“In short, the Regent doesn’t want allies; he wants subjects. And of any voice to whom he might listen, mine is among the least likely.”

“You were a member of the Circle?”

“Barely. My brother and I are young compared to the others of the Circle. I was a member less than ten years, Gulamendis not at all; Demon Masters are not well regarded, even among the most accepting of our people.”

“Amirantha suffered the same regard,” said Pug. “Or should I say lack of regard.”

Laromendis said, “He is the first of your race I can say my brother has developed some affection toward; it’s quite remarkable. As I said, we are an arrogant people.” He sighed, then said, “In my case, I do not particularly care for your race, Pug, but I also do not hold you in any sort of disdain. If I were to admit my shortcoming, here it is, that I don’t feel much kinship with anyone besides my brother. Perhaps that is due to our upbringing, but I feel much the same way toward the other elven races on Midkemia.

“But to return to the reason we are talking, I think you may have difficulty with anyone you might choose to speak to the Regent.” He narrowed his gaze. “The only person I can name who might persuade him to mitigate his position regarding alliances with humans and dwarves—and that would be close to a miracle; dwarves have never gotten along with the Taredhel—that person is Lord Tomas.”

“Why?” asked Pug, now intrigued.

“The Regent honors the Queen, but he doesn’t respect her. The Eledhel are seen as rustics, simple, lacking the sophistication of the Eldar. The other Eldar, the ones who did not become the Taredhel, those are viewed with distrust, because they serve the Queen. The others?” He made a small motion of dismissal with his head. Pug knew he meant the Moredhel, Glamredhel, and others were just not worth discussing. “But Lord Tomas, the Regent cannot completely rid himself of our heritage. He fears Lord Tomas. As much as he would like to displace him and the Queen and proclaim himself King of all Edhel, raising the Taredhel to supremacy among the People, he doesn’t dare think about the consequence of trying. You only have to see Tomas standing there in his armor, not even climbing up on the back of a dragon, to know that he is Valheru when he wants to be.” Laromendis nodded slowly. “Yes, have Lord Tomas speak with the Lord Regent, and perhaps some good may come of it.”

Pug was silent, then said, “Thank you, Laromendis. Both for the suggestion and your frankness. The truth is those few of your people I’ve met besides yourself and your brother strike me as being as you said they were.”