“I do eat meat,” I answered. “Most Joratese do. But it’s not something we eat every day. This would make me sick to my stomach.” I reached for the tea, since at least that was safe.

It wasn’t. A thick head of butter floated on the actual liquid. I didn’t have any moral qualms about drinking it, but I almost gagged at the unexpected taste.

He watched me with pursed lips. “It’s very cold here in Yor,” he explained. “So we eat meat and fat. We used to eat more plants, before the Quuros invaded and destroyed the Spring Caves.”

“You could import vegetables,” I pointed out.

“Yes,” he agreed. “We could.”

“If you refuse to work with the Royal Houses, why did you have so many eating in your great hall yesterday?”

“You didn’t see House D’Aramarin there yesterday, did you? Not a hint of green to be found anywhere. Nor House D’Knofra or D’Kard, House D’Erinwa? They’re quite content with the status quo. But the other houses? They’re more open to change.”

“You’re not concerned they’ll betray you?”

“I know they’ll betray me—if they think I’m going to fail.”

I set down the tea. “Your Grace, why am I still alive?”

He laughed and leaned back in his chair. “You don’t pull punches, do you?”

“I appreciate being alive, but I’d feel better if I understood the motives involved. And I don’t.” I folded my fingers in my lap. “You have been attacking villages and towns across Jorat. Attacking them in a way Duke Xun is ill-equipped to recognize, let alone counter. And what is going to happen in Jorat, when the people realize their duke can’t protect them from a threat recent enough to still give children nightmares? Another Hellmarch. What happens when you come along and do what our duke cannot—save them from this crisis?” I shrugged. “You’re going to have access to all the good farmland you want. It might even be considered a bloodless takeover—if one didn’t know you organized the original attacks. You won’t have to conquer Jorat. We’ll hand you the crown and demand the Quuros High Council put you in charge.”

Kaen looked delighted. “You are a joy, aren’t you?”

I rolled my eyes. “The fact I can see your strategy just makes it all the more perplexing to me why you brought me here. Why not let Relos Var kill me?” I stopped. “Or was keeping me alive all his idea?”

“A little of both. Can you guess why?”

I scowled. “I wouldn’t have asked if I—” I hesitated. “Something to do with my parents. My real parents.”

Thaena had said so, hadn’t she? Relos Var liked striking out at his enemies through their families. For that reason, Relos Var would find me irresistible.