Page 49 of Rite of Unity

In the fifty years since it had been erected, no one got in unless they were invited.August had made sure of that; built his name on putting down the threat beyond it.So many radiation-poisoned people intent on burning our last remaining hope to the ground.

He’d seen a lot out there.It was the reason he was so cold.Why he drank so much.

I’d never understood the threat they truly posed until one of them was standing in my ballroom.

But at least one good thing had come out of it.

Maryn.

She had Elite blood in her veins.

She was a real option.

The doors slid open on the tenth floor, and I strode the length of the hall, raising a fist and knocking.

“Come in.”

I pushed the door wide, frowning.“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

Calden Charles, Gideon’s heir, looked up from a desk stacked with rows of slender silver bars.

“I work here.”He looked back down.“You don’t.”

I wanted to punch his smug face the way he punched that rebel’s.He knew exactly what he was doing when he took that shot.Of course the drones were gone, but there were always cameras.They recorded everything.

He would be the hero while I just stood there like an idiot.

“I’m here for the tapes.”

He looked up again.

“They aren’t ready.”

I slid a hand into my pocket, scanning the labeled stacks.

My gaze snagged on a bar near the back.Clearance six and above.More footage outside the wall for August, no doubt.

“Trial Four is right there.”

He met my eyes with black, soulless ones that burned into me.What was his problem?

“Some… are ready.”

I curled my fists at my sides.“I’ll take whatever you have.”

He tapped his pen against the glass.

I slid six bars off the tray and into my pocket.“And the ratings?”

He didn’t look up this time.“Still coming in.We’ll have them all by Thursday.”

“Thursday.”

He pushed back his chair and stood.“We have record votes.I don’t have enough staff in the office to count them fast enough for you, Your Highness.”

My jaw flexed as I bit back a reply.“Just give me the running tally as it is today.And I need a room.”

He smirked.“It must chafe that you can’t watch them at home any day other than Monday.”