APRIL SYLKRANA, the only daughter of the High Queen, has to make things right. When a series of assassinations breaks out in the Imperial City, April takes matters into her hands and investigates, distracting her from a plot against her and the crow...
Rất tiếc! Hình ảnh này không tuân theo hướng dẫn nội dung. Để tiếp tục đăng tải, vui lòng xóa hoặc tải lên một hình ảnh khác.
2408, Crescin 08, Daleth
April threw the doors to the meeting hall open, knowing full well that another meeting was in place. Heads whirled to her, the Advisers' faces collectively morphing into an expression of annoyed confusion.
"What now?" Elami blew an exasperated breath and rubbed her face. "Some rogue tuscan out in the city? Other 'pressing' issues that we need to look into according to the Princess?"
April smiled, baring her teeth to the rest of the council. "Surrender your control to Falkirta to me," she said. "You old hags aren't doing a very good job at it in the first place."
Elami's face shifted from surprise then contorted into anger. Finally, a hysterical laugh tore from her. "What are you going on about? Are you on oshella?" she exclaimed. The rest of the Advisers snickered or snorted into fists tucked under their noses. "What makes you think we'll hand it over to you even if you ask nicely? Which, for the record, you can't even do even if it kills you."
"You will give it to me," April strode towards the table in the middle of the white-walled room and leaned her weight against it using her hands. "Because I invoke Provision Nine."
Elami's face fell. A wave of uncertainty washed over the advisers. Whispers thickened from the bunch. April scoffed, knowing she had them on chokehold. Unlike the rest of the air sprite population, these idiots didn't bother touching any weapon as soon as they took the seats of power. It was a disgrace, really. Air sprites were supposed to train both form and mind and they weren't supposed to stop even if they had other duties.
April had weighed her chances. Even if they fought her, she was sure she could beat them. But she'd known them all her life. She knew they wouldn't raise a finger if it meant getting locked in a physical battle. They'd rather use their mouths and run off their opponents with fake diplomacy. Their tongues were their weapon and, in their defense, they've honed it to a deadly edge.
But April wasn't going to fight them on their floor. She tried and failed. So, the next best thing she could do was to change the playing field altogether. That's where Provision Nine came in. It was included in the Doctrines of Ethics—one of the civic texts all Air Sprites upheld—and was about challenging anyone to settle things through the use of strength and skill. It has a lot of applications, whether in arts or in April's case, in combat.
Backing away from such a provocation was considered cowardice. Invoking Provision Nine included both parties involved being able to state their conditions before the actual event. That's what Elami seemed to be thinking of now as she straightened on her seat, her eyes flitting everywhere. The Potentate's hands clasped together atop the table, the knuckles whitening to prove how hard she was clenching them.
April kept her smile smug and sure, even though an inkling that Elami would be able to trump her with some sneaky move already roiled in her gut.
Finally, Elami smoothed her hands against the table. "The Court will present their conditions," she said. "It'll be simple enough."
