Chapter Five

Back in Bastian’s apartments after the Kirytheans’ arrival, Alie explodes at Bastian while Gabe and Malcolm seethe in silence. Lore recalls the staged greeting and realizes Gabe had been spared seeing the men tied to his childhood torture. Bastian avoids Gabe’s gaze, then faces the room as they demand answers.

Bastian admits he invited the Kirythean delegation almost two weeks earlier, after learning their armies were already massing at the border the day after August’s death. He withheld the news, believing debate would waste time and lead to bloodshed. He frames the choice as either war now or controlled engagement.

Gabe challenges any pursuit of peace; Bastian counters that Auverraine would be crushed in open war. Lore insists a real council needs transparency, pricking Bastian’s pride, but he asks they accept this one unilateral decision. Recognizing the fait accompli, they press for next steps.

Bastian outlines a month-long strategy: he and Lore will repeatedly demonstrate their combined power—timed with the farmland restoration—to convince Kirythea that Auverraine is too dangerous to invade. Lore is uneasy at weaponizing their intimate magic but concedes the plan’s logic. Bastian notes Emperor Jax sent relatives Maxon and Caius, whose reports will shape Kirythea’s response.

They address security: Kirythean guards will be lodged in the Church under the Presque Mort’s watch to limit rumor and movement, while Maxon and Caius will stay in the southeast turret for controlled oversight. Bastian acknowledges the pair are spies but expresses confidence in his safety.

Tension peaks between Bastian and Gabe over court dissent and threats of harsher measures. Bastian promises future consultation, calling Lore “beloved,” which darkens Gabe’s mood. Twilight falls as the council accepts the plan, uneasily united under a strategy of deterrence.