Chapter 13

Acker, drained after guarding Jovie through the night and disposing of the slain Strou assassin to spare her shock, meets his father in a tense, silent audience. He wrestles with the pull of the Bond and his worry over Jovie’s disregard for her safety.

The king unexpectedly praises Acker and admits placing heavy burdens on him, prompting discussion of mangi stones and Matches. When pressed, Acker concedes he has visited Jovie through the Bond. The king signals a confidential plan before summoning a guest.

Wren, Captain of the Alaha—and a figure Acker loathes for Jovie’s stolen memories and Alaha atrocities—enters. Acker rejects civility and demands an explanation for Wren’s presence in Kenta. The king frames it as a necessary, secret alliance.

They outline terms: Alaha’s magic has withered away from land; Wren admits smuggling soil to preserve his son Kai’s power. With Alaha troops embedded within Roison’s ranks, any open defection would spark a massacre, so the pact must remain covert until Roison nears Kenta’s capital.

Acker challenges the risks—ongoing unsustainable losses, Kai’s likely opposition, and the improbability of two domineering rulers coexisting. Wren claims Kai will obey and promises the element of surprise to end the war. The meeting closes with Acker unconvinced, the stakes sharpened by secrecy and attrition.