“Obviously, Sar Ramin had a lapse in judgement,” the leader of the delegation ground out. “We had no idea he held such extremist views.”

“How quick you are to throw your people into the fire, Odikas,” Kosandion said.

“He is young and impressionable,” Odikas said. “A group should not be penalized for the actions of one individual, nor should it bear responsibilit—"

“I thought you were a man of vision,” Kosandion said, his voice harsh.

His pose was relaxed, almost languid, but the intensity in his eyes was frightening. His body signaled that he didn’t condescend to view Odikas as any kind of threat, and his face assured that retribution was coming, and it would be swift and brutal.

“Alas, I was wrong, and you are blind. What is it you said about my father? A weakling controlled by a woman, wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Resven confirmed, his voice so buttery you could spread it on toast.

“You brought an Uma woman here, because you thought I missed my mother so much, I would forget my duty, lose my mind, and throw away the nation’s interests for a chance to bed someone who looks like my parent.”

The Kyporo delegation collectively winced. Yes. Ew.

The cavernous room was so quiet, you would hear the proverbial pin drop.

“Did you plan to use her to influence my policy decisions, or was I supposed to die once the heir was born, so you could pull her strings and play at being regent?”

Odikas clenched his teeth.

“How long was I supposed to remain alive? Would you have given me the courtesy to see my offspring being born?”

No answer.

Kosandion shook his head slightly. “The Uma value their freedom beyond everything else. You forced Ellenda to come here against her will. If I had chosen her, she would either have killed you or killed herself. All those years you blamed my mother for the reforms my father implemented, and yet you never took the time to learn anything about her people.”

The gray skin on the older man’s cheeks turned darker. Odikas looked a hair from losing it.

Kosandion glanced at Resven. “Explain it to him.”

“You knew Ellenda was in danger of being eliminated when you saw the preliminary rankings,” Resven said. “She refused to debate, so you counted on the date to save you. The moment she reclaimed her freedom, your plans collapsed, so you sent your favorite subordinate to murder the Holy Ecclesiarch in hopes that his death would force us to void the selection and begin again. It is painfully obvious, and yet you’re making excuses, as if the whole world has lost the ability to reason, and you are the only one still thinking.”

A grimace twisted Odikas’ face. He bared his teeth.