Project Servile : Defect [Book #1] ✔ Complete!

➽ T w e n t y - f o u r : Retaliation

"Evil is always devising more corrosive misery through man's restless need to exact revenge out of his hate."
- Ralph Steadman 

The remainder of the morning and a decent amount of the night was spent securing the grounds. I did my best to push the exhaustion aside while I walked the halls. The atmosphere of the entire manor felt murky and colorless. People that passed me did so in a state of listlessness, many shedding silent tears as they continued on their path. 

King Gustav may not have been the highest on my list of comforting friends but he was still admired by his subjects. Having the small taste of romance that Jaxon introduced me to gave me new insight to how world shattering it could be to lose someone. I could only imagine how Helen was holding onto herself and I suspected that if I were to multiply that thought by ten thousand, would I be slightly close to her real feelings. 

Static sounded in my ear with a warning to listen. I clicked the small device and waited. 

"An emergency meeting has been called. All guard members are to make their way to the briefing room, immediately." 

I suspected that something along those lines would happen. With a steadying breath, I turned on my heels and headed toward the meeting room. My stomach swirled in nausea at the idea of planning a response to Denallsh's attack. How many more people were we going to lose? 

The stagnant, circular room was slowly feeling like a second home within my home. I was one of the last to arrive but all attention stayed on the man who sat in the Commander's usual seat. Prince Jaxon absentmindedly stared at a light fixture directly in front of him, unaware of the eyes glancing at him in pity. Or not willing to address them. I wanted to go to him, to hold his head in my hands and make promises that I had no way to keep. To tell him that it would be okay. But would it?

I took one of the few empty seats left, next to Jordan and one of the newer members who had been left unconscious against the wall. I could feel the shame wafting off of him in thick waves. I reached my hand out and placed it on his, the skin smooth and unwavering. He glanced at me with confusion but didn't make an attempt to remove himself from the gesture. 

"Please don't blame yourself. None of us are to blame. Denallsh is to blame." I whispered, trying to ease his self-loathing. 

The man gave me a brief, unsure smile before Jaxon cleared his throat in signal that the meeting was ready to be started. The whole room turned their scrutiny to their prince. 

"I want ideas, plans, anything that can be thought of for retaliation against the Cathcart's." Jaxon's voice boomed, staying concise and to the point. 

My mind noticed that while he gave everyone a stare of power, his eyes skipped mine. He refused to look at me. I pushed aside the ping of hurt in my heart and focused. 

"We've been trying to think of good ways to drain Denallsh's strength in numbers, but he has all of his allies under protection. Much stronger protection than we can offer right now." Commander Cole spoke, his eyes unsure.