He was determined, Venick thought, to make this more difficult.
“Did you know that slaves built this castle?” the Elder asked, leaning back in his seat. “This was during my great-grandfather’s reign. My grandfather killed his father and set the slaves free.” He seemed amused by this story: his ancestors bathed in blood. “Who do you think was in the right?”
It was the kind of question the Elder loved. “I think neither man was right.”
“Come now. In war, you must choose a side. I am asking, which side would you have chosen? Would you act selfishly to further your own interests, as my slave-owning great-grandfather did? Or would you sacrifice your honor for the greater good, as my grandfather chose?”
The Elder must know why Venick had come. By now, rumors of Ellina’s reappearance were on everyone’s lips, as was Venick’s role in her escape. And it was no secret that the royal princess and lowland commander shared a history. Those stories reached farther and wider than Venick liked to think.
I cannot marry your daughter, Venick imagined himself telling the Elder.
I seem to recall you saying that once before, the man might reply.
It would shame the Elder. If Venick broke off the engagement, the Elder would retaliate by withdrawing his support. He would shut Parith’s gates, imprison Venick’s army in his city. He would hurt Ellina. He might even kill Venick. The Elder was like his great-grandfather in the story, serving his own desires no matter the cost. There was no limit to what he might do.
“I know why you have asked to see me today,” said the Elder. There was no humor in him now. He was taut as a strung bow. “But like my ancestors, you have been given a choice. You can marry my daughter and remain in my good graces. Or you can refuse, and earn yourself my wrath. I require your answer now. Which will it be?”
Venick had once thought that the Elder was like a king, but he saw now that the man was more like a child, forever expecting the world to go his way.
This was not about to go his way.
“You’re wrong,” Venick said. “I didn’t come to end my engagement.”
The man’s white brows arched. “Oh?”
“I came to inform you that your army has left the city.”
The Elder paused, then barked a laugh. “What is this? A joke?”
“Not a joke. As we speak, your men are marching west. If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to go look for yourself.”
The man became stone. “That’s impossible. My army answers to me, and I haven’t ordered them anywhere.”
“Actually,” Venick said, “they answer to the Stonehelm name.”
He saw the moment the Elder understood. “Harmon wouldn’t.”
“She already has.”
“She cannot command an army.”
“She can, actually. She’s rather good at it. Giving orders is kind of her thing.”
The Elder came to his feet.
“Harmon has taken control of the highland army,” Venick said, standing as well. “As of now, they believe she is acting with your blessing.”
“No.”
“As soon as we are done here, I intend to join Harmon in the west. We will recruit the plainspeople to our purpose, then prepare to do battle with the Dark Army. Our men and elves will fight together. It will be as it always should have been.
“But it seemsyounow have a choice,” Venick continued. “You can allow us to continue what we’ve started. Your army will be returned to you at the war’s end, more or less how we found it. You can even take credit, once we’ve won. The glory will be yours. Your honor will remain intact.
“Or you can try to call your forces back. You’ll lose the respect of your men in doing so, not only because you’re turning them away from battle, but because they’ll realize that your own daughter wished to undercut you, and succeeded.”
The Elder shook with fury.
“If you do attempt to call your men back, and Harmon attempts to keep them, they may be forced to choose a side. I am not sure they will choose yours. The gamble, of course, is up to you. Will you risk it?” Venick tipped his head, feeling a smile curve his lip. It was the same sly smile that the Elder had worn earlier, the one that said that he’d reached the end of the game, and knew he held a winning hand. “I require your answer now. Which will it be?”
