“Serenity Freeman,” General Chris Kline says. Will’s father. “Good morning.”

I incline my head, my hands clasped tightly together. “Morning.”

Will places a hand on my back and leads me to a free seat next to my father. I can tell my dad’s nervous by the tense set of his jaw.

I sit down, Will following suit. A quick glance at the faces around me tells me that no one here has gone to bed yet. My clasped hands squeeze even tighter together. Whatever is going on, it’s big, and I’m somehow involved.

“The WUN is in danger of collapsing.” The general just comes out and says it. I’ve always appreciated his bluntness, but now it makes my stomach clench. He’s as good as told me that we’re all dead men here. “The eastern hemisphere is much larger than we are; nuclear warfare has crippled our numbers and our economy. We’re not going to last much longer.”

All this information I’d pieced together on my own. I just don’t understand why General Kline is telling me this.

I nod and glance at my father. He won’t look at me.

“It’s time to think about peace and what’s best for our people.”

My eyes widen. Now I think I do know what he’s talking about. The representatives want to forge the terms of surrender.

A sick feeling twists my gut. I already know the general’s next words before he says them.

“As the emissary of the WUN, your father is expected to go to Geneva, where the peace talks are to be held.” The general pauses. “And as your father’s apprentice, we think it’s best that you go along with him.”

I swallow; my eyes sting. Our leaders always come back in body bags after visiting the king. And we can’t do anything about it. The WUN has tried to assassinate him dozens of times, but somehow he always survives. The Undying King, as some call him.

My death sentence just got bumped a little sooner. As did my father’s.

I look at my dad again, and I can see his eyes are red, his face anguished. I place a hand on his forearm and squeeze it. At least we’d be going in together. I prefer that to him going alone.

I turn back to General Kline. “I accept whatever duties are required of me.”

A muscle in my father’s forearm jerks beneath my hand. It’s the only indication that this situation is tearing him up. I’m all he has left; he’s all I have left. The thought of losing the last person in the world that loves you is terrifying. But no one in this room has the luxury of being selfish.