The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

that an example was being made—one that would indicate
whether or not Casteel or I would tolerate disrespect. And
respect was important. If we didn’t have the Elders’ respect,
how would we have the kingdom’s respect? Still, the threat
made my skin itchy.
Wood scraped against stone as Ambrose rose. He bowed
stiffly. “I apologize, Your Majesty,” he said to me. “I meant
no offense.”
I nodded, and as he straightened, I called on what
Casteel had said before. “You may sit.”
Ambrose did just that, and the thread of tension eased
from the room.
“Now, can we get started?” Casteel asked as he
scanned the Elders and was met with several nods. “Good,
because we want to stop a war before one starts.”
Sven leaned forward. “This, I am very interested in
hearing.”
Others seemed to share his sentiment, and some didn’t,
but they all listened to our plan to meet with the Blood
Crown in Oak Ambler and offer our ultimatum, explaining
why we believed it would work.
“It could,” Lady Cambria stated, brows pinched. “You’re
ripping out the foundation that holds all their lies together.
The Ascended are a lot of things, but they are not stupid.
They know what that will do to their people.”
I glanced at Valyn. “It will lessen, if not destroy, their
control over the people of Solis and destabilize their society.
I do not believe they will risk that.”
“None of us want war,” Lord Gregori stated, looking
around the table. “Those who were alive during the War of
Two Kings are still haunted by those horrors. But you’re
asking for us to agree to give the Ascended a second
chance? To prove they control their bloodlust? We’ve been
down that road before.”
“We know. Right now, we are asking that you
understand our decision to keep the soldiers in the north at