“You think that will work?” I ask cautiously.
“We’ve already started circulating it. If anything, it will give people cause to stop and think rather than just accept whatever is spoon-fed to them,” Isalee says.
I glance at Slade, giving a nod.
“In the meantime,” Isalee goes on, looking to Slade, “Queen Kaila is putting major pressure on Fourth to…encourage Lady Auren to attend the Conflux.”
“Strong move, considering we share a border,” Slade muses. “I have to say, I didn’t expect her to cut off imports. Third is usually too attached to the wealth our mines provide them. I assume you’ve already cut off our exports to them?”
“Of course,” Isalee says with a nod.
“But our reserves—they’re full?”
Barley finishes taking a drink from her cup. “Our stores are very healthy. We were preparing for a war with Fifth or Sixth Kingdom. With some adjustments, we can handle Third and the lack of their shipments.”
“Alright,” Slade replies. “The army should be arriving back in the capital soon, and when they do, we can offer a payout for those who volunteer to increase our own food production.” His eyes look between them. “You own the biggest portion of farmable land. Can you sell the kingdom your crops?”
“Already done,” Warken replies. “And if you send more laborers, we can get this year’s harvest sooner than usual.”
“Good. We will have the volunteers go to every border of Fourth. We may not have very much viable land for crops, but we can sure as hell fish—both here in the rivers and in the oceans.”
The three of them nod.
“It’s nearly time for the advisor to arrive for dinner,” Isalee points out. “And I for one am very interested to see how Third Kingdom plans to sway you.”
Slade’s expression hardens. “They can go to hell. I’m not sending Auren to a fucking Conflux.”
His snarled reply has the back of my neck prickling.
“Of course not,” she replies easily. “Let’s speak with him. I’m convinced there’s a way to politic and negotiate our way out of this that doesn’t lead to famine or war. We just need to find it.”
“Let’s hope so,” Slade says darkly, the roots spreading down to the backs of his hands like webs forming to ensnare. “For their sakes.”
CHAPTER 52
AUREN
When the thick door is pushed open, I look up as Manu Ioana walks inside the room. He takes one look around before he turns to a man who must be his guard, dismissing him. Once the door closes behind him, Manu begins to make his way over, and we all get to our feet.
His long black hair is collected at the nape of his neck, the deep blue sleeves of his shirt swishing as he walks. The fabric is lustrous, and when the light hits it, it makes it look like the first weak rays of daylight hitting the surface of water.
The thump of his boots matches that of my heart, because as much as I liked Manu when I met him back at Ranhold, now his sister thinks I’m stealing magic and wants me to face some sort of formal trial.
“King Ravinger,” Manu says when he stops in front of us.
Slade says nothing and only tips his head.
His keen brown eyes sweep to the others. “Ah, you must be the Streahs,” he says in greeting. “It’s nice to put faces to the names signed on the correspondence.”
“Likewise,” Warken supplies.
Slade motions his hand toward the head of the table. “Please, sit.”
Manu hesitates when he realizes we mean for him to sit at the head of the table, but when he catches me watching his inward dilemma, he shoots me a wink before easing down into the chair.
I think the castle workers must have been peeking through the cracks in the door at the back of the room, because as soon as we’re all seated again, servers come out, laying down full plates of food. Steaming meat speckled with herbs, some sort of mash with a buttery gravy, and root vegetables are laid out in perfect precision on the plates that are set in front of us.
“Thank you,” I say to the woman who serves me.
Then, we start to eat, and the first ten minutes of the dinner is a lie.
It’s packed with pleasantries and trivial topics, while I skate the food around my plate with the fork and listen to Warken and Isalee open up the discourse with Manu with easygoing repartee.
Slade, however, is quiet. Watchful. It makes his presence that much more intimidating, but I have a feeling that’s his intention.
I’m about to take another tiny bite of the meat when Manu’s attention shifts to me. “Lady Auren. I have to admit, seeing you now compared to that first dinner meeting is quite a change. For the better, I believe.”