“I’m not really the head,” Julius said quickly, drawing a dirty look from Lao, who was pouring them tea from the elegant porcelain tea set sitting on the stoop of Bethesda’s freshly scoured fireplace. “I’m just one seat on the Heartstriker Council. We have three.”
The emperor shrugged. “So long as you can speak for your clan, and I don’t have to speak to Bethesda, it makes no difference to me. But how did you come to form a Council with your mother? When we heard she’d been overthrown, I expected to find her head on a pike.”
“If things had gone differently, that probably would have been the case,” Julius admitted. “But due to an unlikely series of events, Bethesda’s life ended up in my hands, and I don’t like killing.”
The Qilin tilted his veiled head. “That’s an odd statement to hear from a Heartstriker. Your clan is famous for its ruthlessness.”
“I’ve never been very good at living up to expectations,” he said proudly, accepting the teacup Lao shoved at him. “I actually used to be the lowest Heartstriker, so I knew what it was like to be under someone else’s boot. When I ended up at the top, I couldn’t bring myself to put another dragon in that position.”
“So you spared her life.”
“Not because she deserved it,” Julius said quickly. “I’m not apologizing for or forgiving anything my mother has done. I don’t know what happened between our clans that made you banish us from China, but I’m sure it was warranted. That said, Heartstriker isn’t what it used to be. When I spared my mother and created the Council, I swore to make a better Heartstriker than the one I grew up in. One that’s not based on fear, and where dragons don’t have to kill to get ahead. That’s what I set out to do, and I was almost there when you arrived.”
“Then you should continue,” the Qilin said calmly. “The terms of surrender specifically state that your clan will continue to govern itself. So long as you don’t cause a problem for others, you’re free to do as you like.”
“Actually, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” Julius said, staring as hard as he could into the emperor’s veil in the hopes that he might finally catch a glimpse of his face. “I’ve read your surrender terms several times now, and while they are quite generous, I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve. Other than bringing us into your empire, it doesn’t seem like you’re going to change anything.”
“We’re not,” he said, his rich voice oddly bitter. “I gave up hope for the Heartstrikers long ago. I admit you seem like an interesting exception to your family’s rule, but I’m not so naïve as to believe one dragon can fundamentally alter a clan as large and bloody as yours. I’m only here to avert a disaster, not break my empire attempting to change what cannot be changed.”
“If that’s how you feel, why bother conquering us at all?” Julius asked. “If you just want to fight Algonquin, we’d happily work with you as allies. There’s no need to take over—”
“I hope this is not what you came to discuss,” the emperor interrupted. “I granted you a temporary reprieve out of respect for your customs, but there will be no negotiation. As you said yourself, my terms are quite generous. You can have no legitimate complaints.”
“I don’t,” Julius said. “But—”
“No,” the Qilin said. “There is no ‘but.’ You asked for time to convene your Council. I gave it. But whether your third member arrives to vote or not, the Heartstriker clan will join my empire tomorrow morning as planned.”
That was clearly meant to be the end of the discussion, but Julius couldn’t leave it. “Can you at least tell me why?” he blurted out, pointedly ignoring Lao, who’d given up even the pretense of serving tea in favor of watching him like a hawk. “When dragon clans conquer each other, it’s normally to claim territory or gain dominion over weaker dragons, but you’re clearly not the least bit interested in any of that. You’re conquering in name only, putting us in your empire, but not actually changing anything. You’re not even taking tribute, and I just want to understandwhy.Why bother with all of this if you’re not getting anything from it?”
“Is stopping Algonquin not reason enough?” Lao growled.
“It’s a great reason,” Julius said. “I just don’t see what it has to do with us. Heartstriker’s not capable of fighting Algonquin right now. The reason you caught us with an empty mountain is because we were getting ready to run. If you’d wanted to come into our territory and fight Algonquin, we absolutely would not have stopped you. Quite the opposite. We gladly would have helped you and been forever in your debt. You have to know that, so I don’t think my confusion is out of place. If you were demanding something for our protection—tribute, territory, soldiers—that would make sense, but you’re not demanding anything. We actually come out ahead in this deal, while the only thing you get is another liability to defend.”
“Then why are you complaining?” Lao snapped.
“Because it’stoogood,” Julius snapped back. “You dropped out of the sky in our hour of need and offered to protect us from Algonquin in return for what is basically symbolic surrender. We don’t give up our right to rule or control of our territory. You’re not even asking for money.” He turned back to the Qilin. “I might be a terrible dragon, but even I know things that seem too good to be true usually are. Wouldn’t you be suspicious if our positions were reversed?”
By the time he finished, Lao didn’t look like he was going to make good on his threat to throw them back to the Empress Mother. He was already breathing smoke in preparation for cooking Julius on the spot himself. The only reason he didn’t was because his imperial cousin put a hand on his sleeve.
“And this is your only objection?” the Golden Emperor said quietly. “That the agreement I’ve given you is ‘too good to be true?’”
“That and the part where we don’t like the idea of being conquered,” Julius said, nodding. “I’m sure this comes as no surprise, but my mother’s already planning to stab you in the back.”
Lao stepped forward with a hiss. “Is that a threat?”
“I’d call it more of an eventuality,” Julius said with a shrug. “You know how proud dragons are. It doesn’t matter how generously you dress it up, no one welcomes being conquered. If you force us to bow, we will always be your enemies, but if you come to us as an ally, everything changes.” He smiled at the emperor. “Like I said, we don’t want to fight you. If your goal is to stop Algonquin, we are absolutely on your side. If you work with us instead of against us, you can still do everything you want, but at the end you’ll have a grateful ally rather than a resentful vassal. That’s awaybetter outcome for all involved, and I don’t understand why you’re not doing it. That’s what makes me suspicious. You’re choosing what is obviously the worst path for everyone, including you, and I can’t understandwhy.”
He was sweating bullets by the time he finished. On the other side of the small room, Lao was holding back by a thread, blue smoke curling dangerously from his lips, and oddly enough, that made Julius feel better. He’d wondered whether the emperor’s dragons protected him out of love or fear. For Lao at least, the fuming smoke was his answer. Even the prickliest dragon didn’t get that worked up without something serious on the line. The blue dragon’s respect for the Golden Emperor was clearly more than just deference to his power. Laoreallycared, and that gave Julius hope. Hope that grew infinitely larger when the Qilin spoke again.
“Lao,” he said quietly. “I wish to speak with Julius Heartstriker alone.”
The blue dragon whirled around, but though he looked horrified, he didn’t argue with the order. He just clenched his jaw and reached for Fredrick, who yanked his arm out of the way with a growl of his own.
“It’s okay, Fredrick,” Julius said, glancing at the emperor before leaning in to whisper, “This could be the break we’ve been looking for. If he wants to talk alone, then he’s going to say something he doesn’t want his subjects to hear.”
“Or he could kill you,” the F growled back.
“He can do that at any time,” Julius said, giving his brother a little shove. “Go with Lao. I’ll yell if I get in trouble.”
