Page 133 of The Sundered Realms

Thank everything for Vhannor, who could pay attention to such things for Liris while she was wholly occupied.

“And I,” Liris said, “am not yet finished.”

Nowhere near.

Ambassador Shaisse opened her mouth and this time was shut down by Chancellor Ariurn who said, “I for one cannot wait to hear what you have to say next.”

How does it feel to be prevented from speaking in defense of your people by those you thought allies, Liris thought viciously.

And Ambassador Shaisse did, on some level, know her, because she paled and said, “Don’t.”

Liris did.

That was her life in a nutshell, really.

Everyone telling her no, and doing it anyway.

“The Serenthuar ambassadors cannot all be held equally responsible for not renouncing Serenthuar in this case, when the consequences for divulging the true situation there are so dire. Of course Ambassador Shaisse has no desire to assist us, because if she were honest about the scale of the threat, you might feel compelled to finally marshal Ormbtai’s forces against Serenthuar. If you lead your army to Serenthuar, you will take it, and nothing and no one will stop you, because the Coalition of Tethered Realms is not yet enacted and Serenthuar did not support it. Conquest from Ormbtai is, above all else, the one aim Serenthuar ambassadors are trained to never allow to come to pass.”

Ambassador Shaisse’s expression had gone entirely blank, taking in the currents, watching, waiting for the correct moment, the correct move.

Chancellor Ariurn’s eyes narrowed. “And we return to this. None of what has been revealed has changed my position.”

Of course not. Despite everything, even Ambassador Shaisse didn’t believe he would be provoked into this, which was why her choice was to wait. She knew that short of a horde of demons to provide him with an immediate, undeniable self-interest in survival, nothing would bestir Ormbtai into risking itself for others.

“No? Think it through, Chancellor. How many Serenthuar have you met? Consider: every one of them was a caster. And now consider: those are the ones trusted to perform in secrecy, to specialize in stealth and bring the fruits of their knowledge back for others to use openly. Because it does not at all mean that Serenthuar has no other casters. Imagine Vhannor and I take care of your demon problem, Chancellor. Then imagine a whole realm of brilliant, desperate casters with nothing left to lose. Do you still think you won’t wish for the Coalition then?”

Chancellor Ariurn frowned at her and said nothing.

Ambassador Shaisse finally did. “You really hate us so much.”

Nothing that simple. There was nothing she could say to make someone like Shaisse understand that using people callously was wrong, and she would not waste her time justifying herself to this woman a single moment longer. She stood and made her way for the door, then paused at the last, unable to leave it at that for her own sake.

“Serenthuar’s problem,” Liris said, “has always been that you believe it is possible to have change that matters without actually altering the status quo. The existing order is not the core of Serenthuar’s strength, and your inability to understand Serenthuar’s true heart is your failing.”

Then she left as she willed, and the ambassador remained.

Chapter 19

Every realm has a plan in place to defend its Gates, focusing resources on the most vulnerable, or the most important. They employ a range of magical safeguards and combat troops, depending on what kind of incursion is most likely. Unlike geographical borders, it is easy to focus resources on individual points.

But if that concentration fails, what then? Realms may have backup plans, but they’re never as thorough, because they don’t truly expect to need them.

Every pattern has a weakness, though. And no one is better than Serenthuar at identifying them.

At last Vhannor returned to the guest suite they’d been given for the night. It was a lovely set of rooms; princely, even. Everything was soft and vibrant, from the Serenthuar silk canopy painted with Ormbtai’s forested landscape, to the delicate, ornate Serenthuar patterns decorating the glass teapot.

Every element designed to convey wealth, class, and comfort. Every element built on the ingenuity of Serenthuar to the benefit of Ormbtai.

Liris couldn’t decide if Chancellor Ariurn meant the touches of Serenthuar, arranged in a way to show they were clearly both valued and elevating, to be a comfort to her, the way their absence was a cruelty to Shaisse. He also might have meant them to be a torment to her, whom Serenthuar had never valued.

Probably he wanted whichever reaction would encourage her to do more of what she’d already done for him. He was mean, not stupid.

Knowing he wanted a reaction from her did not prevent Liris from standing in the middle of the beautiful suite designed for anyone who mattered but a Serenthuar and feeling like if she touched anything she would be complicit.

Vhannor came up behind her and enfolded her in a hug, resting his chin on her shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

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