Doroga nodded, then stepped up onto the platform to stand over Attis, staring down at him, his hands on his hips.

“You would be the Clan-Head Doroga?” Attis asked politely.

“Yes,” Doroga said. “You are the man whose people convinced Atsurak to lead thousands of my people to a bloody death.”

Attis stared at Doroga, then swept his gaze around the room. Finally, he looked down at his own blanket-covered lap and smiled, rather bitterly. “It wasn’t difficult.”

The buzz of conversation in the room simply stopped. Everyone stared at Attis, Amara included. Oh, certainly, everyone had known who was behind the events preceding Second Calderon, but there was what everyone knew, then what they could prove. Lord and Lady Aquitaine had gotten away with it without leaving any concrete proof to connect them to the Marat invasion. No one had spoken of it openly—such a charge, made without proof, would have been instant and undeniable reason for the Aquitaines to call the speaker to the juris macto.

And yet, Attis had just admitted to his part in the plot, in front of the most powerful Citizens of the Realm.

Doroga grunted, nodding, evidently unaware of what he had just done. “Lot of people died. Yours and mine.”

“Yes,” Attis said.

“If there was time,” Doroga said, “you and I might have an argument about that.”

“Time is something of which I am in short supply,” Attis replied.

Doroga nodded. “It is done. Dealing with the vord is more important. But I will have your promise not to do any such thing in the future.”

Attis looked bemused. “Yes. You have it.”

Doroga nodded and extended his hand. Attis reached out, and the two traded grips of one another’s forearms.

“Thank you for your help today,” Attis said. “You saved the lives of many of my people.”

“That is what good neighbors do,” Doroga said. “Maybe no one ever taught you Alerans about that.”

“Entirely possible,” Attis said, a smile still touching his lips. “I must ask you if any more of your people might be willing to help us.”

Doroga grunted. “I have called. We will see who answers. But I and my Clanmates are here. We will stand with you.”

The Princeps nodded. “I welcome you.”

“Be a fool not to,” Doroga said. “After this is done, you and I will talk about balancing scales.”

“I would be pleased to discuss it,” Attis said.

Doroga grunted, faint surprise plain on his features. “Right. Good.”

“We should begin, I think,” the Princeps said.

Doroga folded his arms on his chest, nodded to Attis, and ambled back over to Amara and Bernard.

“Citizens, Senators, Captains,” Attis said, raising his voice. “If you would give me your attention, please. We will discuss the defense of the Valley. Our host, the rather farsighted Count Calderon, will describe his defensive structures to you.”

Bernard looked at Amara and gestured in irritation at his jaw.