The other lands

He turned to face the two women. Before he was fully around, Rhre

"Explain yourself now, Dagon," Cori

A few more breaths. This was so awkward, but to get through it he must get through it. The best way to do that was to hit her so directly she was stu

Cori

"I know not," Sire Dagon admitted.

"Is he alive?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he was captured. He was under our full protection, of course, but was, as I said, betrayed. We think-"

"By whom?"

"The Lothan Aklun. The Auldek. Both. We arrived to find them at war. They both sought to make us pawns. Tricked us. There was a massacre. And, Your Majesty, most important right now: the Numrek have betrayed us."

Cori

"What do you mean the Numrek betrayed us?"

"They-Oh, it's hard to explain with a dagger at my throat."

Cori

So he did. As best he could, flinching often, feeling the trickles of blood that oozed out of small nicks made by the knife. He could smell Rhre

So he spoke. He did not tell the truth, save for the final point. As an alternative, though, his version of events was no less credible than the real one.

"You are telling me we're at war? At war with a race I've done nothing to? All because of a league gambit gone wrong? All because you couldn't tell an enemy from a friend?"

Sire Dagon seemed to have difficulty accepting the entirety of the statement, but he could not settle on which part to take issue with. He answered rather sheepishly, "Ah… yes. In part." And then, not so sheepishly, "We were not the only ones fooled. But that doesn't matter. Your Majesty, at the moment I pray that we have the leisure for you to berate our stupidity at length. Now is not the time, though. The Numrek have played us all for fools, and they yet stand outside your door. Your Majesty, they must be exterminated. Right now. Today. This very hour. The vessel the messenger arrived in is stuffed with Ishtat. They are armed and ready, and they will take the palace any moment now."

"What?" Cori

"It's all we can do. If the Numrek knew that their brethren have succeeded, they'd begin the slaughter. That's what they've been waiting for, a sign to commence."

"The Marah. They will-"

"Some will die in the confusion. But others we've tried to contact, to explain-"

"You take great liberties!" Rhre

"And why should I believe you? The Numrek have never once shown a sign of deceit."

"Oh, yes they have. Majesty, they've written their treachery in blood. In your brother's blood, I fear. You haven't seen it, but must you lay eyes on everything to believe it real? As for you, why would I come to you with this tragedy if it were not true? What fool would make up such misfortune?"

Cori

"I… I don't know," Sire Dagon sputtered.

"Would one of your people carry the message?"

"No, of course not. They've attacked us. We-"

Rhre

"What?" Sire Dagon grimaced. "No, I'm here to warn you."

"You fool," Rhre

Sire Dagon was speechless for a moment. He then said, "But we've brought Ishtat. They'll attack any moment. That's why we are safe in here." But even as he said this he felt his logic falling away beneath him. Of course his actions would confirm the betrayal in the Other Lands. The few Numrek on Acacia would die, but they would act as assassins in their last moments. Perhaps his appearance had given them a few extra minutes to kill chosen targets. The rest of the clan, safely on the Teh Coast, would dig in and wait. Who knew what preparations they had made already, what supplies and weapons had been stored?

Cori

When the Meinish woman craned around to answer, Cori

"… and there is a handful with Aaden and Mena at the Carmelia Stadium."

The queen let out a gasp of air, as if she had just been punched in the chest. She did it again, forming it into a word this time. "Aaden!"

She stepped for the hidden door, but Sire Dagon dove to block it from her.