Chapter 6 · Blood Signatures

"Open the gates," Baron Krail shouted. "We surrender before the twins get us all killed."

His fist hit the war table hard enough to rattle the ink cups. Around him, nine northern lords stood in a half-circle, dressed in fur and steel, looking at Varan and Kaiser like two wolves with broken teeth.

Varan sat at the head of the table with one hand pressed against his ribs. Blood had soaked through the bandage under his black coat. His jaw was tight, but he didn't look at the baron.

He looked at me.

"Tell them no," he said.

"You tell them," I shot back. "They seem to enjoy hearing you suffer."

Kaiser leaned against the stone pillar beside him, pale fingers wrapped around a silver cane. His smile looked sharp enough to draw blood.

"Careful, Sula," he said. "If you insult every lord in this room, we'll run out of people to threaten."

"Good. Then I won't have to waste my voice."

Baron Krail turned on me. "This doesn't concern you, girl."

I stepped away from Varan's chair and faced him. "You used my bone beast to break the Morton siege line three hours ago.