The lavish room felt far too quiet for my liking. The silence was oppressive, suffocating even, as I sat at the edge of the bed, my thoughts swirling in a cloud of unease. The luxurious decor did little to calm me; if anything, it only emphasized how alien everything had become. The thick velvet curtains draped across the windows, the shimmering golden fixtures in the walls, the polished marble floors—they were all meant to be symbols of power, but they did nothing for my frazzled nerves.
I'd been here for a few days, and still, I had not seen Nine. Not since that first meeting with the Supreme Leader, where he had been kneeling at the man's feet like an obedient pet, his expression a shadow of the brokenness inside of him. The memory still burned, but I couldn't let it distract me.
A soft knock at the door snapped me from my thoughts. My body stiffened instinctively, and I stood up quickly. I had grown used to being summoned like this, though I hated it with every fiber of my being. The door swung open, and the assistant entered, a stern expression on his face.
"The Supreme Leader requires your presence, Rhea," he said, his voice cold and impersonal, as always. He barely acknowledged my existence beyond what was necessary.
I followed him down the long, ornate corridors of the Supreme Leader's domain, my heart pounding in my chest and, weirdly enough, no blindfold this time. This was not a man to cross, not someone who could be dealt with lightly. Every step I took felt heavy, as though I was walking deeper into a trap.
We entered a spacious, dimly lit room, where the Supreme Leader waited for me. His back was to me at first, his long, elegant frame towering against the vast windows that framed the night sky. He was a man who commanded attention with just his presence. His face was obscured by a beautiful, intricate mask, its design delicate but imposing—much like him.
"Rhea," he said, his voice smooth and unwavering, as though I were nothing more than an afterthought. "How are you finding your accommodations? Comfortable, I trust?" His words were polite, but I could feel the sharpness beneath them. He was testing me. Always testing.
"I… I'm comfortable enough," I replied, keeping my voice neutral. There was no point in antagonizing him. Not yet.
He turned slowly to face me, the mask catching the light in a way that made it almost seem alive. "Good. I'd expect nothing less. You've been well-treated, I trust?"
I nodded, but inside, my stomach churned. The truth was, the opulence surrounding me did nothing to mask the cruel reality that I was trapped. I wasn't free, and neither was Nine.
He studied me for a long moment before speaking again, his voice low but carrying an unsettling authority. "Now, I trust you've had enough time to reflect on the little 'gift' I sent you. What did you think of the hybrid?" He paused, his gaze intense. "Did he meet your expectations?"
The words made my blood run cold. The hybrid he had sent me was young, far too young, and the conditioning he'd endured was horrifying. How could I have expected anything else from a man like the Supreme Leader? But I swallowed my revulsion, knowing better than to show any weakness.
"He's… well-conditioned," I said carefully, choosing my words with precision. "He's obedient, but it's clear he's been through a great deal. Far more than he should have been."
The Supreme Leader tilted his head, his mask shifting slightly as though considering my words. "And you didn't find that... appealing? His innocence, his willingness to serve? I thought you might enjoy the novelty of such purity. It's rare, you know."
I stiffened. My mind flashed to the childlike hybrid, to his wide eyes and innocent demeanor, and the way he had tried to offer himself to me without any real understanding of what was happening. I had nearly lost control in that moment, but I had managed to keep it together. But now, with the Supreme Leader's words hanging in the air, the disgust I felt was hard to suppress.
"He's just a child," I said, my voice tinged with anger. "What you're doing to him—what you're making him endure—it's wrong. No one should be treated like that, not even if they were made for this purpose."
The Supreme Leader's eyes darkened behind the mask, but his voice remained calm, as though my words were of little consequence. "You misunderstand, Rhea. These hybrids were created for a reason, and they serve their purpose. That's all they need to do."
I clenched my fists, trying to keep my composure. "But there's no humanity in that. There's no dignity. You've taken that from them."
The Supreme Leader stepped closer, his gaze piercing. "What I've done is ensure they fulfill their function. As for dignity, it's a luxury none of us can afford. Certainly not in this world. Do you think I care for such things?"
I wanted to argue, to scream at him, to tell him everything I had been thinking. But I knew better. He wasn't a man who could be swayed by words, and I had learned that the hard way. Instead, I just nodded, my heart sinking further into the pit of hopelessness that seemed to grow with each passing day.
He studied me for a moment longer before turning toward a nearby table. He gestured to a tray of fine wine, its deep red color glimmering in the low light. "Shall we have a drink, Rhea?
I wordlessly nodded
The Supreme Leader seemed pleased with my response, though his expression never shifted behind the mask. "Good. Now, there's something more important we need to discuss."
I tensed slightly. "What is it, Supreme Leader?"
He leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving mine. "I've been considering your role here, Rhea. You've shown a great deal of promise, particularly with your... conditioning methods. I believe you are ready for a new challenge."
My stomach clenched. I already knew where this was going. "What kind of challenge?"
He smiled—an expression that never quite reached his eyes. "Project Wraith."