The air still smelled of fire and ash. Though most of the rubble had been cleared, and Arnav’s banners had been torn down, Dunstead’s palace still had scars from the battle. There were cracks throughout the marble floors, and some of the windows were boarded up.

  Inside the council room, the long wooden table had been removed and replaced with a round one instead. Around it were those who had won the war.

  Rhett sat to Amara’s right, holding one of her hands as it rested in her lap. He rubbed his thumb over her fingers slowly as they stared down at a ring on the table. It was a king's ring, but it wasn't Sylvaris's. This was Drurus's ring, the one that Arnav had worn.

  One of Walden's men had found it while helping to clean up debris in the city and brought it straight to Rhett—which made it his responsibility to hold the cursed item.

  To their right sat Mathias and Kenna. The emperor of Vespera leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. Kenna, however, had a more relaxed posture, resting her clasped hands on the table.

  Beside them was their oldest son, Jesup, and his wife, Aliyah. They had arrived only minutes earlier, and by the disheveled look of the couple, it was clear they had just left Jesup’s temporary bedchambers. But after spending months apart, no one could blame them for wanting to be together as much as possible.

  Across from them was Zayn, who was hunched over the table, resting his elbows on the wood. He was visibly distracted, looking occasionally between Amara and Aliyah. He missed his own wife and their young son. But unlike the other women here, his wife had to stay behind in Riven, ruling over the kingdom in his absence.

  However, the end was in sight. Once this council between the three kingdoms ended in four days, he would get to return home.

  Yasir, Zayn’s father and the former king of Riven, sat beside him. Despite the strain it put on his body, his back was straight and perfectly postured. Of all the dragon shifters who had fought in the final battle, Yasir had been the oldest, and the toll of the fighting showed. Though most of his wounds had healed, it was still a struggle for him to breathe deeply, and little things took a lot of effort.

  Around the outer edges of the room stood the soldiers from Ruggeweyn. Servants moved between them, setting down platters of meats and cheeses, while filling the goblets with dark wine. A few older men—scholars and a priest—sat at little tables in the corners of the room, with parchments and ink at the ready. They would write down everything said in these meetings so there was no doubt about what was agreed upon.

  Seated just behind the circle of rulers were others who played a part in the war—Kieran, Walden, Jadiel, Ashur, and Noah. But… There was one man who was missing.

  The last to arrive was Tristan. He entered the room quickly, panting as he suddenly stopped just beyond the doors. Noticing that everyone was looking at him, he straightened his tunic and bowed deeply.

  “My apologies, Your Majesties,” he said, breathless. “I didn’t mean to be late.”

  “Come here, my troublesome boy,” Kenna smiled, waving him over.

  He walked around the table, leaning down to kiss the empress’s cheek.

  “How’s Molly Rose?” She inquired while patting his hand gently.

  “Still tired from the trip,” he sighed. “But the midwife saw her before I left. She confirmed Molly Rose hasn’t gone into early labor. So, she’s resting now—and my mother is with the princess and her nursemaid.”

  “Good,” Amara nodded in relief as the young lord walked across the room. “I didn’t like the thought of Molly Rose tiring herself out further by taking care of Lilibeth.”

  As Tristan took his seat beside his father, the talking ceased, and everyone looked at Rhett. He leaned down, picking up a rolled map beside his chair. With the help of Jesup and Zayn, they set it up on the center of the table, using plates and cups to hold down the corners.

  “First off,” Rhett began as he stood slowly from his chair. He looked around at everyone in the room, meeting the gazes of every ruler, advisor, friend, and soldier who had gathered there. “I want to thank you for the support and aid you and your kingdoms have provided me. If it wasn’t for those of you in this room and the hundreds of soldiers outside the city walls, Sylvaris would have fallen. I owe a debt to all of you—one that could never be paid back in this lifetime, or even the next.”

  “But, as a start,” he continued. “Standing before you today, I swear that should either of your kingdoms ever require assistance—whether for war, drought, or just any hardship—Sylvaris will come to your aid. I will bleed for your people, feed them from my grain stores, or give the clothes from my back. If I am still breathing, my kingdom shall be your friend and ally.”

  The room was quiet for a moment as everyone listened to him. But then Jesup ruined the moment.

  “One would hope that vow continues after your death, too,” the prince said, leaning forward with a smirk. “Seeing as your daughter will be married to one of Vespera’s horde—preferably my youngest son, Kase.”

  “Really?” Kenna hissed, snapping her head to look directly at her son while her eyes flashed gold. “Rhett was giving a heartfelt speech, and you think now is a great time for jokes? Are you my oldest son or my youngest? Because you sound like a child.”

  Jesup raised his hands in mock surrender, but his grin was rather unapologetic.

  “Just thinking of the future, Mother.”

  Across the table, Zayn chuckled and crossed his arms with an amused expression.

  “So that’s why we weren’t discussing potential arrangements for Princess Lilibeth. And here I was, hoping to pair her with my Omar.”

  “Seriously?” Kenna questioned as she turned her scowl toward the Riven King. “Does no one care about what Rhett was saying—”

  “It’s alright,” Rhett interjected, smiling at the empress. “Truly. I appreciate the attempt at lightening the situation, even if the timing leaves something to be desired. Perhaps we should move on to the first order of business?”

  Kenna sighed, clearly still irritated as she leaned back in her chair. After a moment, she gave a curt nod. The others around the table followed suit, and the mood shifted back to seriousness.

  Jesup stood to his feet, dragging a quill and an inkwell closer to him. He dipped the feather into the black liquid before leaning over the table, ready to mark the new borders on the map.

  When the prince was ready, Rhett eased back into his seat. However, as he pulled the chair closer to the table, the burning in his side intensified. Amara reached out instantly, resting her hand gently on his arm.

  He glanced at her, and though his face was pale, he smiled. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles softly before turning his attention back to the map.

  “Vespera,” he began. “For your part in aiding the war, you shall be given the Western Veylan Steppe. Does this satisfy our agreement?”

  “It does,” Mathias nodded once as Jesup drew up the new borders for his kingdom.

  Rhett watched silently for a moment before tilting his head slightly toward Mathias.

  “And what are your plans for informing the people and integrating them into your empire?”

  Mathias looked at the young man with a raised brow, surprised by the question.

  “Sorry, I don’t mean to sound like I am questioning your ability to rule over the Steppe,” Rhett explained quickly. “But after everything that happened during the war, I just want to ensure the people are reasonably cared for. Also, I’d like assurances on what you will do if they choose to rise up against you.”

  “Some of my brothers and I can go out and speak to the various towns and villages within the steppe,” Jesup suggested, looking between his parents for approval.

  Kenna looked up to her husband, who thought for a moment before nodding.

  “We’ll send some of our boys out,” he agreed, turning back to Rhett. “They can go with some delegates from the court, perhaps with a few priests and priestesses, too. They can help ease the people’s fears and concerns while talking to the local temples in the process. However, I don’t foresee the people revolting against me or this change. The steppe used to belong to Vespera… I’m sure they’d be happy to return.”

  Rhett nodded, accepting Mathias’s answer before focusing on Zayn and Yasir.

  “Riven, for your part in aiding me, you shall be given all of the land south of Velmora Lake, going no further west than Drurus’s existing borders and no further east than the tail end in the Nocktal Mountains. Do you still accept these terms?”

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  “We do,” Zayn nodded, scratching his jaw line. “As for the people, we’ve already left some of our soldiers in the towns and villages that we passed on our way to Dunstead. We can continue to use them to keep the peace.”

  “At least until we can also get delegates and priests out, similar to Vespera’s plan,” Yasir interjected, knowing that Rhett wouldn’t like them using soldiers to institute control over their new territory. “And I propose we halve the taxes from the new region for the first year, until we can assess their economy.”

  “A good call,” Zayn said, nodding in agreement. “We’ll do as you suggest.’

  Rhett leaned back in his chair, folding his hands beneath his chin. After a minute of silence, he finally gave a nod.

  ”Your plans sound good,” he stated. “And there are no objections from me.”

  “So, is that it?” Jesup inquired as he finished marking the new borders on the map. “That’s all the land that’ll be distributed?”

  “Actually, Sylvaris will be taking land, too,” Rhett stated as he leaned forward. “It won’t be much, especially compared to the rest of you. But, we will move our border west, ending at the top of Velmora Lake and the southern tip of the Lotus Marshlands.”

  “And what are your plans for the people?” Zayn questioned, crossing his arms with a smirk, finding it funny to throw Rhett’s question back at him.

  “What people?” Jadiel scoffed from his seat behind the Riven King. “The Drurus army slaughtered almost everyone they found on the way to Dunstead. There won’t be many people left alive for Sylvaris to rule over.”

  “I’d like to believe there were villages that weren’t attacked,” Rhett sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’ve already ordered the captains to have their men survey the region as they march home. Any surviving settlements will be noted. And once I return to Casshire, I’ll send advisors with supplies and diplomats to begin the process of building trust.”

  Jesup, who was still focused on the map, tapped the page while in thought.

  “So, between our three kingdoms, we are cutting Drurus by two-thirds of its size. That’s rather worrisome.”

  “I’m inclined to agree with the crown prince,” Yasir added as he narrowed his eyes. “With Drurus now only a fraction of its size, the kingdom may not have enough resources of its own to keep its people safe and fed.”

  “What about turning it into a vassal state?” Aliyah questioned softly. She glanced toward Jesup before looking around at the others. “I know it’s uncommon here, but for the kingdoms south of the Sea, sometimes it was easier to keep a kingdom as a vassal state, rather than taking it over completely. That way, Drurus still governs itself, but it’ll rely on and answer to another kingdom.”

  “It’s an unusual suggestion,” Yasir said as he thought to himself. “But it would work for our current situation, especially considering we’ve disposed of the royal family. However, now the question is which kingdom would take over responsibility for Drurus?”

  Everyone around the table was quiet as no one immediately volunteered. Gaining land was one thing—the people and their resources would become your own. But if Drurus became a vassal state, they would still keep some of their autonomy. This included the potential for rebellion.

  Finally, after a few minutes of nothing being said, Kenna shifted in her chair.

  “Let them bend the knee to Sylvaris,” she suggested. “The war began with your people, Rhett. You were the one who paid the highest price by losing your father, brother, and sons. It should end with you as their king.”

  Rhett didn’t respond at first. He looked around the table, as if waiting for someone to argue against the idea. But there was nothing. The others merely exchanged looks and nodded in agreement.

  “Taking on Drurus as a vassal state isn’t an easy task,” he stated, trying not to sound rude as he dismissed the idea. “And like you’ve said, I’ve lost a lot. It’ll take me and my people time to recover, rebuild… Plus, I have no way to properly govern Drurus from a distance. This place doesn’t evoke the best memories, so I don’t intend to stay or visit here.”

  “Why not appoint one of the Vespera princes as a governor over Drurus?” Zayn suggested with a shrug. “You’re practically brothers with them anyway—if anyone can rule in your name, it’s them. Besides, Vespera’s got more than enough spare princes for you to use.”

  “How dare you,” Kenna growled as she glared toward Zayn. “Do not refer to my sons as spares!”

  “Relax, little thorn,” Mathias whispered, taking her hand in his despite the lightning arcing off her fingertips. Kenna instantly pulled back slightly when his body stiffened from the electrical shock, but she turned her glare onto her husband.

  “Did what he say not bother you?” She questioned harshly.

  “I admit it was a poor choice of words,” Mathias said calmly, keeping her hand in his. “But… I’m not opposed to the idea of sending one of our sons to Drurus. Assuming that’s what Rhett wants to do.”

  “That’s not the point, Mathias,” Kenna hissed between her clenched teeth.

  “And I’m deliberately ignoring the remark of a boy king, because I know he didn’t mean to insult you,” he replied before turning his gaze to Zayn. “Right?”

  “Of course, I’m sorry,” Zayn uttered quickly as he nervously straightened up in his seat. “I meant no disrespect.”

  “And I apologize as well,” Yasir added as he placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “Clearly, I failed in teaching my son proper respect. Please, Kenna, forgive him this one time. However, if he slips again, I give you permission to shock him—Riven won’t declare war over a well-deserved punishment.”

  Kenna took a deep breath through her nose, holding it in for a few seconds before exhaling slowly. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Behind her, she could hear her youngest two sons snickering, but one look from her got them to quiet down as well.

  “Look, all insults and jokes aside, I don’t know if I want to take Drurus as a vassal state,” Rhett said once the room was silent. “We plan to meet like this for the next four days… so… give me until the last day to decide. Now, do we have anything else to discuss regarding land, or are we good to move on to the next item on the list?”

  Everyone around the table nodded, and Rhett turned around, looking at Walden.

  “Fetch the prisoner.”

  Walden left without a word, returning several minutes later with Princess Anwen. She wasn’t chained or tied up like a normal prisoner. As a dragon shifter, it would have been useless. Nothing could have prevented her from shifting, and everyone knew this. She walked calmly, keeping her head slightly bowed as they entered the room.

  Though her eyes were red and her face looked tired, she hardly looked like a prisoner. Her dress was new, and her hair looked as if it had been recently washed. Even her accommodations were different. She hadn’t been sent back to the dungeons where her family had placed her, nor was she in the little hole that used to be her bedroom. Instead, she had been placed under house arrest in one of the guest suites.

  “Behold, the last dragon of a crumbling nest,” Walden announced dryly as he positioned the princess roughly next to the table.

  Anwen said nothing. She kept her gaze on the table, immediately noticing the map across the center. Even without hearing the earlier discussions, she could understand what had happened. The kingdom she considered to be her home was being torn apart, and the little manor where she had once lived with her mother was now under Riven’s control.

  “Princess Anwen,” Rhett said, pulling the young woman from her thoughts. “Today, you stand before us to answer for your crimes. You are accused of creating a drug used to weaken a prince of Sylvaris and blocking his dragon. In doing so, you rendered him defenseless against those who would use and abuse him. Do you deny these charges?”

  “I do not,” she replied softly, shaking her head.

  “Are you remorseful?” Amara questioned, finally speaking up for the first time since the meeting started. “Do you feel bad for ruining his life?”

  “I regretted it the moment Emmett arrived to Dunstead,” Anwen admitted, unwilling to look at Amara. “I thought I was helping my family, doing something good—”

  “You took away his ability to function as a man!” Amara exploded, standing up from her chair. “He missed out on so much because he was paranoid, or sick and bedridden!”

  “It should never have gotten to the point that he was bedridden,” Anwen argued as she finally looked up with tears in her eyes. “I swear it was meant just to make Blaise dormant. If he had taken only the correct dosage, Emmett would still be alive today. I could have weaned him off the drug, and he would have been back to normal.”

  “Enough,” Mathias interjected, staring hard at the princess. “No amount of regret or reasoning will undo what’s been done. Emmett is gone.”

  The room fell silent, and Rhett reached up, taking Amara’s hand in his. He gently pulled her to sit back down before turning his attention to his prisoner.

  “Princess Anwen has already expressed a desire to die,” he said in a low voice. “So that she could join her husband in their next life. However, I refuse to give her an easy out. Instead, she will remain alive and be kept under house arrest. She will be treated as someone befitting her station—well fed, clothed, and given proper accommodations. But she shall never again walk freely beyond these walls.”

  “Do you intend to bring her back to Sylvaris to oversee this house arrest?” Jesup inquired with a raised brow.

  “No,” Rhett hissed. “She can remain here, in her father’s crumbling nest—as Walden put it.”

  “Well, then it seems the conversation of making Drurus a vassal state of Sylvaris needs to be rehashed,” the crown prince remarked. “Because for you to have any control over what happens here, including her house arrest, you’ll need to have formal authority over the kingdom.”

  Rhett grumbled, not liking that Jesup was right. Some of the others around the table nodded or agreed with Jesup’s statement, leading Rhett to cross his arms as he scowled to himself.

  “I want to be given a bracelet so my dragon can be blocked,” Anwen suddenly said as the others talked. Everyone quieted down and instantly looked at her.

  “Absolutely not,” Kenna snapped, shaking her head.

  “I agree,” Rhett said, rising from his seat with a frown. “If you want your dragon to be blocked, then we should use the same drug you used on Emmett!”

  “How can I create the drug if my dragon is dormant?” Anwen argued.

  “Then I’ll make sure you make enough to—”

  “No!” Anwen shouted with her dragon’s voice, surprising everyone in the room.

  Rhett instantly moved to shield Amara, while Walden and several of the soldiers rushed to the princess. But Anwen didn’t move, nor did she shift. Instead, she just stood there, letting them grab onto her arms.

  “The whole reason for me wanting the bracelet was to prevent someone from using me as a weapon again,” she stated firmly. “I refuse to create another poison or drug for anyone else—ever again.”

  “You do realize the bracelets are meant to punish dragons, not protect them,” Kenna frowned. “It will hurt you.”

  “Then I’ll accept the pain,” the princess shrugged. “It doesn’t matter to me. Pain from losing my dragon is better than being responsible for the death of another person.”

  Though Anwen had a valid reason for requesting the bracelet, no one immediately agreed to her request. This was mainly because she was a prisoner of war and had no say in what happened during her imprisonment.

  Finally, after several minutes, her patience snapped, and she turned to Rhett, who still stood protectively in front of his wife.

  “If you don’t agree to the bracelet,” she started, struggling against the soldiers who held her back. “Then I will shift right here, right now. Which will force you to kill me… So either way, this meeting ends with me getting something I want—death or no dragon. So go on. Choose. Which would you rather deal with?”

  Rhett growled as he stared at the princess, but knowing that his daughter was also in the palace, he wasn’t willing to risk her or Amara’s life. So, after only a few seconds, he finally nodded.

  “Fine… I will talk to a witch to see what we can do,” he said through clenched teeth. “But if I do this, you’ll follow my orders from here on out. No more threats. No more suicide ultimatums. No violence. Do you understand?”

  “I will be a good little prisoner,” Anwen assured with a nod. “You have my word.”

  Rhett exhaled through his nose and turned toward Kenna. The empress didn’t speak, and the look in her eyes was deadly. But after a moment, she reluctantly nodded, understanding why he was doing it, though not approving of it.

  “Good,” Rhett said. “Take the princess back to her room. Everyone else—meeting’s over. We’ll reconvene in the morning.”