-ZEPHYRUS' POV
The court had never felt this crowded.
Not because there were more bodies present, but because every word being spoken seemed to carry twice the weight it should have.
Strategy always did that. It stretched conversations until they became exhausting long before they became useful.
"I give it ten minutes before someone suggests something we already rejected a century ago," I muttered under my breath.
Zade's gaze remained fixed on the throne. "Five," he said quietly. "They came prepared this time."
"That makes it worse," I replied. "Prepared people rarely come to negotiate. They come to confirm what they already decided."
"Let them enjoy it," he said. "Some people like hearing themselves think."
"This is not thinking," I replied. "It is rehearsal."
Zade's mouth curved faintly. "Then at least we know they practiced before coming to embarrass themselves."
I glanced at him briefly. "You sound entertained."
