Cedric downed his second goblet of wine before breaking the silence in the room.

  “Your aunt is asleep, Aldric,” he said, pouring himself another goblet of wine from the crystal decanter. He would have normally had a servant – sons of other nobility – handle the task but he didn’t want their conversation extending beyond this room. “You’ll get to see her tomorrow.”

  The private chamber was warm, fire crackling in the hearth as Aldric – he was getting used to using his real name again – settled into the carved oak chair with its velvet cushion. It was far more comfortable than anything he’d sat in for three years and a reminder of the palace he grew up in. His own goblet of wine remained untouched on the round wooden table.

  Cedric sat across from him, face still pale from what they’d witnessed on the battlefield. He had accepted Aldric’s signet ring, along with testing his memory as proof that he was who he said he was. Unfortunately, that memory was of a young Aldric having a slight accident on his aunt’s dress at a private dinner between their families. But really, who holds a naked, sleeping one year old on their knee?

  “We can bring your people into the city. We have space in the courtyard to bring them through. We’ll take care of the refugees, but your soldiers will need to set up camp outside the city. Not enough space for them here.”

  Aldric nodded. “It’s more than enough. They’ll be fine with that.”

  “It would help if you had some payment. It’s an awful lot of mouths to feed.”

  “I appreciate that,” Aldric said. “If the Bizaynians agree the truce, I’ll make sure you get your payment.”

  Cedric turned his eyes to Elliott, standing by the window, gazing over the city of Carsonne with his back to them. Aldric looked over the dozens of weapons strapped to Elliott’s back – small and long blades with ornate hilts, and wooden or metal handles ending in axe or hammer heads. The man had stood there like that since they’d entered the room. Aldric actually admired the way he carried himself. So confident that he had no need to speak. Many men would have wilted in the presence of two kings. But Aldric was understanding that Elliott wasn’t many men.

  Cedric downed his third goblet and as he went to pour a fourth, Aldric tilted his head at him with a frown. Cedric stopped halfway to lifting the decanter, before putting it back down. He turned his eyes to Elliott again, licking his lips.

  He took a nervous gulp before speaking. “What are your plans here, Elliott? You killed three thousand men without breaking a sweat and then you ask for terms?”

  “Do you think they would have listened otherwise?” Elliott replied, still looking out of the window.

  “I…just don’t understand your actions. Nobody massacres an army, then asks for terms.”

  Elliott turned then, leaning his back against the side of the window, one foot crossed over the other as he folded his arms. At his waist was that cute, colourful doll he carried. Aldric had seen it in Rose’s hands earlier. It seemed important to Elliott but it just made him look more disturbed. A grown man with a child’s doll.

  Elliott smiled at them and asked quietly. “Do you need to understand them?”

  Aldric focused on Elliott’s small, black eyes but they hinted at nothing. Cedric had a point. The way Elliott had sliced the Bizaynian officer sufficed to show what he could do. Nobody had even seen him move. Whether it was magic or his blades, it was too fast for anyone to notice, let alone stop. Then Aldric recalled Lord Captain Graven’s follow-up.

  “You believe you can take my entire army?” Graven had said.

  “Was it because he challenged you?” Aldric asked.

  Elliott met his eyes then sighed. “Both your armies are quite weak, aren’t they? You neither have the numbers, nor the elite soldiers that the Bizaynians do, do you?”

  Cedric shot Aldric a look before answering. “It’s not that our armies are weak. It’s that the Bizaynians are stronger.”

  “Do you have Starforged among your ranks?”

  “No,” Cedric replied. Aldric also shook his head.

  “Why not?”

  “Starforged are rare,” Cedric answered. He did pour himself another goblet of wine, though he only sipped from this one.

  “And yet, the Bizaynians have dozens of them. Maybe more.”

  “But do you know how they do it?”

  “I’ve heard they use children, but you don’t need children. What about your Adamantite soldiers? Why can’t they progress?”

  “We tried,” Aldric said. “When the first few didn’t survive the process, it became harder to find volunteers. That’s not a problem for the Bizaynians, because they don’t ask for volunteers in the first place. They simply push those children to their limits. If one dies, there are ten more to take their place. And when they’re being offered a chance to live, they’re willing to die. When you already have a free peoples, it’s much harder to convince them that dying is for the greater good.”

  “And how’s that freedom working out for you?” Elliott said, a flat smile on his lips.

  “Are you suggesting we start our own child programs?”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “No. I’m suggesting that if there’s something you desperately want, then it’s worth dying for. Clearly, your freedom wasn’t worth that. Those refugees you were living amongst? They would have been executed or enslaved.”

  “What is it you’re suggesting?” Cedric asked.

  “Nothing. That’s for you to decide. But you asked why I massacred their men. So they understood that there’s someone here far worse than they could imagine. It will make them wary of attacking you for now.”

  “Or they may send their strongest army here.”

  “It’s doubtful. Not with the other messages I have planned for them. Most people will take a minute. Gather their thoughts and intel. But if they do, it would make it easier for you. I’ll take care of them.”

  “You don’t even know if they have anyone as strong or even stronger than you,” Aldric cut in, though he wondered if the Bizaynians could have. He didn’t think the Twins would take this gamble if that were the case. Or at the very least, they expected Elliott could help them. Though the Twins weren’t fighting for Aldric’s kingdom, no matter that they protected him. Their fight was something else. That’s what they needed Elliott for, but Aldric was fast finding out that Elliott did what Elliott wanted.

  “I’m not the kind of person to worry about it,” Elliott replied with a gleaming smile. “If they do, they soon won’t.”

  “Why are you helping us though?” Aldric asked. “Or what seems to be like help? I accept you gave your word to bring my people to safety. But why kill the Bizaynians? Why ask for the terms that you did.”

  “You’re both very ungrateful, you know. I help you and this is the thanks I get? Questions that hurt me right here,” Elliott pressed a fist to his heart.

  “I’m sure we’re killing you,” Aldric responded. As dangerous as Elliott was, in some ways it made him less scary to talk to. What did Aldric have to fear when he was already in the presence of someone who could kill him before he could blink. Then he smiled to himself. That was his point about the Starforged, wasn’t it? Why fear death if you’ll die anyway? “What is it that you want? Why help us take our lands back?”

  Elliott smiled at Aldric. A respectful smile. He turned his back on them and looked out of the window again.

  “I want Tarnov and the temple. Once I’ve spoken to your gods, I’ll need a base here. Or maybe they’ll tell me to go home, but I doubt they brought me for a day trip.”

  Cedric looked at Aldric. It was his land. It belonged to the Kingdom of Rhian, and it was his choice if he wanted to give part of his kingdom away. Not that he actually had a choice here.

  “You and I both know you can take it anyway.”

  “Yes, but I’d rather not be surrounded by hostile elements. It gets rather tiring constantly defending your base.” He turned around to face them. “Don’t you think? Both your kingdoms can provide border armies. In your case, Aldric, you can re-establish your small kingdom.”

  “That’s it?” Aldric said. “You just want a home here and want us to defend it for you?”

  “Well, I have just saved your nation.”

  “What good is that if I can’t hold it? I have two and a half thousand men. The Bizaynians would destroy us in a second.”

  “That’s true,” Elliott said, a knowing smile on his lips. “That’s why we need to secure your future, so I can work unopposed. What do you say?”

  “What are you planning to do? Destroy the Bizayn Empire?”

  “Something better. I’ll secure its future, and yours.”

  Aldric frowned. So did Cedric, who took a gulp of his wine and peered into the goblet as if wondering where the rest went.

  Aldric looked at Elliott, who was giving nothing away. He was trying to understand what he meant. How could he secure both Bizayn’s and Rhian’s futures. It didn’t make any sense. Aldric sighed.

  “Please explain,” he said finally.

  “The Bizayn Emperor is your uncle, is he not?”

  As soon as Elliott stated the obvious, Aldric understood. Succession. He considered it a moment. That’s why it was important for Bizayn to kill his entire family, the children included. Ensure there wasn’t a claim on their throne. The Emperor had many heirs, though. Three children and ten grandchildren. Then after that, Aldric was next in line – the other Bizaynian nobility had been Rhianian first. He might have to butter some of them up, but he would win them round to his claim. But killing the heirs wasn’t something he could countenance.

  “Some of his heirs are babies. I won’t accept their deaths.”

  “And I wouldn’t kill them either. What do you think I am? A monster? We can make other arrangements for the children. But I’ll take care of the Emperor and the grown heirs.”

  “You won’t be able to get close to them. The Emperor himself has many decoys, and then he has his Blackguard. At least twenty for each member of the imperial family. More for himself. The man doesn’t even go to the bathroom without them in attendance.”

  “You let me worry about that. The plan is simple. We sign the truce with Bizayn. I install you as Emperor in the next year. You leave me alone to do what I need to do in Tarnov. Nobody is to know I’m there.”

  “I don’t buy it,” Cedric cut in. “It’s massively risky and all to put Aldric in power so you can work unhindered…on whatever it is you need to work on?”

  Elliott looked between the two kings, Aldric meeting his eyes. Cedric had a good point and he was wondering similarly himself. This man was simply too powerful to need to hide himself away, and even if that’s what he wanted, he had no need of them to do it.

  “I told you earlier, Aldric. I have no interest in running a country, remember? There’s too much admin. Too many things to think about. Security. Taxes. Sewage. No. Running the country is your job. Mine is finding the answers that I need, and eliminating threats to me. You’re right. I’m not just installing you on the throne. I’m going to get rid of everyone who might even think about looking at me in the wrong way while I’m at it.”

  He turned to Cedric then. “That’s how you secure your future. You become as strong as you need to become, and you eliminate those that can threaten you. As kings, you’d do well to learn that.”

  “Is that all you are?” Aldric asked. “Someone who goes around and kills anything he wants to?”

  Elliott smiled at Aldric.

  “And I suppose Bizayn managed to conquer you by asking nicely?”

  Aldric felt like he was sucking on lemons, the taste bitter in his mouth. It wasn’t just because of who he was allying with. It was that there was truth in what Elliott said. Aldric was a king. Could he pretend to have higher morals and principles? Could he afford to have them if it meant the death of his nation? His people. His father had been na?ve, installing his uncle as his Steward in the west. Never checking on him. Never reminding him who the true power was. It let his uncle’s power grow unchecked. Allowed his uncle to make decisions without running them by his father first. Before they knew it, the Bizayn Empire rose and Rhian was eliminated within a decade.

  All because his father had failed to identify the threats and manage them accordingly.

  And here in front of him was a man who lived to do just that.

  “And if I’m Emperor, will you seek to control me?”

  “Now you’re asking the right questions,” Elliott said with a tilt of his head. “No. As long as you don’t interfere with me. And you don’t try to stop me.”

  The two kings looked between themselves. There wasn’t really much to think about. Elliott would do what he wanted, with or without their help. If Aldric wasn’t installed as the Emperor, then maybe someone else would be. But Elliott was giving him the opportunity to take back what was rightfully his. What was his father’s. He could reimagine the Empire in his father’s image. All it took was a small price to pay.

  Keeping a monster in his back garden.

  He met Elliott’s black eyes with his blue.

  “Let’s do it.”