CHAPTER 26: Setting Expectations

Shae receives reports of coordinated bombings in Ygutan that destroyed chemical plants linked to the Mountain’s shine production. Satisfied at the strategic blow she enabled through earlier Espenian contacts, she anticipates Ayt Mada’s retaliation. Shae orders Woon to arrange a discreet meeting with Colonel Deiller to share Maik Kehn’s findings on Uwiwa-to-Ygutan jade smuggling, aiming to have Espenia suppress Zapunyo’s routes.

Woon warns of public resentment toward Espenians and the risks of deepening dependence. Shae argues their interests align on curbing black markets and that a second “gift” will compel reciprocity. They agree to keep the outreach quiet amid clan sensitivities.

That evening, Shae hosts a private dinner for Hilo, Wen, and Maro. Conversation turns tense when Maro advocates for independent voices in government and questions jade exceptionalism and the KJA’s market controls. Hilo parries without open hostility; Wen steers the talk back to safer ground, and the evening ends cordially.

Afterward, Hilo tells Shae that serious relationships require the Pillar’s approval and that Maro would never be privy to clan business. He unexpectedly reveals Woon is engaged, underscoring clan protocol. Hilo also asks after Anden in Espenia, admitting that “green isn’t easily rubbed away.”

The next morning, Woon brings a Janloon Daily article accusing Shae of having been an Espenian informant years earlier, detailing alleged payments, a visa, and a relationship with an Espenian officer. Recognizing Ayt’s calculated strike exploiting wartime anti-foreign sentiment, Shae orders immediate damage control: contact the paper’s editor, trace Mountain ties, and issue a rapid public statement.