Darling inclined his head to him. “Good, because if I succeed in getting them back, you are to set the record straight with the media about my past. I want you to recant every lie you’ve spewed. More than that, I expect you to support and back my governorship before the rest of the gerents and CDS.”

Giran’s lips quivered. “If you save my son, Your Majesty, I will spend the rest of my life making sure no one ever questions your decency, mercy, or reign. I will give my life for you.”

“Good. ’Cause I need you to rally the CDS to an emergency session as soon as possible. The steps I’m going to have to take are severe and extreme. It’s a move I don’t want to do without the full support and knowledge of the CDS.”

He bowed low. “I will see it done, my lord. You are truly an asset to the people. May the gods bless you for your benevolent mercy, and give you the longest and happiest life imaginable.”

Darling scoffed at his obsequious fawning. The only reason Giran was here was for his son. If anything went wrong or Darling failed in his mission, he’d be the first to lunge at Darling’s back. “Don’t flatter me, Giran. I know what you really think about me when you’re not worried about your kid. Everyone in the universe knows since you’ve been extremely verbose about it. And I would rather have your sincere hatred than unctuous friendship any day.”

Giran straightened and let his aristocratic mask slip so that Darling could see his real emotions. This wasn’t an aristo in front of him. It was a father who was terrified of losing his son because of his own stupidity. “Sincerely, Darling, thank you for at least trying to help me. I do mean that.”

“Let’s hope the gods listen to your prayers.” Because they had very seldom listened to his. “Now, go. Every second wasted is one more your son lives in danger.”

Giran left immediately.

Darling turned to Gera who was still waiting for orders about Zarya. That was the only thing that…

His gaze went past Gera to the monitors he’d had on for the last few days so that he could watch the news and stay abreast of the Resistance attacks, and the gerents’ confederacy of dunces.

All four of the wall mounts showed clips of a League raid on his territory. It was one thing for Giran to tell him. Another to see it in full color. The League soldiers were shooting indiscriminately into crowds of innocent people, and shoving bystanders around. Men, women, and children.

How dare they! Those were his people.

He’d tear them apart for this.

But that anger fled as he saw the one thing that sucker punched him. It was a video of Zarya in cuffs, being led out of the Resistance HQ and placed into a transport by League soldiers.

His stomach lurched.

Grabbing the control off his desk, he turned the sound up.