Disillusioned by Bridget E. Baker

Author:Bridget E. Baker [Baker, Bridget E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Purple Puppy Publishing

15

I’m in the middle of training when the third family invites me to visit them to discuss possible terms of surrender.

For the first time ever, my entire Council agrees on something. They absolutely, positively insist that I cannot leave Ni’ihau. Unfortunately, I happen to think they’re all wrong.

“How am I supposed to make any determinations without being there myself to judge their honesty? Furthermore, I’m the only one who can decide what I might accept and offer alternatives I would consider.”

Inara scowls. “The Empress can’t leave the safety of Alamecha.”

“Mom left periodically.” I cross my arms.

“Mother never issued a proclamation that declared war on anyone who didn’t surrender to her.” Judica points at the map on the wall of the war room. “You’re at war with three families right now. Active war. This could be a synchronized ploy to draw you out.”

“Or it could be a good faith offer to join me,” I say. “You told me that once I take the first family, I’ll be on my way.”

“You have the first family.” Judica glances pointedly at Edam.

“Analessa agreed to give me another week,” I say.

“But she came to you when she did that,” Edam says. “Instead of demanding you go to her.”

“They aren’t insisting I go there,” I say.

“That’s right,” Inara says. “They invite you to send a delegation. One I will happily lead in your place.”

“And for the reasons I’ve already enumerated, that won’t work for me. I need to hear their proposal myself.” I put my hands on my hips. “I can’t be safe every second. It’s not viable.”

“This is an unnecessary risk,” Moses says. “And we know nothing about what they’re planning to offer or their motivations. Send someone you trust.”

Moses has been on my Council for all of ten hours and he’s already freaking out right alongside the rest of them. The problem is that every member of my Council thinks they’re the one I should trust, when really there are only two people I trust completely. One’s a human, and one’s a half-human, which makes them entirely unsuitable emissaries in the eyes of the world. I want to scream, but I settle for clenching my hands into fists instead.

“Has it occurred to any of you that they might have invited me in order to see a demonstration of the ring themselves?” I look around the room, pinning Balthasar, Inara, Alora, Marselle, Edam, Judica, and the rest of them with a glare one by one. “If I don’t go, if I send an emissary, why should they trust that I am who I say I am?”

“They’ve seen the video like everyone else, and they’ll have heard testimony from evians who were here,” Balthasar says. “Everyone has some kind of agent living here, not to mention their ambassadors.”

“What about you?” I ask Noah and Lark. “Do you think it’s unreasonable of me to want to go?”

My half-human chef and my human liaison look at one another and then back at me, both of them reticent to meet my eye.

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