“Well, I never claimed to be able to vouch for Ashwin’s moral character,” Ruban said, deadpan. “The reason I’m sure he didn’t take the formula is that I searched him, thoroughly, before leaving the villa. And then he was searched once again at the nearest Hunter Quarter, while the villa was being processed.

“Although not everyone knew his true identity, he was still treated as a foreign emissary, and therefore as a potential threat to national security when the formula went missing. He was gravely injured at the time, not really in a position to fight us. Let alone pull some elaborate heist singlehandedly. If he’d had the formula, we’d have found it.”

Viman gazed thoughtfully at Ruban. “And yet, you’re the one who said that ‘not all humans are opposed to allying themselves with Aeriels’,” he smiled slightly, quoting Ruban’s own words back at him. “How can the common citizens of Vandram be sure that you’re not one of those traitorous humans? Are we simply supposed to take your word for it?

“Your actions, in recent months, would certainly suggest otherwise.” Viman sat back, steepling his fingers in front of him. “You’ve been vocal in your support for this alliance with Vaan. You’ve refused to use the reinforced sifblade in your Hunts so far. In fact, your fight with Prince Shwaan was the first time you’ve used it on record, if I’m not mistaken.

“Lastly, you were adamant in your refusal to kill that Aeriel terrorist.” Viman sighed. “A casual observer might come to the conclusion that you’ve been seduced over to the other side. That the prince has used his…considerable charms,” he threw a suggestive glance at Ashwin. “To convince you of the merits of siding with Vaan, this time around. Maybe he also convinced you to…overlook the disappearance of the reinforced sifblade formula, two years ago.”

“You’re suggesting that the reason I fought Ashwin over that X-class, the reason I nearly chopped his hand off with reinforced sif…” Ruban cocked his head, brows furrowing slightly. “Is ’cause he’s seduced me over to his side?

“Well, that doesn’t sound like very effective seduction. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t typically expect my trysts to leave me maimed. But perhaps that’s my lack of experience talking.” He held out a hand, the gesture conciliatory. “I defer to your expertise in this matter.”

Ashwin dipped his head. To Ruban, it was obvious that he was trying desperately not to laugh.

Viman gritted his teeth, lips pressing into a thin line.

A few seconds later, Ashwin had pulled himself back together. “You know, I do appreciate your confidence in my…ah,” he looked around, trying to find the right words. “Irresistible allure. It’s very flattering, it is.” He pushed an errant lock of silver hair away from his face. “But be honest for a moment here, Mr. Rai. Which of these options seems more believable to you?”

He held up one finger. “That Ruban Kinoh – one of the most successful Hunters in Vandran history, the man who killed both Reivaa and the former Aeriel queen Tauheen – has been lured into supporting an alliance that’ll destroy his country?” He held up another finger. “Or that the people who benefit (directly or indirectly) from the illegal feather trade will do everything in their power to turn public opinion against an alliance that could destroy the source of their wealth?”

“I’d like to believe it’s the latter,” Viman said. “As would most of our viewers, I’m sure. But I can’t overlook all the evidence pointing in the opposite direction. The chiefs of the five Hunter Quarters have had reinforced sifblades for several months now. Yet, to our knowledge, the day before yesterday was the first time Mr. Kinoh used the weapon. In his (very public) brawl with you.” He looked Ashwin up and down, a quick and disdainful appraisal. “I’ve tried and failed to come up with any reasonable explanation for his reluctance to use the weapon we’ve all waited so many years for.”

“It’s because he doesn’t need to,” Ashwin said, unruffled. “That’s the explanation you’ve been looking for. Ruban can do more damage with a single sifkren than most other Hunters can with multiple reinforced sifblades at their disposal. With both Tauheen and Reivaa dead, there aren’t any Exiles left who’re powerful enough to pose a real threat to Ruban in one-to-one combat.

“Among the Aeriels of Vaan, the only ones who might stand a chance against Ruban are Shehzaa and my sister.” He smirked, pressing a hand to his own chest. “And, of course, yours truly. Which is what finally drove him to use the reinforced sifblade, during our fight. He couldn’t have won without it, whether he’ll admit it or not.” Catching Viman’s eye, he executed a little mock bow. “You’re welcome.”

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“You’re wasted on a news program,” Ruban said dryly. “Your talents are better suited to the writers' room of an action movie.” He turned to Viman. “Fact of the matter is, the reinforced sifblades we were given are prototypes. They’re volatile and dangerous – not only to Aeriels but also to the Hunter wielding it, not to mention any civilians in the vicinity.

“Considering how horribly reinforced sif has been misused in the past,” he continued. “Most recently by the feather mafia. I consider it my duty – as well as that of SifCo and the Hunter Corps – to be careful about where and how we use this incredibly powerful weapon. And to carefully control who has access to it.”

“When you say reinforced sif has been misused in the past.” Viman skimmed briefly through the notes in front of him, rearranging the papers as he did so. “Are you talking about Janak Nath’s ‘branding’ of the Aeriels he Hunted?”

“Among other things,” said Ruban. “But that is one of the starkest examples of such misuse, yes.”

“So, you believe that none of his ‘victims’…” Viman stressed the last word, his tone bordering on sarcasm. “Deserved the humiliation? Not even the ones that’d helped Tauheen wreak havoc on Ragah the previous year? The ones with Vandran blood on their hands?”

“Humiliation?” Ashwin interrupted, before Ruban could form a reply. “You think Janak Nath was using his stolen stash of reinforced sif to humiliate his victims?”

“He branded his initials onto their corpses, after he’d killed them and stripped their feathers.” Viman raised an eyebrow. “Would you not consider that humiliation?”

“Would you?” Ashwin asked, his tone one of mild curiosity. “Even when the ‘victim’ is not yet a corpse?” His left shoulder moved in a subtle jerk, causing the feather cloak to slip off, gliding down his upper arm to settle at the crook of his elbow. “Back in my day, we called it torture.”

Across the table, Viman sucked in a sharp breath.

The letters of Janak Nath’s name, seared forever into pale Aeriel skin. The jagged scars now on display before who knew how many cameras, bared and exposed for all the world to see.

“Might I be so bold as to call this a misuse of reinforced sif?” Ashwin asked mildly.

Ruban clenched his fists under the table, trying to contain the urge to wring the Aeriel’s scrawny neck. What was he doing? Outmaneuvering Viman Rai wasn’t worth it, not if this was the price they had to pay.

Viman cleared his throat. “I…” For once, he seemed to be at a loss for words. “I was not aware you were one of the Aeriels he’d captured.” He managed, at last. “Janak Nath was known for killing his victims before he branded them. And considering the extent of your powers…”

When he didn’t continue, Ashwin filled in for him. “You think I’m too powerful to be bested by the likes of Janak Nath and his gang of thugs?” He grinned, pulling the feather cloak back over his shoulder. “Aww, I’m flattered!

“And you’re right, of course. We weren’t defeated, we were tricked. Which is perhaps more embarrassing, but there you have it. That’s the reason Ruban’s so careful in his use of reinforced sif. Janak Nath was a sadistic bastard, but hardly the only one of his kind. By handing out reinforced sifblades without thorough screening, you’ll only embolden those psychopaths. Increasing the odds that something like that will happen again, perhaps on a much larger scale than before.”

Ashwin spent the next few minutes giving Viman (and, by extension, all his millions of viewers) a detailed account of his captivity under Janak Nath.

It was only when he was halfway through his narrative that Ruban understood the purpose of this unprovoked candor.

Aside from winning public sympathy for the alliance, Ashwin was trying to preemptively defang Dhriti Pathak. She’d threatened him with a video of his time in captivity, during their meeting with the Cabinet. Ruban still wasn’t sure such a video even existed. But if it did, Ashwin was taking away Dhriti’s power to blackmail him with it, by openly talking about his captivity – and the torture he’d suffered – on national TV.

If this led to an unprecedented spike in the viewership of Sunset News at Six – well, at least Viman Rai couldn’t say no Aeriel ever did him any favors.

Ashwin knew he still retained much popularity among the viewers who’d watched him on Casia Washi’s show, when he first appeared in the country. And by making himself vulnerable in front of the camera – sitting opposite the obviously hostile Viman Rai – he was reaching out to his original fanbase with an unspoken appeal for support.

And if Viman’s deepening scowl was anything to go by, he knew exactly what the Aeriel was doing. And didn’t like how well it seemed to be working. After all, the implication that many of the politicians and media personalities opposing the alliance had ties to the illegal feather trade wouldn’t do any good for his credibility. Viman had staked too much on his dissenting stance to back out now. And with every word he spoke, Ashwin was backing him further into a corner on his own show.

Ruban didn’t think public approval for the Vaan alliance could rise any further than it had after his fight with Ashwin the day before yesterday. But this interview might just prove him wrong.