“Are you sure you have enough guards, Inaris?”

I refrained from rolling my eyes. “Yes. I’ve said it before. We’re going to a negotiation, not to launch an assault on them. If we have to fight, I’ve already failed my objective. And I don’t plan to fail. But this is deliberately not supposed to be a contest of how much strength each party can bring.”

Kajare sighed. He didn’t look any happier about it. “Fine. I suppose if Kiyanu can agree to this, so can I. Just come back safely.”

I smiled and leaned forward to kiss him. “Don’t worry, I’ll try my best.”

Kiyanu caught my eye and nodded one last time, before turning away. We’d agreed that this would be my delegation to lead, and bringing him along would not make the Wei leadership more inclined to listen or surrender. He was strong enough that his presence would be a clear show of force, and apparently, there was some history between him and them. Not that I was surprised. On the timescale of these cultivators’ lifetimes, the last civil war wasn’t so long ago, and I doubted they’d fought on the same side.

Trying not to get bogged down any further, I hurried onto the deck of the airship. We were in one of our forward military bases, so the trip wouldn’t take long. Aston was a steady presence at my side like always, though he kept particularly close today. I guess he doesn’t like this, either, even if he knows better than to complain.

I snorted. “Oh ye of little faith,” I muttered.

“Did you say something?” Elia asked.

“Nothing.” I turned to her and smiled. “You ready?”

“Sure. This is going to be interesting!” She grinned.

She was probably counting on her status as a Greater Spirit’s descendant to come out of this okay. Not that I minded. She’d asked to come along on her own, so I didn’t have to feel guilty about putting her in danger to help me, either. Not that I knew if she’d actually be much help, but having her along couldn’t hurt.

Then the airship lifted off, and we were underway. I sat down on a wooden beam and pulled out one of my novels. There wasn’t much else I could do during the journey, and I appreciated finally having a moment to relax.

The trip passed quickly, and all too soon, we approached our destination. I carefully marked my page, stored the book, and stood up, heading to the railing with measured steps. I knew how important it was to project calmness and confidence, and I was conscious of the eyes of the soldiers following me.

They were a small, but elite, group, most of them Imperial Guard or handpicked by San Hashar and her trusted subordinates. I’d learned my lesson when it came to relying solely on the Guard. Ru Lis was in charge of the second detachment, while Aston was supposed to focus on my safety. I waited for everyone to arrange themselves properly before I jumped to the ground, the rest of the delegation following me.

They seemed confident. Of course, that might be because I may have given them the impression that I had Rijoko’s guidance and/or approval for this. In reality, I didn’t sense much more from him than distracted waiting, but I didn’t need his help, anyway.

I turned back and glanced at the ship, catching the eye of the hooded figure in black who was leaning on the railing and watching us go. Ming Li inclined his head, giving me a sloppy salute. I’d hired him to accompany us, though he would stay behind and come for us in case of trouble. One piece of insurance. Of course, it would only work if I was captured instead of killed by the Wei. But taking him along had quieted some of the complaints, and it was worth it for that alone.

The building we approached reminded me of the mansion of clan Tener where I’d met Aston again. It stood alone some distance from a village, and clearly wasn’t laid out to be a fortress. The sprawling estate covered a hillside blooming with flowers, and I could hear the burbling of a brook and little pond among the gardens. There were no guard posts, and no one contested our arrival. I sensed a few waiting presences, and saw a few looking down from windows, but no one approached us.

Aston opened the door and preceded me inside. I followed him down a short hallway festooned with portraits and tapestries to a pair of double doors behind which the people we’d come to meet waited. The room beyond looked like a cross between a grand hall and a receiving room, though it was conspicuously devoid of seats.

Wei Yong waited for us with his arms crossed and his aura weighing down the room. Beside him, Wei Jun stood in formal armor. A few other cultivators of reasonable strength lined the room or waited beyond them. Two in the seventh stage flanked Wei Min, who was wearing ornate clothes but glowered at his family. From the way they stood, they were watching him for any suspicious moves.

The two leaders stepped forward and bowed. “Welcome, Your Highness, lords and ladies,” Wei Yong said.

I smiled and bowed back as we came to a stop facing their group. “Thank you, Lord Wei.”

Wei Jun seemed a bit twitchy, and he glanced to the side of the room just before doors opened and more people streamed inside. They’d veiled their auras well, but I could now sense that many of them were in the higher stages, clearly outmatching my own guards.

“You’ll understand our desire for caution,” Wei Yong said. “We need to make sure that you have not come to attack us, or invite an attack of your main force.”

Weapons appeared in the hands of my guards, and they drew tighter around me and Elia, while the other delegates shifted behind me. I caught Elia smiling, even as she fingered her sleeve where I knew she’d hidden a dagger.

The Wei soldiers stepped closer, their own hands resting more tightly on their weapons. I felt the weight of their presences bearing down on me. My senses sharpened as the tension in the air thickened.

Shooting a sharp glare at Aston, I stepped forward, beyond the guards. They hesitated, but moved aside for me. I flicked my fingers and drew my spear from my storage ring, causing a sharp spike in the tension.

Then I bowed my head and held it out to the Wei. “Of course. As a sign of my peaceful intent, I will surrender my weapon to your custody. Be careful, Fides Imperatricis is formidable and can be quite dangerous to anyone who tries to wield it against its owner.” I wasn’t entirely sure of that, but I did get that impression from its qi. It was a legendary weapon in the making, after all.

They exchanged a look, then Wei Jun stepped forward and gingerly took the spear from my hands before returning to his brother. After another sharp glance from me, Aston and the other guards piled their most dangerous weapons behind them and returned the rest to their sheaths or storage items.

“Quite brave,” Wei Yong commented.

I shrugged. Then I stepped forward even further, closing the distance to the two older Wei. Elia stepped up outside the guards’ ring, as well, with her arms crossed and an amused smile on her lips. I hope that means she’s reading the situation and it isn’t as dangerous as it looks.

Because I knew I’d effectively put myself into their hands, but that didn’t matter. I could tell I was already impressing them, if Wei Yong’s comment hadn’t made that clear.

“I have faith in your judgment and reason,” I replied. “As well as what remains of your honor.”

That clearly needled them, but Wei Yong only raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you do? So we should judge it better to surrender to you?”

I shrugged, deliberately keeping my body language casual and relaxed. “You should certainly know that your position is perilous, and attacking me now would not make you able to withstand our forces. Isn’t that why you’re willing to talk, because you know that you face defeat and death?”

He crossed his arms. “Even assuming that was true, why would that make us more willing to surrender? Do you know what they say about cornered animals?” His hair reflected the light again with an orange glow, and shadows of fire danced under his fingernails.

“You’re tacitly conceding her point,” Elia commented. “You’re definitely aware that your prospects are bleak.”

I smiled, but didn’t take my gaze away from my adversary and his brother. “Actually, I don’t just want you to surrender. I want you to switch sides. You can at least try to earn back some of the honor and virtue, if not peace of mind, you lost with your betrayal, by doing the right thing now. You’ve seen that your justification for treason was shallow and warped. Ask Wei Min who is on the side of righteousness in this conflict.”

Wei Jun glanced at his son for a moment, a deep furrow on his forehead. He looked at me. “And that would cause you to spare us? You’ve already promised us a last chance we refused.”

I hardened my expression. “No. It won’t. I won’t lie to you, even if I did intend to spare you, Kiyanu might not allow it. He is still regent.”

The general narrowed his eyes. “Then you expect us to accept death easily? Just like that?”

Wei Yong gestured, and his soldiers drew tighter around us, weapons readied.

I took another step forward. “I want you to answer a question for me, Wei Jun. Honestly.” I glanced at his brother, then met the general’s eyes again. “Which world do you want your son to live in?”

The room was silent for a moment, my question seeming to echo through it. The elder Wei looked at me, frowning.

“The world where your conspiracy wins,” I continued, “where new technology is decried and cultivators cling to the past with bloodied fingernails? Or the world of my Empire, where we beat the Zarian, united, and launch it into a new age of social and technological advancement?”

The silence recaptured the room, deeper this time. Even Elia and my soldiers were still, almost holding their breath. I didn’t stop looking at Wei Jun and Wei Yong, challenging them with my gaze. I could see that they were both affected by my words. Their frowns had deepened and Wei Jun twitched, while Wei Yong still had his arms crossed, so tightly the veins stood out. Ice glittered through his eyes for a moment, before his aura’s fire returned to them.

The general exhaled deeply and looked at his son for a long moment, before he turned to his brother. The two of them exchanged a wordless glance that clearly carried the weight of a conversation.

Then Wei Jun drew his sword and threw it on the floor, where it clattered to a stop with the blade in my reach. He lowered himself to his knees and bowed his head.

The room seemed to collectively release a deep breath, only to hold the next in when Wei Yong conjured his sword. But he only threw it to the floor beside his brother’s and knelt down as well.

“Your Majesty,” he stated in a rough voice. “Clan Wei is at your mercy.”

Elia chuckled, and after a moment, metal clattered as his clan’s soldiers followed their example and knelt.

I smiled, feeling the tightening around my chest I’d barely noticed anymore weakening. The room seemed much brighter, and there was a new lightness in my step as I approached them, holding out my right hand. Wei Yong bent to kiss the ring bearing the Imperial phoenix seal, and Wei Jun followed suit.

I ran my hand over Fides’ shaft, feeling its qi thrum beneath my fingers. It surprised me how much I disliked having someone else touch it, even though I’d handed it away myself, and only for a short while.

This world didn’t have sentient objects, as far as I knew. But some weapons came close, and this would clearly be one of them, if it wasn’t already. I definitely imagined a feeling of satisfaction coming from it, although there was mostly my own qi imbued into the weapon over time.

I shook my head and put it away in my storage ring, before I started walking again. The two Imperial soldiers stationed beside the door I was approaching straightened to attention and pushed it open for me. I nodded at them and entered the Wei clan head’s study, glancing around. Most of the documents or devices stored here had been taken, and there was barely anything left besides the chair from which Wei Yong stood as I entered. He bowed deeply.

I waved him back to his seat. “I don’t have much time, so let’s make this brief.”

The last day or so had been a whirlwind of activity, especially in the hours after they laid down their swords. A sizable Imperial force had moved in and was now occupying the mansion. Several officials and experts from further away had also been called, and the generals were busy making and adjusting plans. Meanwhile, Kariva was methodically going through every one of the Wei clan's leadership. After she’d talked to Wei Min and handed him a shiny new set of alchemy equipment. Never thought I’d see Kariva actually showing affection or sentiment for someone. Good for her.

To their credit, Wei Yong and Wei Jun had cooperated fully and earnestly. They hadn’t even complained or questioned the few special requests I’d had for them. Well, they’d hesitated for a moment when I asked for blood samples, but those could probably be used for some shady magic stuff, which I’d assured them wasn’t my intention. Among my own soldiers, asking to see their technical manuals and construction blueprints for vehicles and agricultural equipment had raised more eyebrows. Hey, enough people are going to be asking about technique manuals and secret weapons already.

Wei Yong tapped his fingers on his armrest. “Your Highness, if I may, I’ve been wanting to ask about our fate.”

“No decision has been reached yet,” I told him, suppressing a sigh. “We’re going to need your assistance against the Zun and the rest of the conspiracy’s forces. I presume clan Wei is going to stay more or less intact, although it may not be as rich or powerful once this is all over. We’re certainly not going to be killing anyone whose guilt isn’t proven.”

He frowned. “I presume that doesn’t include me and my brother?” His voice was even and calm. “Anyone can see we are guilty of treason.”

I shifted my weight, crossing my arms. “I would prefer not to kill you, I really would. I don’t think it’s going to happen, but like I said, I still need to discuss everything with Kiyanu and several others. We can’t afford to be too merciful to traitors or we will appear weak. It’s out of your hands, so I suggest you focus on the problems in front of you.”

His frown eased, and he nodded. “Thank you for that, my lady. I may not have said it before, but I do regret fighting against you.”

I cocked my head. I wonder if that’s just because you lost. I scratched my cheek, regarding him in silence for a moment, then sighed.

“It’s good to hear, though that will not be easily forgotten … grandfather.”

He paled and his eyes widened. “What?”