The next hour was spent arguing over the practical minutiae of a potential alliance with Vaan. Another round of tea was served. This time, Ruban remembered to pluck a few extra pastries off the serving cart – to pass on to Ashwin once he finished his own snack and started eyeing everyone else’s.

Unnati Jha, the Chief Hunter, was not in favor of the alliance. Her opposition didn’t come as a surprise to Ruban. Unnati was an exceptional Hunter as well as an effective politician, and this rare combination of skills accounted for much of her success. But nobody could deny the fact that she was also exceptionally ambitious.

She’d been looking forward to the rollout of the reinforced sifblades, particularly after the debacle at Reivaa’s castle last year. Once the testing phase was over and the reinforced sifblades were fully deployed, the efficacy of the Hunter Corps would increase exponentially. Their hit-rate would skyrocket overnight.

If the clash with the feather mafia at Reivaa’s castle had stained the reputation of the Hunter Corps, the reinforced sifblades had the potential to wipe the slate clean and restore them to their former glory. And who could blame Unnati for wanting that to happen during her term as Chief Hunter?

Over the last couple of years, she’d come under fire multiple times for things that were outside her control, often as a direct consequence of Ashwin’s maneuvers. Of course she wasn’t happy about being robbed of her potential glory days – mere weeks before the final stage of the rollout process.

For his part, the defence minister was just as opposed to the alliance. But his reasons were more straightforward than Unnati’s.

“Aeriels cannot be trusted,” he declared, voice barely above a growl. “Doesn’t matter whether they’re imported from Vaan or domestically produced. We have centuries of blood-drenched history to attest to that fact.

“The emissary from Vaan is making sweet promises today, but what’s to say he wouldn’t turn on us the moment an opportunity presented itself?” He directed a contemptuous glare at Ashwin. “A contract that can’t be enforced is worthless. And how could we indict the Aeriel prince for breach of contract without risking a war with Vaan? Which, unless I’m mistaken, is exactly what this alliance is meant to prevent.”

Rifaq’s demeanor was harsh, but Ruban knew the man well enough to see that he was as angry with himself as with anyone else. He blamed himself for not seeing through Ashwin’s plot for over two years; for being fooled by the enemy into exposing his vulnerabilities, as well as those of his country.

He distrusted Ashwin instinctively, much as Ruban had done in those first few weeks after learning of his true identity. But much of the vitriol Rifaq now directed at Ashwin was born of the fact that he no longer felt he could trust himself.

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Ruban could empathize with that feeling, perhaps more than he strictly wanted to. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the table. “Sir, you’re right to be wary of Vaan and its motives. But this alliance is not without its advantages. Or, at least, potential advantages. Is there anything the prince can do to…ah,” he flicked a glance at Ashwin. “Ameliorate your concerns?”

Rifaq sneered. “Certainly. He can assure everyone in this room that once the alliance is finalized, every Aeriel within the borders of Vandram will submit to being tracked and monitored at all times. Just to ensure they won’t be following in their prince’s footsteps to conspire against this country – commit identity theft or,” he looked around. “Try and blackmail the Cabinet.”

Ashwin smiled grimly. “I’m afraid it’s not within my power to make such a promise. Even if I were willing to command the Aeriels of Vaan to submit themselves to round-the-clock surveillance – and I’m not – I couldn’t make any promises on behalf of the Exiles.”

“So you want us to agree to an alliance with Vaan when half the Aeriels in this country are not even under your control?” Rifaq demanded.

“They will be, once both our governments reach an agreement. But forcing the Exiles into submission to the queen, my sister, will be difficult enough as it is, without additional provocations like these.” As Ashwin explained, his tone was earnest and thoughtful. “The Exiles cannot enter Vaan. So, any escalation in the conflict between Vaan and the Exiles would affect earth; put human lives in jeopardy. And forcing them to submit to perpetual surveillance is guaranteed to escalate conflict.”

“You know what else will escalate conflict?” Unnati asked coldly. “Broadcasting the fact that the IAW knowingly allowed an Aeriel in disguise to spend two years skulking around the most famous Hunter in this country.”

Ruban repressed the urge to roll his eyes. But, while her rhetoric was exaggerated, it was true that the news could potentially cause unrest. It certainly wouldn’t improve public perception of the Hunter Corps, which had already been less-than-stellar in the past few months.

“Still, there’s a bright side to it,” Ruban said, projecting a nonchalance he did not feel. “Ashwin did help me kill Tauheen. There’s no denying that fact. If not for him, I don’t think I’d have survived the Hunt that claimed my uncle’s life.”

That was the simple truth. And yet, the words stung his throat on their way out.

Dhriti Pathak smiled sweetly at him. “That’s true. In helping you kill his own mother, the prince of Vaan did this country a great favor. One that might be hard for us to repay. The only thing that could’ve made it even greater…” As she paused, her limpid eyes traversed the table, scanning each face by turn. “Is if he’d managed to recover the reinforced sifblade formula his mother had stolen.

“Strange that it wasn’t found in the riverside villa Tauheen had been using as her primary stronghold. Especially since that’s where she stored all the reinforced sif ores her lackeys siphoned from the mines. If the formula had been found back then, the reinforced sifblades could’ve been perfected and integrated fully into the Hunter Corps by now.”

Under the table, Ruban clenched his hands into fists. The implication was obvious. That Ashwin had stolen the formula from his mother after helping Ruban kill her. It was not implausible. If he didn’t know what really transpired in that house two years ago, Ruban might’ve believed it too.

The other attendees certainly agreed, if their expressions were anything to go by.