"If I choose the Trial of Domain," Jake said slowly, "when does it begin?"
"One month after you formally enter the contest," Vaskan said. "Enough time for you to prepare, to understand what you're walking into, to train, and to gather resources and build your foundation."
"And the other candidates? How many of them would choose Domain over Blood?"
"Most of them," Vaskan said.
"Combat specialists like Karut prefer the Trial of Blood, but they're a minority. The majority would choose Domain because they know they can't defeat the strongest fighters in direct confrontation. Domain gives them alternative paths to power."
Jake nodded slowly, the picture becoming clearer.
A year of competition spread across multiple territories, candidates proving themselves through achievement rather than violence, the political landscape of Clan Raikarndel playing out in miniature across whatever domains the main house assigned. Complicated. Vulnerable. Survivable.
And it gave him time.
