“I think you will find that tensions between clans and Valefolk will diminish once the blooded queen is on the throne and we are convinced that she is no longer in danger,” Averill said. “In the meantime, we will do whatever it takes to maintain the tenets of the Nǽming and protect the Gray Wolf line. As long as attacks on our villages continue, we will stand ready to defend ourselves. May I remind you that in many areas of the countryside, the Demonai are all that stand between the people and the flatland brigands.”

“I don’t mean to cut funding to the army,” Raisa said, holding up her hand to quiet the debate, “at least not to the degree that it puts us in danger. I intend to field as many soldiers as now, but I want to move to native-born soldiers. Men and women who have a loyalty to the Fells, who know the land, and will fight hard to defend it.”

Klemath raised an eyebrow. “If there is a rebellion, Your Highness, it would be best to field professional soldiers who have no possible allegiance to slumdwellers and street thieves.”

“Except that your foreign soldiers have no particular allegiance to me,” Raisa said.

“But they do as they’re told,” Klemath said, like he was trying his best to be patient. “Your homegrown army might betray you.”

Klemath is native born, Han thought. Strange that he’s so married to the notion of southern mercenaries. Maybe he’s lining his own pockets. Maybe he’s on the dawb from the mercenary brokers and doesn’t want to give that up.

“It is not the primary job of the army to fight our own citizens,” Raisa said. “People in the Fells are close to rebellion because there are no jobs and no way to make a living. The wars in the south have idled hardworking people. Wouldn’t it be better to use our funds to put our own people to work?”

“Has there been a problem, Your Highness, with the mercenaries?” Klemath asked.

“There has been a problem, General, with people starving in the Fells while we send money to sell-swords and brokers in the flatlands.” The spots of color on Raisa’s cheeks signaled that she was losing patience. “I’ve been out to the camps. Most of our soldiers seem to be from Arden and Tamron. You’d think they’d have plenty of fighting to do at home.”

Klemath raised his hands helplessly and turned to the others on the council. “Gentlemen?”

“Gentlemen!” Raisa repeated. “That’s another problem. Why aren’t there more women on my council?”

They all looked at one another, each waiting for someone else to speak. They were all men, save one spare, red-haired woman Han didn’t know.

“Well, ah…” Lord Hakkam flailed about for an answer. “The members—it’s the office, not the gender, you know.”