Devoth thought about this for a time. He shrugged. Gesturing toward the garish units preparing for the next battle, he said, “See those? They fight for privilege. See how we honor our slaves? At times they decide our futures. The clan that wins here today will lead the invasion. They determine which clan will be the initial spear thrust.”

“The invasion?”

“Of your lands. They will beat the winter traveling over the north, Numrek showing the way.” He leaned in and whispered, “These honored ones will have the most fun. The rest of the Auldek will follow to complete the work.”

“Why?” Rialus asked.

Devoth looked at him.

“I mean … that—that it need not be war that comes of this. I could help make a new treaty with Queen Corinn.” As he said it, he knew it was true. She would be angry and he would suffer her wrath first, but in the end he would be able to convince her to see reason. They could avoid war. Of course they could. Sometimes great sacrifices needed to be made, but better that than complete destruction. He continued, hope already quickening his speech. “The league could be appeased and the trade continued. I daresay you could win even better terms—”

“Terms?” Devoth said this with an open-mouthed grimace, as if the word were a dead mouse he had just discovered on his tongue.

“Why make total war when you could negotiate peace? The queen wouldn’t like it, but you could convince her to give you a toehold in the Known World. The Numrek have had such. I could ask as your—”

Devoth had heard enough. “Nah. You don’t know anything, leagueman. We’ve been too long alive. Too long without real war. We haven’t lived as our ancestors did in many, many years. Time that we do.

“The Numrek may have done what you say, but they are the weakest among us. Cowards. Lowborn.”

This was certainly said loud enough for Calrach and Mulat to hear, but neither of them turned or acknowledged it.

“We true Auldek know that nothing matters but bravery in battle. We were robbed of this when the Lothan Aklun gave us everlasting life. You think that’s a gift? They who gave us life denied us immortality. Made death something to fear. This, Rialus Leagueman, has been our shame. That ends now. The Auldek will go to war. We will die in glorious battle, and our women’s wombs will quicken with life. That’s immortality, leagueman. To die and live on also. Perhaps you don’t understand this, but the outcome doesn’t matter. Talk no more of negotiation, of terms. We will take the world, Rialus Leagueman, or we will die with blade bloodied. Either way is joy for me.”

And doom for us, Rialus thought. Doom for us.