Page 73 of Four Ruined Realms (The Broken Blades #2)

Mikail

City of Quu, Khitan

Sora stares at me, worried not because of the army in front of us, or the navy below us, but because I lost Euyn. Her gentle heart knows mine just broke. But I’m all right. Or at least I am completely numb right now. I’m hollowed out, nothing but a blade, and that’s exactly what we need.

Sora reminds me that I am still a human being, but just barely.

I almost told her about Daysum’s death before we left the banquet room, but telling her would’ve been to ease my burden, not for her. We’ll likely die before it will matter, and if so, she’ll see her sister again in the Ten Hells. I can spare her the endless grief and useless rage I feel right now. I can do that much for her.

“They die first,” I say.

The three others nod; Aeri is last because she’s staring down her aunt. Aeri might be the biggest surprise of anyone I’ve met. She seems like she’s nothing more than a carefree and bubbly girl, but she is unbreakable steel in a ball gown.

Soldiers shift below us, and we stand ready. A man in a suit is pushed forward by a guard.

Oh, good, it’s my old friend, Ambassador Zeolin.

He stops in front of Quilimar’s horse and then bows on his knees with his head to the wet stones. Surprisingly, she doesn’t kill him.

That’s a shame.

She speaks to him for a moment. He looks up at us and then starts climbing the stairs.

This should be interesting. Strange that she’s sending an emissary instead of a battalion.

Zeolin walks with his hands up, which is overkill. No one is worried about him being armed when even Aeri could kick him down the stairs. His gray hair is slicked darker with the rain, his face worried as he stops a step down from the portico. This close, I can see his limbs shaking.

“What is it, Zeolin? I’m a little busy right now,” I say.

“Queen Quilimar desires a truce,” he says from about ten feet away. He’d rather get rained on than come any closer, which is laughable. I could easily slaughter him from this distance.

“You know, she has a funny way of showing it.” I gesture to the blood on me.

He sighs and frowns. “It was a misunderstanding between the prince and the queen. But the queen has greater issues at the moment.”

“Really? Such as?” I ask.

Ambassador Zeolin looks around, confused. “The navy of Wei and the might of Yusan have descended on Khitan.”

“You forgot Gaya,” I say.

“I did say Yusan,” he says.

I dislike him more each time we talk, which is saying something. “Get to it.”

He clears his throat, taking on a pompous air despite quivering. “The queen says she accepts your terms of alliance.”

I raise my eyebrows. I can feel the surprise and skepticism in the sharp inhales of the others. “I might be more inclined to believe her if she hadn’t sentenced us all to death. But more to the point, isn’t it treason for you to do her bidding?”

He looks down his nose at the four of us. “I highly doubt any of you will survive long enough for it to be relevant. What is your answer?”

I smile. What an unfortunate time for him to discover a spine. “Give her my regards.”

He nods and then turns to walk away. “Euyn got what was coming to him, and so will you.”

He should’ve quit while he was ahead.

“Zeolin,” I say, stepping forward.

He faces me. I swing my leg out and kick his chest. He goes flying down the stairs.

Maybe I should’ve chopped his head off, because he knows very well who was behind killing the Yoksa. The same ruler keeping tabs on us through Khitan—King Joon.

Zeolin continues to roll dramatically down the steps. Quilimar barely spares him a glance. She faces us, waiting.

“We accept!” I yell out.

She nods.

Now we have a truce.

Quilimar is stunningly pragmatic—the Baejkins always are. She realizes that with Joon colluding with the priest king of Wei, we will need everything and everyone we have in order to survive. She can’t afford to waste any more resources trying to kill us. Aeri is the only one in the country above the age of four who can wield the ring; therefore, her niece is the only route Quilimar has to keeping the relic and holding on to the throne of Khitan.

I’m certain she will try to murder Aeri the second the threat has dissipated. But we can settle everything else, including Quilimar paying for Euyn’s life, after we defeat our common enemies.

Allies…for now.