"He didn’t betray the Ferans," I replied calmly. "He turned his back on the Ranthors."
"In return," I continued, "he wanted one thing. A change at the top. He wanted the rule of the Ferans to pass from the Ranthors to the Sharka."
Kael let out a quiet breath, something between a laugh and a sigh. "So that’s what it was," he murmured.
"He knew what that meant," I said. "And he accepted the price."
Kael’s jaw tightened. "You’re telling me this now because you want me to understand him. Not to recruit me."
I nodded.
"If we end up in open conflict with the Ferans and I think we will, then keep your tribe out of it. Stay neutral. Don’t side with the Ranthors. Don’t side with me either."
"When it’s over," I finished, "the Ranthors won’t be holding Feradros anymore. And if your people haven’t bled for their mistakes, the reins will fall naturally into Sharka hands."
Kael muttered, "So you only want my tribe to stay out of it. Nothing else in return."
"I don’t even want neutrality," I replied calmly. "I’m simply saying this, if we end up fighting the Ferans, we won’t be distinguishing between tribes."
Kael was quiet for a moment, then nodded once. "I understand." He rose to his feet. "I’ll see what I can do."
He paused at the doorway, glancing back. "One more thing. The Patriarch has a very strong relationship with House Goldwing. They’re his bridge to the Prime Galaxy and possibly his path to Saint rank. He won’t take what happened today lightly. You should be careful."
"I’ll keep that in mind," I said, returning the nod.
He left without another word.
I stayed seated for a few seconds after that.
Knight appeared beside me in a flicker of shadow and motion.
"Did you find anything?" I asked.
He pulled out a chair and sat across from me, posture relaxed.
"Yes. First, what Anjee told us checks out. The Sharka are a strong tribe, but they’re suppressed by the Ranthors. It’s not constant brutality, more... controlled pressure. With the right connections, they survive. Without them, they’re buried."
I nodded slowly.
"Second," Knight continued, "there are around thirty upper Transcendents among the Ferans. Lower Transcendents number well over a hundred."
I tilted my head slightly. "That’s... substantial."
"It is," he agreed. "Third, the Goldwings effectively control the entire avian force of the Ferans. More importantly, they maintain direct and regular contact with the Prime Galaxy. If things escalate, they can call in reinforcement from other House Goldwing branches in nearby galaxies."
"That’s good reinforcement," I said.
Knight nodded once. "Exactly. And finally, they held a closed meeting after we left. I couldn’t get close enough to hear details, but it wasn’t ceremonial. They’re planning something."
I leaned back in my chair, eyes drifting toward the ceiling.
"Good," I said softly. "That means they’re taking us seriously now."
Knight studied me for a moment. "Do you actually want a war with the Ferans?"
"Of course not," I replied, leaning forward slightly. "A full-scale war would be pointless. The Eternals would take advantage of it immediately. Our forces would weaken, resources would bleed out, and whatever reputation we’ve built would collapse before it ever matures. If we intend to dominate the Blue Spiral, we need forces beneath us, not ashes."
Knight’s brow furrowed. "Then how do you plan to take control without war?"
"By removing the people who already hold power," I said, a faint smile touching my lips.
He didn’t interrupt.
"Tell me something," I continued. "What if the Naga ruler was replaced by Lyrate? The Elementals guided by Aurora. The Ferans led by Ragnar. Does that idea sit well with you?"
Knight went quiet. After a long breath, he reached up and removed his hood, exposing eyes that were sharp, searching.
"Are you planning to leave them behind?" he asked carefully.
"No," I said. "Only temporarily. Just until the Eternals are driven out of the Blue Spiral."
I straightened slightly. "We are the 33rd seat on the council, aren’t we? I don’t want one of the weak ones. I’ll make the Blue Spiral’s seat strong enough to stand among the top ten. And when that happens, the Order of Absolute will be the one representing it."
Knight held my gaze for several seconds, then let out a slow breath.
"Sounds good to me," Knight said after a moment. "Compared to an all-out war, this is far cleaner. But it will still draw blood."
I nodded once. "Some things are outside our control. Ambition is one of them. When people decide they deserve to rule, bloodshed becomes inevitable, whether we want it or not."
He watched me closely. "Then why do this at all? Why aim for the Blue Spiral?"
"I don’t want to rule it," I said calmly. "I want to become the strongest force within it. And that isn’t possible unless every other power acknowledges that strength and submits to it in some form. Do you honestly think the Nagas would ever let me touch their planetary core if I weren’t overwhelmingly superior?"
Knight let out a quiet chuckle. "No. They’d die first."
"Exactly."
He was silent for a few seconds, then nodded. "All right. I understand."
He stood, pulling his hood back into place. "Whatever path you choose, I’ll be there."
I rose from my seat and stretched, rolling my shoulders.
"Good," I said. "Then let’s go."
Knight paused. "Go where?"
"To hunt."
He blinked. "Hunt?"
I nodded, already moving toward the exit. "It’s the best timing we’ll get. The Patriarch isn’t home. The balance here is unstable. If we’re leaving tomorrow, we might as well make sure we leave behind fewer thorns for the Sharka and a weaker home for the Patriarch to return to."
Knight frowned slightly. "You just said infighting weakens our forces."
I glanced back at him. "I said senseless war weakens us. Not selective killing."
He exhaled through his nose.
"And before you object again," I continued evenly, "I’ll close a grade-three rift for the Ferans afterward. That alone will save more lives than the few we’re about to erase. Balance restored."
Knight clicked his tongue, clearly unimpressed but no longer arguing. "You always wrap your violence in arithmetic."
"It helps me sleep," I replied.
He fell into step beside me. "So where do we start?"
I stopped for a moment and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly.
"The knight is still young," I said, almost amused. "It’s good for him to learn."
Knight tilted his head. "Learn what, exactly?"
I smiled.
"Let’s pay the Goldwing young master a visit."
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Bonus release: 1 Bonus Chapter every 100 Golden Tickets