Yelora

“No, she won’t!” Kashur stepped between them, taking Yelora’s hand and squeezing it. “No one is sculpting. There is no art being done today. What’s being done today...” He flashed her a glare. “... is business. A partnership with mutual benefits, the largest benefit being that we take the crash site away from the Wizards and destroy this foreign magic once and for all.”

“Some of us like what the crystals do for us.” Kenji stalked over to the table, picking up a crystal and flipping it in the air. He closed his eyes and caught it without looking.

Yelora exchanged a look with Kashur as the Dwarven and Imperial leaders continued to mutter amongst themselves. Idiots! They were prideful and stupid. She wanted to tell them as much, but Kashur’s imploring expression reminded her...

You’re not a queen right now. These aren’t your subjects. Go in as equals.

“Listen.” She placed her hands on the table and leaned forward, beseeching. “This magic came from another world. It is strong, and we may find it useful at times, but at our own expense.” She paused, hoping they wouldn’t think her insane. “We think that the meteorite was not an accident. The crystals were sent here on purpose, to prepare our world for an enemy that will come with the convergence. By using them, we are playing right into this new enemy’s hands.”

The room erupted in more murmurs.

“Mol Morin has been corrupted!” She raised her voice above the tumult. “The Elves are not on his side. My people are being tortured by him and his army of Goblins.” Yelora studied the skeptical faces around her. They no longer looked angry, but worried. “We’ll need to work together if we are to beat the Wizards and their Goblins. And it will take all of us together to beat them.” She raised her gaze to where the bright planets burned like mini suns through the canvas tent roof.

They all looked up as well, and when Yelora dropped her gaze, she caught Kashur smiling a tiny smile. Good, his hand signed.

“They’ve already weakened us by turning us against one another,” she implored as the Dwarves and Imperials brought their attention back to her. “Don’t hand them the victory on a silver platter.”

A Dwarf conclave leader squinted at her. “What’s your plan?”

Yelora hesitated. She did not want to show her hand of cards without a commitment from them, but Kashur was right—she had to go in as an equal. Show them trust, so that they, in turn, would trust her. It was a risk, but she needed this army to engage the Wizards and their Goblins, keep them busy while they used Bayne’s machine to destroy the crystal gardens and free the Elves.

“Your forces will engage the Goblins out here. Don’t attempt to breach the walls. Don’t waste resources. Just keep them distracted. Meanwhile, the Summoner and I will sneak in. There is a magically protected entrance seaside that few know of. We’ll take one of your dampening devices to use against any Wizards we encounter inside. Have your golems in place for when we raise the gates. Then, charge.”

One of the Sentinel’s thin eyebrows rose.

“No Elves are to be harmed!” she added. “That’s non-negotiable.”

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“And after the siege?” Kenji Zamora shifted to make himself larger. “Then what?”

“Once we’ve neutralized the Alchemist and his Blood Mage, the Summoner will take charge of the Wizards. We’ll use Bayne’s device to destroy the crash site and any remaining crystals. Hopefully that will dissuade the aliens from invading. But if they do come, we’ll be united, and we can defeat them as well.”

Kenji took a step closer. “I meant after that.”

She glanced at Kashur. What the Sprites was he talking about? “Then we go home. We rebuild.”

“Just like that?” The Sentinel scoffed. “What about reparations?”

Yelora squinted at him. “What kind of reparations?”

“Well, for one thing, you Elves started this. You, specifically, Your Highness, by running off to secure the crash site when you should have been at the Council with the rest of us!”

The Dwarves murmured in agreement.

Yelora’s heart thumped. At least they didn’t know the worst of it. That she’d killed an Elemental, or at least weakened it. Took it out of the picture long enough to allow the alien magic to take hold.

“Now these Wizards!” Kenji continued, stabbing a hand in Kashur’s direction. “Are we just going to cut the head off the hydra and shake hands with what’s left? Sorry, boys! Didn’t work out for you, did it? Let’s all have a pint and be friends!”

Annoyance rumbled in Yelora’s chest. “We can work all that out later. Right now we have bigger problems.”

“The Imperials have lost countless lives as a result of these crystals,” Zamora went on. “We are the most vulnerable among the Terrans! I think we’re owed something.”

“What do you want?” Kashur cut in.

He didn’t hesitate in his reply. “The lands from Silverdell to the Cold Sea.”

The rumbling in Yelora’s chest boiled higher. “Those are Elven lands.”

“Yes, I believe they are,” Zamora agreed, a grin slashed across his face.

“Absolutely not—” Yelora snarled.

“This is premature,” Kashur cut in. “And tacky, to say the least. Kenji, what the stars?”

“We lost our Emperor in this war,” Kenji bellowed.

“Which calls into question the legitimacy of your requests,” Yelora cut in.

“I am his Sentinel. I speak for him in his absence.”

“Yet he has a grandson, has he not?” Yelora stifled the desire to lay everything bare. It would not do to humiliate the Sentinel at this very moment. She did not need to show her entire hand. Just flash a card. “Word has it the boy’s health has been improving of late. Perhaps we should call him into the discussions?”

White flashed around the edges of Kenji Zamora's irises. Meanwhile, a smile played at the edges of Kashur’s mouth. He raised a gloved hand and pretended to scratch his nose to hide it.

“The bottom line,” Yelora continued, “is that this is not the time for petty arguments among factions. We are being called upon to come together as Terrans against a greater enemy. Shall we rise to that occasion? Or shall we fall like bickering siblings with our complaints on our lips?”

A hearty laugh erupted from the Dwarves as they leaned their great heads together. “The Dwarf Conclaves agree with the queen,” one of the leaders bellowed. “Reparations can be negotiated after the battle succeeds, if it succeeds. These things cannot be discussed without the presence of Imperial leadership nor without the input of the Elementals.”

Kashur clapped his hands. “Great! So, the Dwarves are on board. Imperials, you’re the final holdout. Are you in this or not?”

The Sentinel looked as if he were grinding hard nuts between his teeth. “We’re in.”

“Excellent.” Yelora pulled out her staff. It was always good for a show of strength. But in this case, she didn’t bring it to its full size. Instead, she turned it parallel to the ground and held it over empty space. “For Terris.”

Three Dwarves turned their weapons sideways and held them overtop her staff. “For Terris.”

Kashur added his knife. The look in his eye warmed her as he added, “For Terris.”

They all turned to Kenji Zamora. With an annoyed frown, he unsheathed his sword and touched it to the top of the pile. “For Terris,” he growled.