"No," Edward said, without even the courtesy of hesitation.
Gabriel blinked. "No?"
"No," Edward repeated. "You refused the last three candidates, sent the fourth into tears, and the fifth into an early career change. Astana said, if you scare one more government secretary into a monastery, we'll run out of applicants by spring."
Irina coughed into her hand to hide a laugh.
Gabriel tilted his head slowly, expression blank. "I don't scare them. I correct them."
Edward's voice was patient. "You corrected one by rewriting the entire budget formula in red ink across three documents and labeling it 'How to Not Embarrass Yourself at Court.'"
"It worked," Gabriel muttered. "The next report was accurate."
"Unfortunately, it was also anonymous," Edward replied, dry as dust. "So no one knows who to reward."
Gabriel threw up his hands. "Fine. No official board."
He turned toward Irina with a sigh that spoke of resignation and tactical defeat. "Irina, you're in."
