The Sanctuary hall had filled with voices. The kings spoke across the table, exchanging numbers, territory names, thinly veiled threats. Kael listened, elbows resting on the cold stone, his face neutral. Behind him, Kira remained motionless, but his eyes never stopped moving from one face to another, as if searching for weaknesses.
"The Krell basin," said Tarval. "You retook it. Fine. But the roads crossing it feed my forges. I need guarantees."
"You'll have your roads," Kael replied. "But they'll be taxed."
"Taxed?"
"By your own trade. You pay to cross my lands. That's the rule."
"That wasn't the rule before."
"Before, I wasn't here."
Tarval opened his mouth, then thought better of it. He hadn't come to fight. He'd come to bargain.
"I can accept a tax," he finally said. "But in exchange, I want Krell ore at a fixed price."
"Fixed for five years. Then we renegotiate."
"Three years."
"Five."
Tarval grunted.
"Four."
"Five," Kael repeated without blinking.
"Very well. Five."
A silent servant noted the agreement. The discussion shifted south, where Maëldor's lands bordered the new frontiers. Maëldor wasn't speaking. He was watching Kael with a cold, contained hatred, like fire beneath ash.
"The southern borders must be stabilized," said Osskar. "The Court of Ashes' armies are still too close."
"My armies are in my territory," said Maëldor.
"Your outposts are less than a day's march from my posts," Kael countered. "Withdraw them."
"Or what?"
"Or I'll withdraw them myself."
The tone rose. Varka slammed the table with his palm.
"Enough! You are kings, not dogs. Settle this with words or with a duel, but don't poison the Council."
"The duel has already happened," said Selyna. "Kael won. It's settled."
"No," said Maëldor. "The duel settled the basin. Not the borders."
"Then propose a border," said Kael. "Now. Here. And we'll see if it holds."
Maëldor rose slowly.
"I propose the Krell River as the border. The southern bank belongs to me. The northern bank, to you."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because the river is mine. Both banks. You keep your hills, but the river is mine."
"That's unacceptable."
"It's the consequence of your defeat."
Maëldor clenched his teeth. His fingers tightened on the table.
"One day, you'll pay."
"Perhaps. But not today."
Osskar raised a hand.
"The Krell River will be shared. Northern bank to the Neverdie Realm. Southern bank to the Court of Ashes. Each kingdom will have right of passage, but neither will station a garrison there."
"And if one of us does?" asked Kael.
"Then the Council will condemn them."
"The Council has no army."
"The Council has the law."
Kael smiled.
"The law has never stopped a war."
"It can delay one."
"Perhaps."
Kael turned to Maëldor.
"I accept. But no garrison. No incursion. No provocation."
"I accept," said Maëldor.
"Then it's settled," said Osskar.
The discussion resumed on other matters. Trade routes, prisoner exchanges, wild creatures crossing borders. Kael participated, decided, negotiated. He gained more than he conceded. He knew it. The other kings knew it too.
At one point, Sylva leaned toward him.
"You wield words like blades."
"I learned."
"From humans?"
"From kings."
"Did they teach you to lie?"
"No. To listen."
Sylva smiled, revealing her canines.
"You're more dangerous than before."
"I'm told that often."
"And more interesting."
"I'm not for sale."
"Who said anything about buying?"
She leaned back, amused.
The Council lasted for hours. When it ended, agreements were many, compromises fragile, resentments intact.
Kael stepped out of the Sanctuary into the cool night. Kira followed close behind.
"You maneuvered well," said Kira.
"Yes."
"But Maëldor won't digest it."
"No."
"And Sylva circles around you."
"She's testing me."
"She desires you."
"It doesn't matter."
"You're not afraid she'll become a problem?"
"Everyone is a problem. The only question is order."
They walked down the avenue of statues. The moon shone on the stone faces.
"Are we going home?" asked Kira.
"Yes. Tomorrow, at dawn."
"You don't want to stay?"
"No. This place tires me."
"Yet it's magnificent."
"It's frozen. And I need to move forward."
They reached their camp. The soldiers kept watch. The fire crackled softly.
Kael sat on a stone, facing the stars.
"Kira."
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For standing behind me. Without moving. Without doubting."
"That's my role."
"No. It's more than that."
Kira sat beside him.
"You know, sometimes I wonder what I would have become without you."
"Something strong."
"Perhaps. But not like this."
"You are exactly what you were meant to be."
"A brother in arms?"
"Yes. And more than that."
They sat in silence, eyes lifted to the sky.
The Council was over.
But the kings were not done playing.