“Why didn’t you start with that?” I sat up as soon as Prince Edward mentioned Eliana.

He raised his hands, chuckling lightly. “It’s not as bad as it sounds.”

“You said Eliana is in danger!”

“I said that I believe she is in danger.” He responded. “She believes that she is safe.”

I frowned, glaring at him.

“Perhaps I should explain myself. You may be aware of this, but now that the Osterians left the Ost Republic, there is a bit of a power vacuum down there. The humans of the Ost Republic existed alongside, or perhaps even subservient to the Osterians. When the majority of them up and left, the humans were at a bit of a loss how this country was to continue. It was built on the premise of coexistence between all races. Although the population is mostly human and Osterian, there are also some demons down there, dwarves, as well as a species you may not have heard of named the Fae.”

I perked up a bit. “The Fae?”

“Oh, so you have heard of them? Well, most of their population lives in the south of that region, and only the humans and Osterians officially created a government. Rather, the Osterians seemed to act as a protective barrier that kept the other races in the south separated and safe.”

“Safe from Aberis…” I responded.

He gave a helpless shrug. “I don’t necessarily agree with the policies my father had before me, but we have inherited them. My sister has always been against slavery and the poor treatment of nonhumans. What you have done in the west has also begun to shift sentiment, which is why I’ve warned you that there will be resistance. The southwest has bordered the peaceful Esmore and the Dioshin slavers. However, the east has only known war with Osterians to the south, and the xenophobic ways of the Imperial Cloud Meadow in the north.”

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I shook my head. “What does this have to do with Eliana?”

“Eliana is in a strange position in the Ost Republic. She’s gained the respect and love of the humans, and her voice currently holds nearly equal sway to the council. However, the other races fear that in the absence of the Osterians, the humans will start to suppress them, so tensions are starting to rise.”

I suppose that it was too easy for the Ost Republic to just reunite with Aberis. I had always known the Ost Republic as the less xenophobic cousin to Aberis, but now I understood why. It seemed like all of the species that were rejected or attempted to be wiped out eventually found themselves down there. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were pockets of deep dwarves down there at this point.

“And?”

“There has currently been ongoing trouble on the cost.” He responded. “Ships have been getting attacked at an alarming rate. This is why I couldn’t send you aid. My forces have been sent east to help protect our borders. However, with the loss of the Osterians, the Ost Republic no longer can reinforce the coast.”

“Get on with it!” He seemed to be dragging it out quite a bit.

“Eliana has agreed to preside over a peace summit. She wants to unite the Ost Republic. The other groups in the Ost Republic would only agree to meet if it was in a neutral location outside of the Ost Republic.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What neutral location?”

“The Tearfall Isles.” He sighed. “They want to meet in a dungeon of all places.”