"Of course," he said. "I was merely going to suggest?—"
"I know what you were going to suggest." I kept my tone level but let just enough edge bleed through. "But Lord Monshroud is right. Weshoulddiscuss it."
My gaze swept across the table, meeting each set of eyes in turn. Some looked relieved. Others wary. A few, like the snake from House Elarien, looked hungry for whatever blood might spill from this conversation.
"The disturbances are real," I continued. "We're not going to pretend otherwise. Dark magic has surfaced in areas where it shouldn't exist. Our people have died. More have vanished." Ipaused, letting the weight of it settle. I was sure that as power-hungry as they all were, they wouldn’t like to hear that I’d been a victim. It would cause havoc. "The people are right to be afraid, but we will not allow any enemies to take our peace. We will deal with threats as we always have and fight.”
Monshroud’s eyes widened, as did many of the others’ who stared back at me. “You sound as though we are preparing for war, my Lord.”
"These are serious times, Lord Monshroud. We should always be vigilant. Centuries of peace do not guarantee centuries more." I wouldn't confirm war one way or the other, but they needed to know things were bad.
Monshroud nodded slowly, vindication written across his weathered face.
Dreynthor's fingers drummed against the table, a soft, measured rhythm that grated on my nerves.
"Wise words, nephew." His tone dripped with false warmth. "Though, one might argue that vigilance also requires... strategic alliances." He paused, letting the words hang in the air like the remnants of a fog. "The kind that would have been forged through marriage, for instance to the princess of Thalyrius."
Fucking bastard. Of course, he'd go there.
Several heads turned toward me.
"The marriage alliance with Thalyrius would have secured not only trade routes but military support." Dreynthor's smile sharpened. "A loss, I'm afraid, that we must all bear the consequences of. Though I'm sure Prince Wolfe had his... reasons for refusing such a generous offer from Princess Seraphina."
The way he saidreasonsmade it sound like I'd turned down salvation itself because of some petulant whim. Any opportunity to make me look incompetent.
Lord Veyran leaned back in his chair, a serpent's smile playing at his lips. "Indeed. One wonders what could be more valuable than the security of the kingdom."
He knew the answer. They all probably did. I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking they didn’t and disagreed with my choice to be with Elariya.
Bastian shifted beside me, a subtle movement, but I caught it. It was a warning—don't take the bait.
But, Gods, I wanted to.
"Regardless of what alliances we make or have, we need to be strong on our own." That was the civilized version of the go-fuck-yourself answer I wanted to give him. "Long have the halls of my forefathers held strength without the aid of allies. We are Galaythians. We conquered this land with the sweat of our backs and the power of our blades. We will do it again if we must.”
Silence fell across the table like a hammer shutting them down.
Even Dreynthor had nothing to say to that. No honeyed words, no veiled insults. The High Table members sat frozen, some with approval written across their faces, others with something that looked almost like fear.
Good.
Let them remember who the fuck I was. Let them remember the blood that ran through my veins. The same blood that had carved this kingdom from ash and bone.
I knew I’d spoken like a true king. I’d sounded like my father.
“I think we’ve discussed this matter enough,” Dreynthor said. “We’ll reconvene next week.”
Everyone dipped their heads.
I focused on Dreynthor, and he nodded a sign he wanted me to stay behind.
The room emptied as everyone faded away. I’d catch up with Bastian and Alaric in the courtyard as planned when I was done.
“Moving speech, nephew,” Dreynthor sneered. “Here I am, trying to keep the situation under control, and you seek to cause upheaval.”
“Surely, I don’t have to explain to you that you can’t just keep telling people that we have the situation under control. Especially when wedon’t.”
“That’s not the point.”
