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The guests broke out into excited conversation The King beamed and e his chauests

I was surprised to see Nikolai frowning He’d said his brother liked shortcuts, and it seemed Vasily had found one But it wasn’t like Nikolai to let his disappointment or frustration show

"An extraordinary achievelass "Dare I ask what they wanted in return for this support?"

"They do drive a hard bargain," Vasily said with an indulgent laugh "But nothing too onerous They sought access to our ports in West Ravka and requested our help policing the southern trade routes against Zeine you’ll be of some assistance with that, brother," he said with another war roads reopened, and once the Darkling is defeated, they expect the cooperation of the Sun Surinned broadly at me I bridled a little at his presumption, but it was an obvious and reasonable request, and even the leader of the Second Arnified nod

"Which roads?" asked Nikolai

Vasily waved his hand dismissively "They’re somewhere south of Halmhend, west of the permafrost They’re sufficiently defended by the fort at Ulensk if the Fjerdans get any ideas"

Nikolai stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the parquet floor "When did you lift the blockades? How long have the roads been open?"

Vasily shrugged "What difference--"

"How long?"

The wound at my shoulder throbbed

"A little over a week," Vasily said "Surely you’re not concerned that the Fjerdans intend to march on us from Ulensk? The rivers won’t freeze for months, and until then--"

"Did you ever stop to consider why they ave a disinterested wave "I assume because they’re in need of timber," he said "Or maybe it’s sacred to one of their ridiculous woodsprites"

There was nervous laughter around the table

"It’s defended by a single fort," Nikolai growled

"Because the passage is too narrow to acco an old war, brother The Darkling doesn’t need a battalion of foot soldiers or heavy guns All he needs are his Grisha and the nichevo’ya We have to evacuate the palace ie was early warning, and the scouts at those blockades were our first defense They were our eyes, and you blinded us The Darkling could be mere miles from us by now"

Vasily shook his head sadly "You make yourself ridiculous"

Nikolai slammed his hands down on the table The dishes juation here to share in your glory? To toast this unprecedented alliance?"

"They sent their regrets They were not able to travel immediately, due--"

"They’re not here because there’s about to be a "

"All of our intelligence puts him in the south with the Shu"

"You think he doesn’t have spies? That he doesn’t have his own operatives within our network? He laid a trap that any child could recognize, and you walked right into it"

Vasily’s face turned purple

"Nikolai, surely--" his ienerals

"You see?" said Vasily "This is fear of the worst kind, and I will not stand for it"

"A regiainst an army of nichevo’ya? Everyone at that fort is already dead," said Nikolai, "sacrificed to your pride and stupidity"

Vasily’s hand went to his sword hilt "You overreach, you little bastard"

The Queen gasped

Nikolai released a harsh laugh "Yes, call ood it will do Look around this table," he said "Every general, every nobleh rank, most of the Lantsov line, and the Sun Suht"

A number of faces at the table went suddenly pale

"Perhaps," said the freckle-faced boy across from me, "we should consider--"

"No!" said Vasily, his lip tre "This is his own petty jealousy! He cannot stand to see , distant at first, down near the city walls, one and then another, joining each other in a rising chorus of alarh the upper town, and over the walls of the Grand Palace

"You’ve handed hi back froabble of panic

Mal was at et to the Little Palace," I said, thinking of the mirrored dishes mounted on the roof "Where’s Tamar?"