If"Don't thank me yet." Jace's smile was sharp. "I'm going to hold you to every word you just said. you prove to be just another noble playing games, I'll walk away. And I'll make sure everyone knows exactly what kind of ruler you really are."
"Fair enough."
"Good." Jace turned to his rebels. "Stand down. The princess and her companions are allies. For now." He looked back at Catalina. "So. What's the plan? How do we save an empire?"
Catalina moved to the table, where maps of the Threadmark Coast were spread out. "First, we coordinate. Your rebellion has been operating independently, which makes you unpredictable but also vulnerable. We need to integrate your operations with the larger strategy."
"Which is?"
"Consolidate power. Secure allies. Build a coalition strong enough to challen
