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Charlie cocks her head to the side, her smile growing. “Why don’t you pay Lust a visit? I hear they’ve been missing you over there.”

“I’m avoiding Lust.”

“Why?”

“I’m not interested in meaningless sex.”Fuck.That makes me sound painfully melodramatic, but it’s true. The thought ofrandom, nameless sex isn’t nearly as enticing as it once was. I’d rather be celibate than deal with its dramatics. “I wouldn’t mind a real relationship.”

Charlie’s jaw drops. She looks gobsmacked, which I take great offense to.

“I’ve grown these past years,” I say, eager to defend myself. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Charlie shakes her head, still evidently in disbelief. “Clearly.”

I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. I missed Charlie. I missed our easy banter and her incessant teasing.

“I’m sorry I haven’t come to see you,” I say. “I just… I don’t—”

“It’s okay,” Charlie interrupts. “I understand.” Her voice grows shaky. I hate to hear it. “I’m just happy Mammon’s finally dead, and I’m pleased it was done by the hands of a Wrath who knew Luca. I appreciate what you’ve done for us, Rexton. I really, truly do.”

I turn away, avoiding eye contact. I don’t want to talk about this, not really. It brings up too many painful memories, and I’m ready to move past it. I’m desperate to.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

CASSIA

REXTON’S UPSET WITH me again. It felt like, for a minute there, he had fallen into my clutches. He seemed to be opening up, maybe even trusting me a tiny bit. Then he made me angry, and I lashed out.

He didn’t like my idea, he rejected it without proper consideration, so why should I defend him to the generals? I could tell he wanted me to, that he expected us to be in this together, but he made it abundantly clear that we aren’t partners. I don’t partner with people who don’t listen to me.

I refuse to feel bad about that.

My writing grows rough as my grip on my pencil tightens. I set it down before it breaks. It’ll be the third one today, and that’s too many for one day. My therapist insists that I stop and breathe when I begin breaking things. She called medestructive.

I don’t see it that way, but I still find myself listening to her advice. Everybody around me seems happier when I do.

If Rexton would just listen to me, we wouldn’t be in this predicament. I would’ve backed him up during the meeting, and the generals wouldn’t have dug so hard into him. But he made his bed, and now he must lie in it.

A knock on my office door draws my focus. It’s Jassy.

“Come in!”

The door cracks open, and Jassy’s smiling face peeks inside a moment later. She’s especially chipper this morning, and her smile widens as she brushes her dark hair out of her face and steps entirely into my office.

“Do you believe that I blow things out of proportion?” I ask.

I’ve been told I’m notorious for creating imaginary fights. I get an idea in my head, and the next thing I know, I have five new enemies and intentions to murder. Valeria once told me that my hatred is one-sided and that the conflict in my life is created entirely by me.

Jassy’s smile falls. “Why?”

“Just curious to hear your thoughts.”

Jassy scuffs her toe against the ground. “I think it’s best for our working relationship that we refrain from discussing your mental state.”

What kind of answer is that? She’s avoiding the question, and I lean back in my chair with a low huff. Jassy is many things, but she isn’t a pushover. If she doesn’t want to answer my question, she won’t. I both hate and admire that trait about her.

“Why are you so happy?” I ask instead.

Jassy is a relatively neutral person. She’s rarely upset, but it’s unusual for her to walk around with such a wide smile. I hope it means she has good news to share. I could stand to hear something positive. This week has been stressful, and I suspect tomorrow will only be worse. Rexton and the generals will be presenting their idea to Aziel.