Free Golden Son by Pierce Brown

thetaskofeliminatingtheSons.ButPlinyhasbeenfailing.HewillcontinuetofailbecausetheSons ofAresareclever,andbecausemymediaadoresgivingthemattention.Butwhentheybecomeathing sodreadfultotheSociety,totheSovereign,tomyfather,thattheverymachineofgovernancegrinds toahalt,Iwillstepforwardandsay,‘Iwillcurethisdiseaseinthreeweeks.’AndthenIwill,withmy media,withthesyndicatessystematicallykillingalltheSons,andwithyougloriouslybeheadingAres himself.”
    “Youwantafigurehead.”
    “I am not glamorous. I do not inspire. You are like one of the Old Conquerors. Charismatic and virtuous.Whentheylookatyou,theyseenoneofthesoftdecadenceofourmeagertime,noneofthe politicalpoisonthathassaturatedLunasinceLune’sfamilyrosetopower.Theywilllookatyouand seeacleansingknife,anewdawnforaSecondGoldenAge.”
    Likefather,likeson.BothtargetingtheSonsofAresinsimilarways.It’schillingthinkingofthe warthatwillragebetweencrimesyndicatethroat-cuttersandAres’sagents.ItwilldestroytheSons.
    “TheSonsofAresareonlythebeginning.Aleveragepoint.Youwanttorule.”
    “Whatotherambitionisthere?”
    “ButnotjustMars…”
    “JustbecauseI’msmalldoesn’tmeanmydreamshavetobe.Iwantitall.Andtogetit,I’mwilling todoanything.Evenshare.”
    “Perhapsyouarenotawareofwhathappenedtwomonthsago,”Isay.“StopaGoldanywhereand
    ask.They’lltellyouwhattheBellonafamilydidtotheReaperofMars.Ihavenoreputation.Theonly thingIinspireislaughter.”
    “Cassius was shamed,” the Jackal says in irritation. “He was pissed on. Beaten at the Institute.
    Embarrassed.Nowhe’sthedeadliestdueleronLuna.Hefoughtanythatwouldcontesthisworth.And now he’s the Sovereign’s favorite new pet. Did you know the old crow is making him an Olympic Knight? Lorn au Arcos and Venetia au Rein both retired this year. That means the posts of Rage KnightandMorningKnightareopen.”
    “She’dmakehimoneofthetwelve?”
    “Heisapieceonherboard.”TheJackalleansforward.“ButItireofplayingpawntomyelders.”
    “AsdoI.MakesmefeellikeaPink,”Isay.
    “Thenletusrisetogether.Ithescepter,youthesword.”
    “Youwon’tshare.It’snotinyournature.”
    “IdowhatIneedtodo.Nomore.Noless.AndIneedawarlord.I’llbeOdysseus.YoubeAchilles.”
    “Achillesdiesintheend.”
    “Thenlearnfromhismistakes.”
    “It’sagoodidea.”Ipauseathisspreadingsmile.“Withoneproblem.Youareasociopath,Adrius.
    You don’t only do what you need to do. You wear whatever face you need, whatever emotion you desirelikeaglove.HowcouldIevertrustyou?YoukilledPax.”Iletthewordshangintheair.“You killedmyfriend,yoursister ’sprotector.”
    “Pax and I had never met before. All I saw was an obstacle in my path. Of course I knew of the Telemanuses,butafterClaudiusgothisbrainssplatteredeverywhere,FathersplitMustangandmeup toprotectus.Putmeinevengreaterisolationthanher.Iwashis heir .Ihadnofriends,onlytutors.He ruinedmyyouth.Andthenhediscardedmeashediscardedyou,becausewelost.YouandImirror eachother.”
    Afightbreaksoutinthelevelaboveus.Ascorchercracks.Bouncersrushupward,cradlingtheir ownweapons.Mostofthepatronssitundisturbed.
    “Whatofyoursister?”Iaskhesitantly,knowingdeepdownthatIhavenootheroptionsleftbutthis one.
    “Do you want to know how she fares?” he asks plainly. “Who shares her bed? I can give you whateveranswersyouwant.Myeyesareeverywhere.”
    “Idon’twantthat.”Ishakemyhead,tryingtobanishthedarkideaofsomeonesharingherbed.Of herfindingjoyinsomeoneelse,evenifshedeservesto.EvenstrangeristhinkingtheJackalknows thesethings.“Issheinvolvedinthis?”
    “No,” the Jackal says with a heavy laugh. “You know she’s with Lune now. It’s hilarious, really.
    Whowouldhavethoughtthatofthetwoofus,she’dbetheprodigaltwin?Well, more prodigal.”
    “Shecannotbehurt,”Isay.“Ifsheis,Iwillcutoffyourhead.”
    “That’saggressive.Butyouhaveadeal.Soyouarewithme.”
    “I’vebeenwithyousinceIgotintotheshuttle.YouknowIhavenootheroptions.AndIknowno other person would ever summon me here . The variables could only lead to this end.” And why