Page 14 of Pet: Torment

“And what of its inhabitants? Have they been allowed integration into the settlement?” Valerian’s words pull me from my thoughts.

I scoff, pulling everyone’s attention.

“Integration? Do you not recall why we went there in the first place? There is nothing to integrate. Humans will remain under inhibitors and be classified as part of the resources offered by the planet,” I say.

The conquering of Earth began over a decade ago in Earth years. We only ever arrived in the first place to ensure they never be allowed to leave their planet’s surface again after the damage they did crash landing on ours while I was off world. But after seeing the abundant resources the planet gave, and the way its inhabitants were ripping through its life, we made the collective decision to rid the world of the parasites attached to it.

“And you are sure there are no more lingering threats on the planet’s surface?” Valerian asks.

I shift my attention to him, my gaze narrowing slightly as I take him in. I can see his discomfort as I study him. I can hear it—I can smell it.

“How long have I been absent fromXyrannis?” I ask.

“Three years,Aureon.”

I release a breathy laugh.

“Three Years. Do you think I enjoy leaving this world to finish what our military failed to do, with a race so weak, they would resort to blowing up all life on their home if it came down to it?” I ask.

Silence passes over the room. No one has an answer for me.

“The only lingering threat that remains is Iriel. The sooner you set a punishment for him and his co-conspirators, the sooner we can move on. His weapons took the lives of Leviathan. And he sacrificed his own to help the creatures we were there to eradicate. He cannot be left for long without a trial or a decision on what is going to be done,” I say, eyeing the council.

They should have already set a date for Iriel the moment he touched down on the planet’s surface, but they are dragging their feet. Once again, they would rather know what has beenadded to the empire and what our next moves are, rather than punish the Leviathan who almost cost them an entire settlement. But as it always happens with them, they know that I will handle it, and they have nothing to worry about.

Ezra speaks from the other side of me, pulling everyone’s attention.

“Have you set a date for Iriel’s trial?” he asks.

“Not yet. We’ve been speaking with—”

“What the hell are you waiting for? More Leviathan like him to get the idea anywhere in our empire? He needs to be made an example—”

“Calm yourself, Ezra,” I say.

He clearly has a personal vendetta against Iriel. While I understand his frustrations, it is not our place to urge the Leviathan to take action. It is our place to guide them to it.

I look at each member of the council as I speak. “Iriel is a traitor toXyrannis. And while his crimes are not only against his own kind, but my siblings and I as well, we are giving him the opportunity for a fair trial. It would be wise to set a date sooner rather than later. We don’t want this marinating among the Leviathan,” I say.

I rise from my seat, signifying the end of the meeting, and the rest of the council follow suit. Our usual return toXyrannisis met with excitement among the people. But the council is hesitant since, for the first time in the history of my rule, a Leviathan has returned in chains for attempting a coup and dragging an entire planet with him. It is clear they do not know how to proceed as they are faced with a threat that indirectly affects them because it involves me.

They think I will retaliate, since I am not my mother and I do not care for this world in the way that she does.

But I currently have little interest inXyrannis’sday-to-day activities. Not when Iris has returned with me and is invadingevery piece of my mind at every turn. Even now, my mind wanders to where she could be and how she is feeling when I should be more concerned about Iriel’s punishment.

Once the room empties, Ezra approaches, and I brace myself for the argument I know is coming.

“You didn’t have to talk over me. I have every right to feel the way that I do toward Iriel. They can’t be hesitant about his punishment. You didn’t see everything that was done in that place,” he says.

“A place you willingly put yourself. I didn’t have to see what he did to you. I saw the effects of it to our people,” I say.

Ezra huffs in irritation.

“You keep telling me I need to mature, but you don’t give me any room to do so,” he snaps.

I turn to look at him, my irritation bubbling to the surface.

“Mature? I overlooked the stupidity of your plan and did not reprimand you for it. Do not make me have to explain to you why getting emotionally involved with a decision that is not ours to make is not a mature action,” I say.