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“My father is incredibly patriotic. He would never betray Escarland.” Mark rested a hand on his father’s arm, pushing him back from the table. “I assure you that we will investigate this issue thoroughly.”
“I expect a report on my desk before the end of the week. Preferably earlier.” Averett’s gaze didn’t waver.
Essie restrained herself from cheering. Her brother had never looked quite as kingly as he did just then. Hopefully, Jalissa and Farrendel could see how seriously Averett was taking this situation with the traitor.
As Charles and Mark Hadley were escorted from the room, Jalissa glanced between Essie’s brothers, some of the hardness leaving her face.
“Do you have any more questions? I’m afraid I can’t give you all the answers this moment, but I am taking this seriously. I want to find this traitor just as much as you do. Escarlish weapons in the hands of a kingdom with whom we do not have a treaty is concerning.” Averett grimaced, some of the stiffness leaving his shoulders. “Believe me, that is not something I want any more than your kingdom does. We will find the traitor or traitors as soon as possible.”
“With elves staying here at the castle, anyone who has a grudge against them may see this as an opportunity to attack.” Edmund leaned his elbows on the table. “It may flush them into the open.”
“We are here on a diplomatic meeting. We will not be turned into bait.” If she hadn’t been so regal, Jalissa would’ve crossed her arms. As it was, she glared at Edmund.
“As Edmund pointed out, it’s a situation that will arise inevitably from your presence. We might as well nip it now rather than wait for the next time Essie and Prince Farrendel visit. Unless you are suggesting they never visit?” Averett crossed his arms.
Jalissa stiffened, her eyes flicking toward Farrendel. As if she was worried about protecting him.
Farrendel didn’t need protecting. Though, he would be hesitant to use his magic here. Both because he wouldn’t want to give away how powerful he was and because it wouldn’t be good politically if Farrendel was forced to kill Escarlish citizens.
Still, Essie probably should calm things down. That was her role, after all.
“You will be well-protected while you are here, contrary to what my brothers may be planning.” Essie gave each of her brothers a stern glare and patted Farrendel’s arm. “I want you to feel at home here while you are visiting.”
Farrendel tipped his head in a slight nod. As all through the interviews, he’d been quiet. What was wrong with him? Was it just the number of people? He didn’t enjoy being around people the way Essie did. Perhaps he needed more alone time? Was the stone bothering him even worse than it had before?
Tomorrow she’d have to show him the gardens and the best way to get to them from her room. The gardens and grounds at Winstead Palace were extensive, taking up several city blocks and surrounded by a well-guarded wall. He should be safe to wander the grounds as he wished.
Edmund gestured toward the gun sitting on the table between them. “I wonder at the traitors’ motives. What do they hope to gain by causing a rift in our new alliance with Tarenhiel? Do they want war between Tarenhiel and Escarland? Or do they simply want us to stay out of Tarenhiel’s war with Kostaria?”
“Or perhaps they saw an opportunity to make a profit and don’t have any wider political motives?” Julien shook his head. “It’s hard to know without more evidence. This could be simply a few workers stealing weapons from the factory and pawning them off on trolls willing to pay for them.”
“Will we join the war on Tarenhiel’s side?” Essie tried to keep her tone casual. Six months ago, she wouldn’t have cared if the elves were at war with the trolls again. It would have been just a news item in the paper that she would’ve read, filed away under world events it was probably good to be aware of, and moved on.
But, now, she cared about Tarenhiel. She didn’t want to bring Escarland into another war. But Tarenhiel also held a place in her heart. And she saw more clearly now how, if the elves fell to the trolls, Escarland would be next.
Averett met her gaze, something in his expression almost sad. “Our alliance was to secure peace between our peoples. Nothing more. Taking our people to war against the trolls is something I will need to consider carefully.”
Essie nodded. This wasn’t a decision Averett could make lightly. Nor was it one he could make without Parliament’s approval. And convincing them to go to war for the elves—a former enemy—would be difficult.
Averett turned to Jalissa. “It is something the elves will wish to consider as well. If we do this, even without a mutual defense treaty, it will set precedent. Are the elves willing to return the gesture and come to our defense should one of our neighboring kingdoms attack us? Are you even willing to have our armies march through Tarenhiel? We are more numerous with more advanced weaponry. While you have powerful magic, it may not be enough to stop us from overrunning you once we are inside your borders.”
Essie clenched her fists under the table. Surely Averett wasn’t suggesting Escarland would stab the elves in the back like that?
Jalissa eyed Averett coolly. “Surely you are not suggesting it is your plan to finish your father’s work and conquer Tarenhiel?”
“No, that isn’t my intention. But it will be something my advisors suggest, even with Essie’s marriage to help dissuade them.” Averett’s gaze remained steady. Far steadier than he had been three months ago when negotiating her marriage to Farrendel. It seemed he had come more prepared for this meeting than he had that one. “If you want Escarland’s help in this war, I will need a good reason to present to my advisors and generals as to why we want Tarenhiel to remain its own, sovereign nation and why it would be foolish for us to invade and restart my father’s war.”
Essie blew out a breath, forcing herself to relax. She could more clearly see the position the elves were in. Escarland hadn’t known how close the elves had come to crumbling fifteen years ago. If not for her father’s death that had halted the war, Escarland might have won. The elves had been caught between Escarland’s armies from the south and the trolls in the north.
They were looking at the same scenario once again. But in those fifteen years, Escarland had gained another generation of people. The guns were more advanced. The army even stronger than it had been only two decades before. Yet, due to their long lives and tendency not to have many children, the elves had regained little of the population they had lost in those wars.
This situation would only continue to grow worse. How could the elves remain standing if the populations of the nations around them continued to outpace them? And their weaponry continued to advance past what the elves’ magic could handle?
Maybe it wouldn’t happen in this particular war. But what about a hundred years from now? Thanks to the heart bond between her and Farrendel, there was a good chance she might live to see that war, as long as both she and Farrendel survived this one. Farrendel would be called on to fight that war too.
It would be a war the elves wouldn’t be able to win. Not unless something changed.
The elves needed a mutual defense alliance with Escarland probably more than they wanted to admit. Now if only Essie could figure out a way to foster a friendship between the two nations instead of this shaky back-and-forth they currently had.
