Chapter 8
Silas’s waterfront faction was smaller than he believed.
That almost made me laugh.
He had mistaken access for loyalty.
I invited every captain he had approached.
Silas sat at the far end.
Elena did not attend.
Neither did Micah.
Their lives were not exhibits.
I asked Thomas Greer:
“Did Silas offer you a future position?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Harbor coordination.”
Samuel Cole?
“Advisory seat.”
Peter Vane?
“Nothing. He asked whether centralized command worried me.”
Different hooks.
Good.
“Did any of you agree to put Micah in command?”
No hands.
Silas looked shocked.
Thomas spoke.
“I thought the boy would have a voice later.”
Samuel added:
“Not at sixteen.”
Silas stared at them.
“You all knew what this was.”
Thomas shook his head.
“No.”
That was the collapse.
Silas had built separate interpretations and assumed they formed one agreement.
They did not.
I looked around.
“Who believes Rossi needs broader advisory input?”
Three hands rose.
I nodded.
Silas almost smiled.
“Good.”
Then I said:
“Who believes that requires kidnapping Elena and building authority around Micah without asking him?”
No hands.
The smile disappeared.
Concern survives villainy.
Important.
I would not destroy the question because I hated the man who exploited it.
We agreed to revisit structure.
Later.
Without Silas controlling it.
Without Micah’s name attached.
Then I looked at my cousin.
“You were right about one thing.”
He stared.
“I centralized too much.”
The room shifted.
“But you were wrong about what that entitled you to do.”
His face tightened.
“No amount of structural concern turns a teenager into your puppet.”
That was the line.
May you like
Silas had spent years preparing to stand behind Micah.
Now every captain knew Micah had never asked him to.
