The tension in the great hall hung like a blade over every noble's head.
After the northern envoy delivered Frostspire's ultimatum, murmurs broke into shouts. Accusations flew from one end of the chamber to the other. Talk of betrayal, incompetence, and war ignited like dry kindling in flame. But through it all, king Everardremained silent—stone-faced beneath the flickering torchlight.
Finally, he stood. His voice cut clean through the noise.
"This kingdom has never defaulted on a debt in over three centuries. We will not start now."
Ryker, still standing at the foot of the throne dais, felt the weight of the king's words settle like a mountain on his shoulders. The ultimatum from Frostspire was more than a political threat—it was a strategic disaster. The mountain plains*bordering Frostspire weren't just land; they were home to vital steel and rare mineral mining, and the defensive high watchtowers that kept the Valrose Empireat bay.
If they ceded that land, they'd be exposed from two flanks.
Everard turned to his steward. "Convene the treasury. I want full reports by dawn. Not just gold—grain, ore, arcane bonds. Everything we can trade."
The steward bowed and left, pale as parchment.
Then the king's gaze turned to Ryker.
"Captain, a word."
---
**In the war chamber, moments later...**
Only Ryker, Brent, and the king remained. Maps of the known continent lay spread across the central table—edges curled, ink smudged from generations of use.
"I want eyes in Frostspire," Everard said. "If they're invoking this debt now, it's not just about coin. The timing is too convenient."
Ryker nodded. "You believe the Shadowhand has infiltrated them?"
"I believe," the king said carefully, "that someone wants to push us into isolation. If we are forced to surrender territory to Frostspire, our alliance with the Southern Reaches will fracture. And Valrose will circle like carrion crows."
Brent stepped forward. "We can't fight a war on two fronts."
"We won't." The king turned back to Ryker. "You will go to Frostspire—quietly. Meet with the High Houses. Learn what pressures they're facing. I suspect this ultimatum was not universally agreed upon. There may be factions at odds."
"And if I find evidence that the Shadowhand is involved?"
Everard's eyes darkened.