The letter trembled in my hands as I read it over and over again.
The royal seal of Chris Blackwood glared at me like a curse.
> "By order of the King, your son is to be presented at the B.A.M. grounds in three days. Failure to comply will be treated as an act of defiance against the Crown."
I crushed the parchment in my fist. My jaw locked, teeth grinding till I felt pain in my skull.
"My son?!" I barked aloud, pacing across my study.
"The boy is barely out of school and they want to throw him into the fire pits of war?!"
My wife rushed in, her face pale. "What is it? Tell me."
I shoved the letter at her. She read it quickly, her hands trembling. Tears threatened her eyes.
"No… not him. He's our only child. You can't let them take him."
"I won't!" I slammed my hand against the table.
"I gave my life to this empire. I built their roads, I kept their transport moving, I bled my years in service to Blackwood. And this is the thanks? To drag my boy into Soren's den of wolves?"
My rage burned hotter with every breath.
"No! I will face Chris himself if I must! Let him hear from my mouth that my son is not his soldier."
My wife grabbed my arm, desperate. "Careful… no one confronts the King and leaves unharmed."
But my fury had drowned out all caution.
"Then let him kill me! Better my death than to see my son turned into a weapon!"
I stormed out of the study, servants scattering from my path. The letter still crumpled in my fist, I swore under my breath:
"Chris Blackwood will answer me to my face."
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