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My fingers ran along the table, feeling the cold, smooth surface under them.
The key wasn’t in selecting someone competent; it was about choosing someone desperate enough, someone with enough greed and folly to believe they could seize the empire and yet not truly understand the weight of it.
And then it hit me.
Who better than the antagonist of our recent past?
Druin, the very definition of ambition without foresight.
The one who’d been a thorn in our side, who believed he could ascend to power by brute force alone.
Perfect!
He would be more than eager to step into my shoes, basking in the illusion of his triumph.
And with him at the helm, even temporarily, it would divert attention from our escape.
While he reveled in his new-found “power,” we would find our freedom.
I sat down, pulling up the comm link.
The soft blue glow of the screen illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows.
I dialed Cayggod, the familiar beep-beep rhythm in my ears bringing a sense of urgency.
“Boss?” came Cayggod’s gravelly voice, rich and deep.
“Cayggod, I’ve figured out the next step in our plan. I need you to set up a meeting. Discreetly.”
“With whom, boss?”
A smirk danced on my lips. “Our friend Druin.”
There was a momentary pause. “Are you sure about this?”
Although Cayggod knew nothing about my plan to fake my death, he had nonetheless been working at my side for so long he knew when something dramatic was in the works.
I leaned in closer to the comm, the warmth of the screen against my cheek. “Yes, my friend. It’s necessary.”
Cayggod nodded. “Consider it done.”
The call ended, and I was left with the ambient noise of Ikmal once again.
The weight of the decision made my mouth dry, and I took a sip of water, the coolness spreading through me.
Just then, the door slid open, and Isla stepped in, her fragrance wafting through the air, a mixture of fresh flowers and a hint of something uniquely her.
The sight of her calmed my racing heart, grounding me amidst the impending storm.
“Everything okay?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.
I pulled her close, relishing in the softness of her touch, the warmth of her embrace. “It will be,” I murmured, kissing her forehead. “It will be.”
* * *
The heavy steel doors of my office slid open with a smooth mechanical precision, revealing the towering, yet familiar silhouette of Druin.
His presence felt like a storm rolling in, cold and dark.
