ALEXANDER
Cole and I had been at it for over an hour, talking over maps and documents spread across the table in his room.
“Patrick won’t stay quiet for long,” Cole said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “If he’s half as paranoid as I think he is, he’ll make a move soon—either an attack or an alliance. We should hit first, before he does.”
I shook my head slowly. “No.”
He frowned. “No?”
“I’m not rushing into this.”
Cole stared at me like I’d just said something unrecognizable. “You’re serious.”
“I am.”
He leaned back, eyes narrowing in disbelief. “Since when do you wait to strike?”
“Since the last time I didn’t,” I said quietly.
That silenced him.
I straightened the maps, not because they needed straightening, but because I needed something to do with my hands. “We’
