~ZEPHYRUS' POV
"Then we fail together."
Lucian watched her with open interest, his earlier composure shifting into something more analytical.
Zade, seated lower along the tiered arrangement of the court, remained unreadable in the way he always did during moments that mattered most.
Heat flickered faintly along my temples, not enough to alarm anyone who was not already paying attention, but enough that I became aware of how thin my patience had grown.
I folded my arms across my chest and forced myself to remain still.
"You understand that once agreed, there will be no retreat from this alliance without consequence." Alaric's voice lowered slightly when he spoke.
King Dorian inclined his head in acknowledgment.
"We would not propose it if we feared consequence."
"Fear is not usually what stops people from making bad decisions," Zade said, leaning slightly forward. "It is overconfidence."
