She looks rumpled. Thoroughly ravished. Mine.
Yasar's gaze tracks over her with calculated interest. "Lady Nesilhan. How lovely you look this evening. That particular... glow suits you."
Elçin's hand moves to her sword hilt. "Say something like that again and I'll remove your tongue."
"Promises, promises," Yasar purrs. "Though I assure you, my tongue has many uses. Perhaps I could demonstrate?—"
"Perhaps you could shut the fuck up," Elçin snaps, her storm-grey eyes flashing. "Or have you been dropped on your head so many times that basic decency is beyond you?"
"Decency is so dreadfully boring, don't you think?" Yasar's smile is all teeth. "Besides, I was merely complimenting our dear Nesilhan on her evident... satisfaction."
"We heard about the provinces," Nesilhan says sharply, cutting through the tension as she moves to join us at the map table. Her eyes are sharp, already assessing the strategic situation. "Seventeen governors. That's catastrophic."
Zoran enters behind them, looking travel-worn and grim. "Make that eighteen. I just received word that Governor Tahir of the Aksu Valley has joined the rebellion. They're citing the same grievances—lack of protection, no military response to Light Court aggression."
"Wonderful," I mutter. "Any other delightful news you'd like to share?"
"The eastern lords are holding an emergency council in three days," Zoran reports, moving to study the map. "They're inviting Light Court diplomats to negotiate terms of surrender."
"Over my rotting corpse," I growl.
"That can be arranged," Yasar murmurs helpfully.
Elçin shoots him a venomous look. "Do you ever stop talking?"
"Only when my mouth is otherwise occupied." Yasar's grin is obscene. "Though I'm always happy to make exceptions for beautiful women who want to silence me personally."
"I'm going to kill him," Elçin announces to the room at large.
"Get in line," I reply.
"Focus," Nesilhan commands, and the authority in her voice cuts through the chaos. "This isn't about personal grievances. Eighteen governors have abandoned us because they don't believe we can protect them. The question is whether we prove them wrong through military force or strategic solutions."
"Military force is currently unavailable," Emir reports grimly. "Our armies are fully committed to western defensive operations. We're already stretched to the breaking point."
"Then we need creative alternatives," Elçin says, her tactical mind clearly working. "Rapid deployment strike forces using shadow magic for mobility. Small, elite units that can respond to threats faster than conventional armies."
I nod approvingly. "Shadow-stepping allows for immediate response times. We could have teams positioned strategically across the eastern territories."
"That addresses immediate threats," Nesilhan adds, positioning herself beside me—not quite touching, but close enough that I can feel the warmth of her. "But we need long-term solutions. These governors need to see sustained commitment, not just emergency responses."
Yasar notices our proximity. His eyes narrow fractionally.
"What about allies?" Zoran suggests. "Other supernatural factions that might have strategic interest in preventing total Light Court domination?"
"The Neutral Territories have closed their borders," Yasar interjects smoothly. "They're maintaining strict neutrality while both courts tear each other apart. Very wise of them, really. Why involve themselves in a losing battle?"
"We're not losing," Nesilhan says sharply.
"Aren't we?" Yasar gestures to the map. "Eighteen provinces in rebellion. Major settlements falling to Light Court forces. Refugee camps overflowing. At what point do we acknowledge reality?"
"Reality," Elçin says with dangerous calm, "is that people like you talk about surrender while actual warriors figure out how to fight."
"I'm simply being pragmatic?—"
"You're being useless," Elçin interrupts. "There's a difference."
"What about the fairy realms?" Nesilhan asks, steering us back on track. Her voice is carefully controlled, but I hear the pain beneath it. "They have significant magical capabilities."
