“To win you your war.” She didn’t even bother with the nonsense of atoning for her crimes. Serien—Halle—wondered if he had decided her fate the moment he laid eyes on the whirlwind. “Yes, very good.” He began walking once more. “They said you were smart.” There was a predatory glint to his eyes that had Serien’s hands balling into fists. “Do you know who ‘they’ are?” the Emperor asked. “Who?” She tried to stand to her fullest height so that he had less of a distance from which to look down at her. “My eldest son.” The gauntlet was thrown. Serien’s blood boiled. That’s what this was about. “He is very smart, my lord.” “Usually,” the Emperor murmured as he inspected her from head to toe. She already knew she wouldn’t measure up. “Speaking of him, our two groups will merge again after

