"House Teralin."

  Huiron hissed with a deep wince. "Teralin?! Why do you have to pick a duel the Teralins?! Count me out! Even I am not stupid enough to insult them."

  Damien frowned in confusion. It wasn't that the Saulae scion was afraid, it was more like a complaint than a response to fear.

  It didn't help that the rest of the scions all showed expressions of resigned reluctance, like this was something they dearly wanted to avoid but couldn't. All of them, with the exception of Vanis.

  "Van, dear," Sareina began sweetly, batting her eyelashes in a way that would've made any other man cave. "Is there no other way to resolve this? You and the Teralins should come to an agreement. That would be far better than this brutish and barbaric exercise you call a duel."

  "Brutish and barbaric?" Solis gave the Duveyar scion a scathing look, but then he turned to his brother with a calm voice. "I do agree with her, though. Is there no other way to settle this other than a humiliating defeat to them?"

  Vanis was unmoved. "They challenged me, not the other way around. I will not debase myself by asking for a way out."

  "Um, what's happening?" Keilan asked, coming to stand closer to Damien. "Are these Teralins that powerful?"

  Vanis snorted. "Not so powerful as they're simply needed." He turned to face Keilan. "The Teralins are a powerful family, true, with a path focused on Air wielding. But that's not what these three are whining about. They just don't want to lose access to the best vacation spot in the alliance."

  "Whining, he says," Sareina huffed. "We'll see who's whining when summer comes."

  Damien raised an eyebrow, turning to face the Sualae heir, who rolled his eyes and answered.

  "The Teralins are the owners of the most luxurious worlds in the alliance, and perhaps, beyond. It's where the rich and powerful go for vacation." He took on a dreamy look. "They've got beautiful beaches and waters so clear you could see miles into them. There's also soft, cushy clouds perfect for bathing. Only a fool or someone with zero taste for beauty would do something to get themselves banned from the Teralin systems."

  The young man turned to Vanis. "Which one are you, Vanis?"

  Vanis glanced at the Sualae scion but said nothing. He turned his head as Solis stood up from his chair and approached him, with a look Damien would never believe he'd see on the face of the brutish man.

  "Vanis, maybe we should take a more," he coughed and then made a gagging expression. "Diplomatic route this time. The others are there, we could beat them however we like. But just this once, let's show the crowds that the great houses aren't simply warmongers and bullies but reasonable people who could be persuaded to more peaceful means of settling disputes. Trust me, it would build our reputation far better than winning this duel ever could."

  Vanis actually seemed to think about it, his eyes going distant and a thoughtful look appearing on his face. He shrugged a moment later as he returned back to the present and then gave his brother a calm look.

  "Okay, I will agre—"

  "Yes!" The other scions shouted in excitement. Solis punched his fist together and Sareina clapped, while Huiron punched upwards. They were interrupted when Vanis raised a finger.

  "I will agree," the Verrille heir repeated slowly. "On the condition that somebody approach them and offer the truce... And it can't be me."

  Silence settled into the room and the others watched patiently as Vanis continued.

  "Solis, you can't go. You're more likely to punch them than come to any form of peaceful resolution."

  Solis grimaced, but nodded.

  "Huiron, you're almost as bad as Solis, except where my brother is more likely to use his fist, you'll use your mouth. Besides, they wouldn't believe this truce sincere if you were the one sent to represent us."

  He turned to Sareina just as Huiron sat down with a shrug.

  "You, on the other hand, are a perfect fit... Or I hope so." Vanis said. "You have the same charisma as your dad, and while not up to his level, it would be sufficient enough to get them to the table. So, for lack of better choice, you'll be our representative."

  Sareina visibly took a deep breath and then stood up. Slowly and gently she dusted off whatever she felt had stuck to her dress and then raised her head to look at Vanis, with her arms carefully folded over her stomach.

  "For this, I will be glad to mediate."

  With that, the Duveyar scion began gliding towards the entrance, gesturing to the warrior maidens that came in with her to stay back in their seats.

  And then an orange flaming bird flew down from the ceiling to perch on her shoulder.

  The creature emitted no aura that Damien could detect, but his intuition spoke to him that it was powerful. He hadn't even detected its presence.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Don't worry, Kiki will come with me." She gestured at the bird as they made for the door.

  "Hello Kiki," both Solis and Huiron greeted, while Vanis simply nodded with a wave.

  Unsurprisingly, the bird turned its head and squawked loudly, prompting Nalon to growl warningly.

  As soon as Sareina left the room, Huiron stood up with a clap. "Okayyyy, bets on how long it takes before she comes back in shame and disgrace?"

  "Thirty minutes," Solis grinned.

  "Thirty minutes? Isn't that too high? I've got one hundred black Vicari on the next fifteen minutes," Huiron grinned back.

  "Maybe you two shouldn't be betting negatively on this," Vanis said. "Besides, I think she's more likely to succeed or at least come to a mutual understanding than a loss."

  "Oh, pleaseeee," Huiron laughed. "The Teralins have cast their lots with their little group. They're after something and won't back down just because the daughter of the Sovereign of Red Skies said so."

  "They might," Vanis shrugged. "Have you thought of the possibility that they might want to avoid this?"

  "Oh, and why would they?"

  "Well, first off, to avoid the same humiliation as House Xylene and Uzeer. A disgrace like that will stick with them for a long time, and I reason they'll very much want to avoid such."

  "A little disgrace will be a small price to pay against the haul they'll get should they win one over us," Solis reminded.

  "Well, that's that," Vanis agreed. "But a long term enmity will be one of the gifts they get to take on the off chance that they win. So, it's a lose lose either way." He looked at his brother. "A mutual agreement with us, on the other hand, will be extremely beneficial to them."

  "That's if they take it," Huiron said.

  Just then, the entrance peeled open and Sareina strolled back in with her bird still perched on her shoulders. The creature vanished in a ball of flame just as they walked in, leaving the woman to come to a stop in front of the other occupants.

  "Well, that was fast," Vanis said. "You weren't gone for five minutes."

  In the background, Huiron could be seen stretching an open hand to Solis, who eyed it and then slapped it away, muttering something Damien didn't bother trying to hear.

  "Did you fail?" Huiron asked. "Are we going to be forever banned from bubble world?"

  Sareina looked at everyone calmly, her deep orange eyes betraying nothing. "You bet against me, didn't you?"

  "They tried but I stopped them," Vanis assured. "So what did you come off with? Are they still intent on dueling me?"

  "Lord Einar was present so I spoke to him." Sareina replied. "He's agreed to pull out from the duel—"

  Huiron choked out loudly and Solis's head snapped up from where he'd been brooding, glaring at the floor.

  "How'd you do that?!" He said suspiciously. "You're lying!"

  "No, I am not," The Duveyar heiress said as she moved to take her seat, nodding towards her warrior maidens who'd been glaring daggers at the male scions a few seconds ago.

  "Then tell us how you did it?"

  "Simple, I politely told them that I'd have Kiki take a stroll around their precious worlds. See how it looks after she passes."

  "You threatened them," Vanis said blandly.

  "Threat is too crude a word. I'd have looked like Solis saying it," she winked. "So I said it nicely."

  "I imagine they didn't see it that way," Huiron laughed. "But I won't fault you. Nice work, Sar. I'm proud of you!"

  "What did you promise them?" Vanis interjected. "Threats are all good, but they work better with incentives. House Teralin are not so weak that a simple threat from you would scare them away."

  "No, you're right, a threat was not the only thing I offered." She turned to Verrille heir. "Vanis, you'll have to see to their protection in case the other houses decide to take revenge. I don't imagine their pull out will sit well with the others."

  She turned to Huiron as Vanis and Solis moved to take their seats.

  "You... I'm sorry to say, but you'll have to share a little of your father's treasured stealth techniques, at least enough to boost their strength by a fair bit."

  "And what will you be offering?" Huiron raised an eyebrow, his intense dark eyes boring into the heiress like a beam.

  "Me?" Sareina smiled and then shrugged. "House Duveyar will sign a better trade deal with them, enough to see our imports and exports increase by a fair amount."

  "And you think this is enough?" Huiron asked. "A few inconsequential concessions from us and they decide to go home without lifting a weapon? I don't imagine it's that easy."

  "Now it might not be," Vanis said slowly. "But in the long run, they will benefit greatly from this deal."

  "It wouldn't compare to if their group won this duel, though," Huiron reminded him.

  "Ahh, but that's a distant possibility, isn't it?" Vanis glanced back at the Saulae scion. "The possibility of them winning was extremely small, so House Teralin had to chose between going home barehanded, with the knowledge that they'd just earned our enmity, or take the deal we were offering, knowing that our gratitude came with it. They chose the option a wise man would have made."

  "A wise man would have taken the bet!" Huiron said smugly.

  Vanis was about to reply when something crackled, a sound that spread all around, and then somebody coughed.

  "UM, GOOD DAY LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I HOPE YOU ALL ARE ENJOYING THE SHOW." They paused. "INFORMATION HAS JUST COME IN THAT HOUSE TERALIN, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE HOUSE NEXT ON THE LIST OF CHALLENGERS, HAS JUST PULLED OUT."

  The crowd erupted.

  "THEY HAVE YET TO GIVE REASONS FOR THEIR SUDDEN DECISION, BUT I RECKON WE WILL BE HEARING ABOUT THAT BEFORE THE DAY IS DONE. THANK YOU."

  "Nice one, Sar. I thought you were bluffing at first but this announcement disproves it. I'm proud of you," Huiron smiled. "Maybe we should send you on more diplomatic missions. You seem to have a kick for them."

  "No. Definitely not," Vanis shook his head. "You threatened them. In my book, that's as far from diplomacy as possible. You're becoming more like grandma and uncle Nessus. Next time, I'll be sending someone else."

  He turned to look at where Damien and Keilan had been sitting, watching the whole play unfold with amused attention.

  "Are any of you good at diplomacy?"

  Keilan laughed before Damien could answer. "Oh, hell no! The last time my brother tried his hands at diplomacy, he began a war that involved all the nations in the world, all in the span of a few months."

  Vanis raised an eyebrow just as Solis snapped his attention to them, this time with a different look than Damien was familiar with.

  Sareina smiled and Huiron chuckled loudly. "And the mystery continues. I'd very much love to get to know you two better." He clapped and leaned forward. "What about you, Keilan? Your brother is terrible at diplomacy, you say. I assume you're not?"

  "Oh, I'm not. I mean, I try to be better but sometimes my emotions just get the best of me." His brother said, shrugging. "I'd rather not be put in a situation where I have to peacefully mediate a dispute."

  "Honesty, a trait I like," Huiron said. "Keilan, how would you feel if we became friends?"

  Keilan looked at the other man. "How did you expect me to answer that?

  "Fair," Huiron leaned back. "Just, think about it. No rush. A friend like me would be great to have."

  Keilan said nothing and Huiron didn't push.

  A few minutes later, the sound projector came on again and the next challenger in the line was called.