Pride

Chapter 5: Blossom

I stood in that supply closet for what felt like an eternity, hot tears running down my face. I wasn't even sure why I was crying. The gravity of the situation forced the tiny rivers to flood out of my eyes. He was the Supreme Leader. I was nobody. In his own words, I was just a girl who knew nothing. But still, even with the facts blatantly laid out in front of me, I couldn't stop my heart from racing. I couldn't stop my hands of shaking. I couldn't stop the throbbing pain in my jaw. I couldn't stop the feeling of his fingertips digging into my skin. I couldn't' stop remembering the smell of his body.

He was like having a warm drink on a blistering cold day. Like finally sleeping after hours of exhaustion. Like seeing the stars for the first time. No person had ever made me feel this way in my entire life. Like I was precious. Like I mattered. Like I was home.

And so I cried. I cried and I cried, allowing all of the emotions to pour out of my body.

Eventually, the downpour transformed into a drizzle, and then stopped completely. I continued to stand there, allowing my breathing to come to a normal cadence, before wiping the remnants of the attack from my face and exited the closet.

The files General Brenko had given me laid in a pile in the hallway. They must have fallen out of my hand when the Supreme Leader caught me off guard. I lowered to the floor and stuffed them all into the folder, pulling it close to my chest as I started down the hallway.

General Snider's office was only a few rooms down from Brenko's. I knocked on the door lightly, pulling both hands up to protect the files again.

The door was opened by a tall man in his thirties, his long blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail.

"May I help you?" He asked, eyeing over my shoulder to look down the hall.

"Yes, hello. General Brenko sent me with the new budget documents for the Sump mission. I'm Eladia, his new Ambassador." I said, sticking my right hand out towards him.

He glanced down at my hand for a moment before accepting my greeting and shaking mine in return.

"Eladia. General Snider told me Brenko's new Ambassador was named Ela," he replied, giving me a questioning look.

I gave a small eye roll. "Brenko's the only person who's ever called me that."

The man gave a small smile, the gesture barely visible.

"The name's Crix Daren," he said, releasing my hand and lifting his arm to usher me into the office. "And I'm assuming Brenko offered my skills to you with these files."

I smiled at him and stepped into the office, leaving just enough room for him to close the door.

"Yes, he did. I don't want to take up your time, but I could use some guidance on how to properly do the Cost to Profit analysis. The Supreme Leader has taken an interest in this mission, and I don't want to disappoint the Order on my first case."

Crix gave a real smile this time, his blue eyes crinkling at the sides.

"I'm not surprised the Supreme Leader has taken a special interest in you. Not many people are willing to speak to him the way you did in that meeting."

I ground my teeth together, feeling embarrassed that I had unknowingly made a name for myself.

Crix lead me to a small desk in the corner of the room, pulling my chair out for me.

I settled myself in the seat and opened the file folder in front of me. Thousands of numbers and figures stared back at me, absolutely none of them making any sense.

"Don't get overwhelmed already," Crix said, noticing my expression, "It's really not as bad as it seems. You'll be making these in your sleep within a couple of months."