Page 154 of The Sundered Realms

“The distrust of a Serenthuar ambassador who openly uses magic, let alone as much power as I can easily muster, runs too deep,” Liris explained. “You might want to recruit from other Serenthuar ambassadors, though. There have to be some who are in their positions because they couldn’t see another way out, not because they’re in agreement with all the elders’ choices.” Ambassador Rhuil certainly didn’t, though she wouldn’t speak to his character.

The princess said, “What the Coalition needs is people who see ways out.”

“The Serenthuar ambassadors are all people who have learned how to work the system they have, one stacked against them, for their own ends. Just make sure their ends are in alignment with yours, and they may surprise you.”

“You think I can trust them?”

Interested, but skeptical. Liris couldn’t fault her for that. “I think I am literally the worst person to judge who from Serenthuar you can trust. Treat them as individual people and not replaceable sigils in a spell, and judge for yourself how they react.”

“Hmm.” The princess turned that over. “Do you have something in mind for what you’re going to do now, then? I certainly have ideas if you don’t. No one will object if you don’t want to stay with Special Operations now that Jadrhun is gone.”

Shry interrupted, “After that display? Oh yes they will.”

Nysia shook her head. “Without Jadrhun actively setting his plan into motion, the urgent need for a field operative who can work with Thyrasel is gone too. The linguistics experts will be able to handle that soon enough.”

Liris could do whatever she wanted, go wherever she wanted.

She glanced over her shoulder, saw that Vhannor had come up quietly behind her. He raised his eyebrow, waiting for her response—not in doubt, but in challenge.

Well, if he was going to dare her, she didn’t see any reason to warn him after all.

Liris turned back. “First, Vhannor and I are getting married.”

Shry choked.

“And no one can stop me,” Liris added. “Except him, but he wouldn’t, and that’s why I’m marrying him.”

Princess Nysia’s face twitched, but she was a politician and got herself under control quickly. She glanced at the Lord of Embhullor as if to make certain this wasn’t news to him, and Vhannor finished joining them and took Liris’ hand in his.

“Does that mean you’ll be keeping on as field spellcasting partners, then?” Nysia clarified.

“It does,” Vhannor confirmed in a low rumble.

“Ha!” Shry smacked him on the shoulder with a grin. “I knew it.”

Vhannor rolled his eyes. “You did not.”

“Did too.”

“Fantastic,“ Princess Nysia cut them off firmly.

Liris nodded. “You see why I won’t be available as an ambassador.”

“Yes, but the next time I need something blown up in a new and dramatic way, I know just who to call,” Princess Nysia said dryly.

“I don’t believe for a second you need my help for that.”

Vhannor snorted. “I’m glad we’re all getting along now.”

Liris smiled up at him, and his eyes softened.

Shry cleared her throat.

“Anyway,” Liris said, “once that’s taken care of, I think we should get on figuring out why the demons felt so confident today even after I reconnected the realms.”

Vhannor nodded. “That starts with looking into the spells Jadrhun activated remotely, and setting up defenses, since the demons may be able to teach other casters the anchors he used. Reports are coming in that demon servants separately activated other spells in those realms at the same time, so we’ll need to compare them to Jadrhun’s and see what we can learn.”

“And when new portals appear, Vhannor and I should be the first team on site whenever possible to see what we can learn from the patterns, and change them as needed,” Liris finished.

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