Total pages in book: 168
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 642(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
To my right is Archer Thorn of Thornhill, and from him onward, Christopher Lincoln, Seth Vant Leven, Malachi Sev, and—the door behind me swings open, her footsteps light as a feather. With her face veiled behind sheer crimson, she slips into the chair farthest from mine.
A Shadow Maiden is more of a presence and less of a human. She’s the staple of divergency, hung out in front of the masses like a toy. They say she’s the peacekeeper. I’m guessing people are only intrigued by her because she carries herself the same way a requiem does during a funeral service.
Archer, who I have a fucking bone to pick with because now I know for a fact Luna hadn’t been with him, and now, I need to figure out why the fuck he thought he’d hide it from me. Trying to figure out anything going on in this world is useless.
Not even DaVinci himself could crack our code.
“What I’m saying is we can’t have him in office. Since Hector Hayes, no offense,” Archer mutters in my direction. He and I own different sides of the same scale, so there’s a mutual level of respect that has always been shared between us.
Archer continues. “People are wanting change. They don’t want to see a gangster in office anymore. We can’t put Dominic Vant Leven in.”
Seth laughs, but it’s not kind. I’m beginning to learn that although every person seated here tonight is dangerous, weapons being left at the door before entry isn’t needed.
Seth for one, could have you killed before you walk into any room, Malachi would slice you in fifteen different ways and gaslight you into thinking you made him do it, and Archer? Well. Archer’s particular poison isn’t something I’m familiar with.
That annoys me.
Which, in turn, makes him interesting.
“I get what you’re saying, but contrary to that, Hector—” Seth pauses a moment, bringing his dark eyes to mine. I don’t know as much about the Vant Levens as I should, but everyone in this room shares a common foundation. One that’s untouched and important. They protect it like it’s the Bible.
I should probably learn that before I do something in character and kill everyone sitting in this room. It’d take me less than five minutes, starting with the strongest here.
My eyes land on Archer.
Seth continues, distracting me from the bloodbath of a century I’ve created in my head. “—completed two presidencies. If he was bad, how’d he manage that?”
“Because when people are left with two, they usually have to pick one or they get thrown in jail,” I answer, bored. This idiot. I’m seriously considering asking how this team was created. “It’s law to vote. People usually choose the one who talks the most shit.”
The reminder of my ancestors creating this hellish cult of The Echelon of the Fallen.
Fallen.
Interesting choice of word, since not a single one of these motherfuckers have fallen an inch from the thrones they are so privileged to sit on.
I get why it was formed. No matter how much power the Elite Kings had, we’d never have it all if we didn’t have allies. We need a sovereign who would be in a political field of ruling—the current argument at hand since my pop was president—a genius, the mind of a hacker, who can control every aspect of technology no matter how advanced—Seth! A financial mastermind, with his hands in the honeypots of all trading and a background of the rich and poor, he knows how to manipulate his way around every bank account—Vant Leven! And the enforcer of power dynamics and manipulation. With a ranking and power that has an invisible pull on every aspect of the world, this is The Echelon’s biggest secret. They are the “How the hell did that happen?”
They are us. The Elite Kings.
The rest of the conversation continues, before Vant Leven moves on to what’s happening in finance and who is running the streets with skrilla control.
Archer turns his chair toward me, spreading his legs wide as they all continue in the background. I wouldn’t want beef with a single person in this room, but they wouldn’t want one with me even more. The only people capable of taking out either of the organizations in this room, are those sitting in this room.
It’s a simple case of keeping your enemies close.
“What’s your vote?”
My eyes land on Archer. “You.”
He tsks under his breath, his finger working his upper lip. “You give me too much credit, Hayes.” A beat of silence. “Especially since you found out I lied to you.”
I’ve thought about this a thousand times since figuring out she wasn’t with him. It made sense in a way that it didn’t. Which is exactly where you start with anything to do with a King.
My chair squeaks when I turn to him. “You didn’t lie. You kept a secret. They’re two different things. One requires trust, and the other is a symptom of loyalty. My only question is—” I flip open my Zippo, nicotine leaves drying on my lip. “Ever cheated on anyone, Thorn?”