Page 46 of Pawns of Salistya

I took in the room, noting everyone else was equally disgusted at Slaviya’s comments. The breeding programs were always a hard one to listen to. None of the Doms, bar Salistya, agreed with forcing women and men to have sex with others outside of a consenting relationship. But the Salistyan’s knew better than attempting to leave. Not that some of them didn’t try. And frequently. It’s one of the reasons Salistya has the Sol. To exterminate the runaways.

Fyriane’s population had always been low, no one knew why. Our shores needed to be protected and for that to happen, we needed people, and lots of them. Salistya, until recently, hadn’t allowed anyother Dom access to the Isles to gain magic. And the other Doms refused to subject their people to breeding programs, having given it up long ago. From the titbits Eliasson had told me on the subject, the debate to fully stop the breeding program was always a hot topic. And every time it left the Doms right where they started. At an impasse.

‘Surely there’s a better way, moving forward, for your people than subjecting them to theseprograms,’ Xylan bit out in disgust. Here we go. The new royal was entering the age-old debate.

‘I’ll give you some grace by prefacing this discussion with a reminder that this isn’t the first time this topic has been discussed. And you will do well to remember that it ismyDom you are talking about. It is onlyIthat chooses how it is run, Marlyst,’ Slaviya said, her tone indicating she wasn’t fucking around. She had basically sneered the King’s surname.

I sat up straighter, waiting to see how Xylan played this.

‘Slaviya, the purpose of this Forum is to relay information on the current standing of our respective Doms and negotiate trade agreements. I’m not telling you how to run your Dom, but I would be remiss as a fellow ruler not to lay out the facts.’ Xylan replied with an icy tone that matched Slaviya’s.

I hope to the Goddess I’m never on the receiving end ofthattone. My sister’s I can deal with. Hell, I’ve dealt with it my whole life. But from him? I’d be shaking in my boots as much as Qynthia, who is fiddling with her hands, seems to be. Eliasson, meanwhile, looked like he was about to grin in delight.

I snuck a look at Orlandia who met my eyes. Her lips quirked briefly, the only sign that, she too, was enjoying this.

Slaviya leant back in her chair, cradled her head in the palm of her hand, and put her elbow on the arm rest. She wore a mask of boredom, feigning a yawn and motioning him on with a ‘go on’ gesture.

To Xylan’s credit, he maintained his composure as he stared down my sister. ‘You’ve stated that the tidal beasts are moving further south and pose a threat to not only Arlom but the Solista Isles. It’s been highlighted that more of your graduates, as you call them, are staying back to aid the army on these Isles. Which means you’re down on your forces on the mainland. Which also means that if they domove further south into Arlom, you don’t have the numbers to protect the coastal border, or the Pass.’

It was one thing for our coastline to be inundated with attacks. But the Pass? We could not allow the tidal beasts to infiltrate it. It was a key mode of transport between the Doms, not to mention the Palace of Fyriane, which sat in the middle between the Marlyst and Arlom Kingdoms. Even though the palace was in ruins at this point, the Nyarelle and Marlyst Doms insisted the preservation of the site was a top priority.

‘Claiming I don’t have enough numbers to protect the coastal border is merely speculation, not facts,’ Slaviya pointed out.

‘So, you’re denying it?’ Xylan countered.

His question was met with a pause that prompted me to grin. Oh, I so wish we could drink in this meeting.

‘I am not denying that it would stretch the army. But we can hold our own.’

There was silence as it sank in that the Salistyan army wasn’t as strong as Slaviya first portrayed. I could see where Xylan was going, and based on the scathing look on Slaviya’s face, I’d bet a healthy amount of gold that she could see it too.

‘In that case, it’s a fact that if the tidal beasts move further south into Arlom, your army willbe stretched. Which will leave the Fyriane continent compromised,’ he stated.

The way he was standing up to Slaviya made him that much hotter in my eyes, which was a problem. He wasn’t joking when hesaid he showed up for his people. The man in front of me had done a complete one-eighty from the teasing one I kissed less than twenty-four hours ago. And it only made me want him more.

‘The continent will not be compromised,’ Slaviya insisted firmly, impatiently drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair. She was getting wound up despite her demeanour.

‘How many shipments of weapons do you require for the next quarter?’ Xylan pressed, never letting up on the point he was trying to make.

Slaviya stiffened. ‘Three will suffice. We have left over equipment from the last delivery.’

Xylan hummed. ‘That’s a lot less than it was a few years ago. What did we get up to, Orla? Six? Seven?’

‘Seven,’ confirmed Orlandia.

‘I’m no expert when it comes to running an army, but I’d guess that you don’t require as many weapons because you don’t have enough soldiers on the ground to wield them.’ His words came out like a purr. But instead of sounding sensual, it was predatory, like he was a cat that had a mouse exactly where he wanted it. And was ready to pounce.

‘That’s usually how things work,’ Slaviya replied tightly.

‘It’d be a shame if the Queendom couldn’t uphold their part of the deal with the other Doms,’ he mused.

‘Unless you do have enough soldiers,’ I blurted. I didn’t realise I’d spoken out loud until all eyes had fallen on me. Well, looked like I’d officially reinvolved myself in the discussion. ‘The trained Arlomans will be back home in a few years. They’ll be able to assist,’ I supplied.

‘Sounds like we don’t have a few years,’ Xylan quipped.

‘I understand your concerns. That wasn’t the extent of my thoughts,’ I replied sharply.

‘Arlom also need our youth back in the field. We can’t have them all moved to the frontline, or we will have no way to maintain farming production,’ Eliasson advised.

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