Page 108 of The Threadbare Queen

He stared at the man without answering, and Didier stepped forward, his expression thoughtful. “This is High-general Baclar.” He shot Baclar a look, as if to admonish him for not introducing himself.

“I will let your people go when I’ve seen some restitution for the damage, theft and harm that has been done to the villages of northern Kassia and Cervantes by you, as well a signed treaty that you will cease your aggression against us and return to your side of the border.”

“Or else?” Baclar asked, voice soft.

“Or else the Rising Wave, Kassia, Venyatu, Funabi and Skäddar will be at war with the Jatan.”

There was an audible gasp from the councillors.

Baclar blinked in response. “Do you have the right to make that threat?”

“I do.” Luc gave him a slow smile. He turned to the councillors. “Have you not read the missive from the queen of Kassia?”

“We have.” Fallicia bowed her head, refusing to meet his gaze. “We had not heard that Kassia had crowned a new queen.”

So that was the excuse they were going to use. That they hadn’t heard of Ava. That they would not take her demands seriously.

But Kym had told Tuart about her. He knew full well there was a new queen.

He wasn’t going to stand around and deal with liars. Those days were gone.

“Well, then your information is sadly lacking. When you are ready to do what is right, and offer compensation for your crimes, when you’re willing to live beside us peacefully, you can send a missive to Fernwell, and we will consider your deal.” He turned, and Massi turned with him, her face serene at his decision.

She approved.

The Rising Wave soldiers on the front line who could hear him approved, too. He could see it in their expressions.

“Wait.” Tuart’s call stopped him, and he turned to look back over his shoulder.

“We have your scout, Kym, or had you forgotten?”

It was a last, desperate effort for some non-existent leverage.

Luc laughed. “Do you ever speak a single word of truth? I know you let her go. We had someone shadowing you until you did. You seem to have already forgotten that I was listening in on your conversation with General Carvill in the camp.”

Tuart had forgotten. Luc saw it in his flinch.

“You will have to bring the money you plan to offer as compensation with you when you finally come to the table, not just promises of it,” Luc said to the councillors. “Because I do not take your word as good.”

“What will you do now?” Didier was glaring at Tuart.

“We will take our prisoners away and secure them. And then we will plan for war.”

He began to move again.

“We didn’t know the Rising Wave had taken Fernwell when we crossed the border.” Fallicia’s voice rose to be heard.

Luc stopped again. “That doesn’t excuse your attack on small villages, on non-combatants, and the theft of their supplies.”

He clicked his tongue and began riding again, with Massi already slightly ahead of him.

A cry went up from the Jatan prisoners, as they realized there would be no freedom for them today.

“I could shoot you in the back.” Baclar’s voice was clear enough over the noise.

Luc didn’t stop, but he did turn to look over his shoulder. “And then we wouldn’t just be planning for war, we would beatwar. And you would stand alone against all your neighbours. Can Jatan afford that, after fighting Kassia for so long?”

If Kym was right about their numbers and their reserves, the force ranged against him now was their last gasp.

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