Page 197 of Onyx Cage: Volume II

Albeit, a slightly violent one.

My people would be more grateful for that than they realized when the time came for war. And it would.

Because as soon as the ceremony was complete, I walked straight to my desk and drafted a letter to Iiro. I still hadn’t taken over my father’s study. I wasn’t sure I wanted to when the walls were bathed in all the blood he had forced me to spill.

ToSirIiro, I penned. Notking.

Clan Bear declines your attempt at levying taxes on any goods that we have obtained through any means. In addition, Clan Bear formally revokes the signature of the previous Duke on the document supporting your position as king, as it was derived by duplicitous means. We withdraw our support, effective immediately.

Sincerely,

Sir Evander

Duke of Clan Bear

Hailstones large enough to crack the windows tumbled down ominously, though, notably, not a single one connected with the fragile glass. Rowan thrummed with energy while she surveyed the churning clouds.

“It will get worse before it gets better,” she informed me darkly.

“I don’t disagree,” I muttered, thinking of Iiro’s reaction to my letter.

I still had to write Nils, for that matter, and all of our allies, verifying that the partnerships would stand. As angry as Nils had been, he wasn’t likely to back out after he had acknowledged the longstanding friendship between our clans. Not to mention the general insult taken that Iiro would slay one of his own allies.

Taras would take Mila to talk to Arès in person, since we couldn’t very well send a bird letting him know to rally his troops just in case. There were a thousand other arrangements to be made, along with the standard amount of work that went into preparing my clan for the harsh winter ahead.

Though we at least had food stores this time.

Rowan sank onto the armchair in my study, pulling Boris into her lap while she furrowed her brow.

“What happens next?” There was no fear in her tone, only resolve, and for that I was absurdly grateful.

“Either he peacefully abdicates.” Which was deeply unlikely, but not completely outside the realm of possibility, assuming I could gather enough support. “Or there is war.”

“War,” she repeated, running her hand thoughtfully along the ginger menace. Well, the other ginger menace.

I met her eyes, letting her see that I was not afraid of the possibilities. We had impressive armies, and we were by no means defenseless if it came to that.

But I would still try to avoid it.

“We’ll certainly prepare for that, but there is still hope for diplomatic measures.” If a very, very small hope.

She raised her eyebrows, like she had heard the caveat I didn’t voice aloud, but she still didn’t look afraid. Instead, her gaze hardened, and she lifted her chin.

For better or worse, I knew that when war came, she would be ready to stand at my side. There was no way in hell the daughter of the Warrior Queen would stand at the parapets of the estate waiting for me to return from the battlefront.

But I had known that when I married her, and I couldn’t deny it gave me a small amount of comfort to know how well she defended herself.

I wouldn’t have to leave her side.

I wouldn’t have to face the weight of the coming storm without her.

The next weeks passed in a blur of meetings with the lords and missives to my spies that were met with increasingly sinister silence.

Nothing at all from the Obsidian Palace or the massiveaaliowho occupied it.

Nils returned my vaguely worded letter in the affirmative.

Of course, you know where we stand on the pride of our clan. Our armies are always prepared to fight if the need arises.