Free Schism of Blood and Stone (The Starfield Theory Book 1) by Brian Frederico

Damien added.
    “You didn't look as pissed off as I would be,” Slader said.
    Damien bit back a rebuke and continued. “He is far more valuable alive than he is dead, regardless of his age or ability. In fact, in this case, it may help us considerably. Aaron, I need you to go to Legate Ojressi and convince him to lock down the system until we find Kristoffer.”
    “Ojressi will do that for us?” Aaron asked.
    “Doubtful, but I can't have him slip away. Tell him we are looking for a criminal and take Slader with you. Ojressi will believe it more if Slader is tasked with hunting him down.”
    “I don't like it,” Slader grunted. “They are too unpredictable if we leave them alive. Far safer to off the both of them and be done with them.”
    “I need them alive. I cannot take the throne by force so we must use other means that means. I must test their DNA to see if Lord Dietrich's story is actually true. If it is not...”
    “It would mean war with the Sørensens,” Aaron said smashing one fist into his palm with a smack that echoed through the gym. “This is very risky, my lord.”
    “Do you trust me to pull this off?” Damien asked, leveling his gaze at the young knight.
    Aaron nodded firmly. “Of course, uncle.”
    “Now if we did uncover a Sørensen plot, it would mean more than war, it would mean the complete collapse of the Commonwealth,” Damien added with severity. “Now prepare your troops. We will not have much time to react when we receive the distress call.”
    Damien turned to leave, but was stopped short by Reyna's hand on his arm. “My Lord, a moment of your time?” Damien glanced awkwardly at the strong fingers on his bicep, but nodded.
    Aaron snapped his eyes between Damien and his paramour, momentarily confused. She shooed him away with an annoyed look. Aaron let Slader's long legs carry him a fair distance away before he followed in his wake.
    “You should have sent me with Aaron to talk to Legate Ojressi,” she said.
    “Aaron needs to learn for himself. There will come a day when I will be gone and he can't rely on you, a commoner, to help him through difficult situations. He also needs to learn to be authoritative over his cousin. It is a simple task. He can handle it.”
    Reyna frowned in disapproval. She had a diplomatic way with words that often resulted in getting what she wanted. Sending her would have been too easy. Aaron must grow on his own.
    When she hesitated, he asked, “What else?”
    “I got word the other day from Hidelborg. The Administration is not happy,” she warned, referencing the Starfield Theorists' leaders.
    Damien sighed. “They never are. It is not my responsibility to please them.”
    “You haven't been in contact-”
    “I am not their lap dog to come as they call, either!” he snapped. Damien took a breath and calmed himself, envisioning the fire popping and hissing. She is not the problem here, the Administrators demand too much.
    “Nevertheless we are both Theorists and we owe our allegiance to them.”
    “I'm getting tired of their games. They waste their time with petty attacks and empty gestures. It accomplishes nothing,” Damien hissed.
    “There was an execution,” Reyna said calmly, unfazed by the Lord General's outburst. “At Garda just a few days ago.”
    Damien felt his anger seep away like a spilled beverage replaced by a cold rising fear. “Who?”
    “Darren.”
    Damien nodded and closed his eyes for a moment's respect for the dead. “He was so close, but I could not help him.”
    “You were at Remmington. There was nothing any of us could do.”
    Damien frowned. “I was forced to listen to my sister make a fool of herself and Dietrich set up the grounds for a coup d'etat and the Administration blames me.”
    “They didn't say that in so many words...”
    “They twist words just as well as the Sørensens. I don't need their condescension. How did the Azuren find Darren?”
    “The shipment of Azure was a trap,” Reyna