One of the older gerents stood to address him. “And what of the Resistance leader? You say you don’t believe in imprisonment and yet you hold her prisoner.”

Zarya bit her lip in trepidation of Darling’s answer.

He didn’t hesitate with it. “The Grand Marleena is free to do whatever it is she desires. She’s been granted a full pardon. Her family lands and all their titles have been reinstated to her and her sister.”

That news floored her. Why hadn’t he told her that?

The gerent screwed his face up into a mask of disbelief. “Then why is she still with you?”

Darling smiled. “Hell if I know. But she has agreed to do me the honor of becoming my consort and wife.”

That news caused another violent wave of protests.

“She’s a criminal!”

“Her father was a traitor!”

“Death to the Resistance, and all its members!”

“How could you even think about marrying an outlaw?”

“You insult us with that choice!”

“Have you not seen what the Resistance has done to this empire?”

“No wonder you were confined to a mental ward. You’re insane!”

Variations on all the above rang out in a harsh cacophony.

Until Kyr Zemen stepped forward. Dressed in full League battle gear, he only broke from one League tradition. He didn’t have on a pair of sunglasses. Most likely due to the eye patch he wore over his right eye. Though to be honest, he didn’t need the sunglasses to be sinister. He pulled it off with an aura of I’ll-kick-your-ass-so-hard-your-ancestors-will-feel-it. In fact, he hemorrhaged stone-cold cruelty from every pore of his body.

Now that she knew he was related to Maris, she saw the similarities in their features. Aside from their shared height, Kyr also had that indefinable intensity of personality. But where Maris had black hair, Kyr’s was a deep chestnut brown that gleamed with reddish highlights.

And the sneer on his face questioned Darling’s mental capacity. “You did not get League sanction to pardon her.”

Darling shrugged nonchalantly. Something that was either extremely brave…

Or incredibly stupid.

“Since she’s only wanted by my government, I didn’t have to seek your approval.”

Kyr tsked at him. “You should have consulted us anyway.”

The smile on Darling’s face was absolutely frigid. “Last time I read the laws, the Caronese governor wasn’t a pawn of the League’s. Rather we’re a sovereign empire.”

Kyr gave him a hostile glare that was tinged with something that appeared to be hope. “Are you declaring war on us?”

Darling deftly sidestepped that loaded land mine. “By stating Universal law? I don’t see how. Are you declaring war on the Caronese?”

He narrowed his eye on Darling. “I detect a note of rebellion in your tone.”

But Darling refused to be cowed. “And I detect a note of contempt in yours.”

Maris sucked his breath in sharply. “Darling… don’t goad the devil. He won’t take it well.”

Zarya didn’t comment on Maris’s warning as she continued to watch and listen to the meeting.