“Really not trying to be.” He sighed. “I knew, given what Arturo had done to me and my reputation, that this would never be an easy transition. I always expected the gerents to protest my governorship and to mudsling to the point I contemplated murder.”
But what he’d never considered was coming to power after he executed his uncle… with his bare hands. And what that would do psychologically to the people who hated his uncle as much as he did, and with a lot less reason to do so.
He’d hoped to have at least some of the gerents back him, and he’d relied on the mistaken belief that the people would welcome him in after living under Arturo’s greedy fist.
However, after tonight, that wasn’t going to happen. So much for allaying the gerents’ fears.
Now, everything was so much more complicated than he’d ever anticipated. While he’d known Caronese people didn’t like him, their unreasoning animosity was slowly shredding what little confidence he had.
And that could ultimately tear the empire apart.
One match, and the gerents would now ignite the fires of rebellion against him.
I swear, Dad, I will protect the things you love most… That na?ve promise haunted him.
“Maybe I should abdicate and let Drake take over.” Everyone loved his brother…
She pushed herself up to give him a scowl that resonated, ‘are you stupid?’ “You can’t. Drake’s not old enough to rule, and Ryn won’t take on guardianship for him. The rest of the gerents… they’re selfish bastards out for themselves. They don’t care how their decisions affect other people. You’re what this empire needs. Not them.”
Her loyalty touched him deeply, especially since he knew what she truly thought of the Cruel family and their elongated reign. Over the years, she’d ranted against all of them repeatedly. “The best thing that could happen for this empire would be a gas leak in the palace that took all of them out at once.”
Yeah, those words had been hard to swallow. But he’d more than understood her malice, and he’d never held it against her.
Still unsure of what would be best, he turned on the wall monitor. Immediately, it showed Giran being interviewed. Through his shifting vision, he saw that Giran’s eyes were blackened and his nose taped. There was a white bandage wrapped around his entire head. He looked awful.
I should have hit him harder…
Giran licked his bruised lips. “We have to remember that Governor Cruel comes from a long line of unstable genes. Why do you think all of them have been assassinated? Our latest leader is the worst of them. I’ve released his medical file for public review. Right here”—he held up the mobile reader in his hand—“the psychologist says that Governor Cruel had to be restrained due to his violent outbursts, and this while he was sedated…”
He glanced down at his mobile so that he could read the report verbatim. “ ‘Patient Cruel is showing no improvement or remorse for his past behavior, whatsoever. He continues to be belligerent, lunging out against the staff and cursing all of us. He’s resistant to our best efforts to rehabilitate him. Yesterday, he broke the arms of two guards. When asked how he felt about putting them in the hospital, he responded that he not only enjoyed it, but that he’d gladly do it again. And that if he was able to, he’d harm me as well.’ ”
Zarya gaped at Darling.
His features darkened as he clutched the remote in his hand. Vicious memories of that event rushed through him and he wanted blood for it. He returned her shocked expression with a fierce growl. “They were violating me with a pole and the doctor stood there watching, telling them to be more sadistic with it. When they hit me in the arm with the pole, it knocked loose one of my restraints. As soon as I had my arm free, I beat the shit out of them. And yes, I enjoyed it. Every second of it, and every scream they let out while I did it. My only regret was that they sedated me before I could kill them.”
Zarya felt sick at what he described, and at the shame that tinged the anger in his jerking eyes. Damn that bastard for dredging up something so foul.
Still, when one didn’t know Darling’s side of the event…
“I understand, but it sounds so bad from the doctor’s point of view.”
“Of course it does. You don’t really think he’d put in a report that his treatment was to sanction the brutal rape of a patient, do you?” He cursed under his breath as the reporter continued to question Giran about his mental capacity and inability to lead them.
Zarya cringed with every word. The saddest part of it all was that Darling would never set the record straight. His shame and horror over it ran too deep.
And she couldn’t blame him for it. In his place, she wouldn’t breathe a word of it either.