefs back at the border. We’d won the damn skirmish.
I wasn’t arrogant enough to believe they’d leave it at that.
After dragging a hand through my hair, I jumped to my feet and began pacing the room.
If my Collective was on their radar while I was stuck on this side of the world…then Crown was exposed. Vulnerable. And I wasn’t there to protect it.
I had faith in Saoirse, but if the Chiefs were now targetingher…
The door creaked.
I stopped mid-stride as Emma stumbled in, drunk as a summer festival and twice as charming.
“Hi, baby,” she slurred, sing-songy and soft. She made a beeline for me; arms stretched like I was magnetic. The kissshe planted was brief, messy, tasting of peat smoke and bad decisions.
I didn’t let it stay brief.
