“Hojat was worried about that.”
Ryatt levels me with a look. “What’s going on, Slade?” he asks. “Why haven’t we started dismissing everyone who isn’t in the standing army? Why are you keeping everyone here?”
I look between him and Osrik, and then I catch them both up on everything that’s happened, including the dinner we had with Manu three nights ago. Os spools out a string of curses several times during my explanation, but Ryatt grows quiet. I know my brother. The quieter he becomes, the more furious he is.
“Well, fuck,” Os says when I finish. He rubs the back of his head. “This isn’t good.”
“Understatement of the year,” Judd mumbles as he picks at the dry edge of the wood table.
“We knew they’d do something to try and force my hand, but I didn’t expect this. Queen Kaila and the others are going hard.”
Judd yanks a splinter off the edge, using it to pick at the grains on the tabletop. “What I don’t get is why they’re risking pissing off King Rot.”
“Someone has to take the fall for two dead monarchs in one night,” Lu replies. “They’re choosing Auren as their target.”
“They’re scared of her,” Osrik says. “These fucking rumors. No wonder the other rulers have their knickers in a shit twist. They’re worried she’s gonna steal more magic.”
“The rumors and propaganda have spread more than I realized,” I admit. “The public’s opinion is focused on bringing Auren to trial. All while Kaila is quietly trying to sink her claws into Sixth.”
Osrik’s eyes sharpen. “What?”
I nod. “Last report I had was that she took a trip to Highbell. Made some announcement about how she and Midas were betrothed right before he got killed. Had a bullshit ceremony to fucking honor Midas’s life. She’s trying to dredge up support there.”
Judd shakes his head. “Trying to take over more territory with the public’s fucking blessing.”
“They like her,” Lu cuts in. “She’s perfected her public charm.”
“All while they try to starve us out,” Os says. “A fucking month of reserves, and we’ll be completely wiped out.”
I look between all of them, even Ryatt, whose eyes are stuck on the table. “I need to pull volunteers from the army. I need massive efforts thrown into bringing in our own food.”
“We all know Fourth is made up of mostly swamps and marshes. Not exactly the best farmlands, that’s why we’ve always relied on the other kingdoms. And can crops even be harvested that quickly?” Judd asks.
“Some,” Osrik pipes in. “Radishes, spring onions, spinach, turnips—those we can harvest in about a month.”
Everyone stares at him.
He shrugs his shoulders when he notices. “What? You shits know I was from First Kingdom.”
“Yeah, as a mercenary,” Judd replies, his brows lifted up. “How the hell do you know about farming?”
Osrik shifts in his chair, the bulk of his body making the wood creak in protest. “Hired to kill a farmer who didn’t pay his taxes once. Ended up staying there to help him so he could pay instead of murdering the poor fuck.”
Lu grins at him. “Aww, Os. You’re such a soft-heart.”
“Fuck off,” he grumbles. “My heart’s rock-hard.”
Judd’s eyes practically light up. “No, that’s not your heart, that’s your—”
“Let’s not,” I cut in.
Judd just laughs.
“Alright, so we send soldiers to fucking plant seeds and shit, but we’ll need some actual farmhands who know what they’re doing to supervise,andwe need a place to do it,” Os says.
“Yes. I’ll talk to Barley,” I reply. “She knows Fourth’s land like the back of her hand. If there’s any other viable land we’re not tapping into already, she’ll find it. And I’ve already had her and Warken put together a plan to increase our fishing and hunting.”
“But will it be enough?” Lu asks.
