Senaer waved his hand. “He’s talking with your brother.”
“Do I want to know?”
“They have very different opinions on what the clans should be doing.”
“Let me guess. Arik wants everything under his control? Tellis wants to, what, do whatever it is my father doesn’t want to do?”
Senaer smirked. “Some things don’t change.”
“Maybe they should,” Erzo said.
Senaer put his hand on Erzo’s shoulder. “The combining of the two clans will put all in a much stronger position.”
“Are we really unable to dominate anymore? Is that what he’s doing this for?”
Senaer shook his head. “It’s about Hornse.”
“What about him?”
Senaer leaned in. “I should not tell you this, but Hornse is dying.”
The words hit him hard. First Breal lost her mother, and now she’s losing her father as well? “Does Breal know?”
“Breal is an enigma. She keeps her emotions very private. All that time around you boys probably taught her that.”
Erzo nodded. When they were kids, he never treated her any differently than another playmate, and when they got older, neither of them were very honest about their feelings.
Even the idea of their arranged mating seemed so foreign to them both, they never really brought it up. At least, only as a joke.
“What has happened to Hornse?”
“The death of his mate has really taken life from him. He doesn’t want Dona Clan to fall apart. Your union with Breal will secure both clans. Kovat and Dona together will maintain a powerful position on the council.”
“So the push isn’t because of Arik, but Hornse?”
Senaer nodded.
“How do I end the commitment?”
Senaer chuckled. “You better hope your little female can beat Breal in combat. The contract is solid.”
Erzo glanced at him. “Exactly how solid?”
“Have you not seen it?”
Erzo shook his head. “Do you have a copy of it?”
“Come on. Your father’s going to be a while with Tellis. We can look it over.”
As Erzo followed Senaer, he could hear Tellis and his father yelling at each other.
“Are they always like that?”
“Tellis carries the greed as deeply as your father.”
Erzo nodded. “I didn’t think anyone could be as credit-focused as Arik.”
“Tellis is trying.”
