The Odalians are some of the fiercest fighters in the world; they have to be. With the seafaring Arhen-Kosho to their west, the magic-wielding Kions to their east, and the unpredictable Yadoshans up north, their exceptional fighting prowess kept their kingdom from being whittled down to its barest parts, and in this, their defenses were second to none. I’d heard stories of fortresses built overnight on sand dunes and rocky beaches, of soldiers trained to form impenetrable barriers of shields. The first kings of Odalia famously traded the profits of their runeberry patch to hire purple-hearted craftsmen, who wove expensive spells into their shields that could deflect all but the strongest asha. It was the best investment for those early years when the continent had been fragmented into wars and territories long before the diplomacy of kingdoms.

I’d never met King Kance, and the dark asha’s infatuation was understandable. The young man was dressed not in the satin and ermine preferred by his father, King Telemaine, but in chain mail shaped to his form, decorated with the marks of previous battles and none of the shine that comes from the novelty of wear. His handsome face was molded after his notable ancestors. He had a bit of King Kareth along the jawline and Queen Bregane from his cheekbones to his brow, where King Lorek’s features then found dominance. He looked nothing like his father save for his keen and intelligent green eyes. Perhaps the lack of similarity was good.

King Kalen had gathered the Isterans to his cause—General Androvey, King Rendorvik’s military commander and right-hand man, was present, and ten regiments stood with him. Commander Selvynt, Queen Lynoria’s most trusted adviser, represented Arhen-Kosho, and I had no doubt that his ships were stealing along the southern coast, awaiting the order to strike. But King Kance was the only monarch present in this unexpected alliance.

The king’s expression relaxed as Lord Fox approached. “I was wondering when you would join us, Fox. I see you’ve brought more Isterans with you. How are things in Kion?”

“We will persevere, and we will rebuild, Your Majesty.”

“Drychta at Mithra’s Wall was troubling enough,” Commander Selvynt boomed. “Drychta in the Hollows is all but an act of war. And Lady Tea of the Embers, somehow caught up in all this. How fares the mad king?”

“If I am to believe the reports,” General Androvey rumbled, “he graces the mountains with his company.”

“It was a mistake, taking him alive last time.” King Kance spoke softly, but his volume took away none of his harshness. I did not recognize the hardened man from the gentle king the Dark asha recalled in her tale. “And I do not intend to make that same error again.”

“The Drychta may retaliate, Your Majesty.”