Kazuri sat quietly beside Heneral Arkan, still feeling the devastation of his lost work.

The Kahani and Master Hatari had found him in his workshop crying hours after the Matu had left him there. He tried to ask the Kahani where his work was, but she wouldn't tell him. She commanded him to trust her—all he could do was nod and obey.

He'd thought of what the Matu had said. He was merely obeying both, staying calm and quiet, and waiting for an order. But somehow, he trusted Prince Reiji more. And he wanted to serve him as the true heir to the throne of Daracka.

It took him a whole day to compose himself, canceling his dinner with Gat Kida and not doing anything but mourn his loss.

Now, he stared at the top of the table where a map, a miniature model of Daracka, was carved on the wood. It showed all the lands of the kingdom, including Vurcka in the northeast and the edges of Suluna in the south. He tried to act as if he admired the craft for its details—the blue of the ocean, the peaks of the mountains, the fullness of the forests, and even the tiny rows of houses in each city. His eyes gazed heavily at the blackness of Azan, the shadow desert.

"Everyone calm down," Heneral Arkan spoke beside him, but the arguments drowned his voice. He had already stood from his chair at the end of the table to make his point, but the people around them ignored him.

The room was a volley of overwhelming discussions to which Kazuri felt shy to contribute. Gathered around the table were the Keepers members who had been arguing for the last half hour about the oncoming fleet from Suluna.

"Why were we not informed of this immediately?" a member asked.

"Why are we strategizing only now?" another added.

"What could the Sulunese want this time?" The queries continued even before any answer was given.

Too many questions bounced in the room, and the ones who had known about the fleet before this meeting stayed quiet.

The Kahani sat at the other end of the table, glancing from one person to the other, contemplating everyone's thoughts. Prince Reiji sat at her right with a frown on his face and concern in his deep green eyes.

"My spies had just confirmed that the fleet had sailed. We doubted it because the Sulunese had no reason to attack now. We didn't think they would break our treaty," Master Hatari, who sat at the Kahani's left side, spoke. She scowled at the bickering on the table, face wrinkling with frustration.

"We have not renewed the treaty after the Kaharaza's death," the youngest of the Keepers members, Zamira said. She sat beside her father to his left. They were wearing the same green livery and gazing at everyone with the same cool gray eyes.

"You knew that they were forming in Sasialan," the Keeper of the Treasury, Master Rieta said, pointing a finger at Master Hatari. She wore the same red karkan as the Maestra. "Did you think they were going to stay at their docks? There is a reason why they gathered. Each ship carries at least fifty men."

"If you ask me, it's bold of the Sulunese to attack us with only five thousand men," Heneral Arkan said as he remained standing.

"You ordered me to keep my spies from Suluna. Now they are coming here, straight to Kazima, didn't you say, Master Hatari?" the Keeper of Espionage, Gat Garim spoke, waving a hand to the Maestra.

"My spies say so," Master Hatari answered.

"It is too large to be an escort of an emissary. It may be someone with a higher position, but we were not informed of this visit. They just sailed. I don't know what to make of it." Heneral Arkan shook his head and looked around the table until his eyes landed on Kazuri, who flinched at the gaze.

"What?" Kazuri whispered, but the general seemed not to hear.

"Perhaps it's a suicide mission only to hurt our capital." Gat Garim straightened in his seat and nervously tapped his finger on the table where he grazed the edge of the blue ocean.

"Or perhaps they've heard of your project, Master Kazuri?" Master Rieta raised a dark brow at the Maestro. Her tone was a question, but her words were an accusation.

Kazuri looked at the woman and contemplated. It could be. Gat Kida's voice rang in his memory, telling him that Master Taoro's machine had caused the last war. It caused the Brilliance, and now the same creation would be the reason for another battle. His lips parted to acknowledge the possibility, but the Kahani stopped him.

"Enough." The Kahani's voice was calm, but everyone heard the authority in her word. She straightened, edging in her seat as her shoulders with puffed butterfly sleeves rose with her breath. "Your opinions solve nothing."

Everyone in the war room fell quiet, and even Heneral Arkan sat back in his chair. There was gratitude on his face, as if he was thankful the arguments had stopped.

Kazuri noticed the Matu had also sat up taller. All their eyes and ears focused on the Kahani, who sat at the head of the map table.

"Heneral Arkan, where are your men?" the Kahani asked.

"I've already sent word to the southern lands to prepare our western outposts if the fleet lands anywhere else in Daracka," the general answered.

"And the northern troops will be marching to Kazima," Zamira added. Kazuri noted that a certain air about her made her seem like a good leader. "They will be at the northwest port in two days."

"How many?" the Kahani asked.

"We have ten thousand coming from the army camp in the northern mountains," Zamira answered.

"How long before the fleet reaches Kazima?" The Kahani turned to Master Hatari.

The Maestra spoke. "According to my resources, the fleet sailed two days ago. It will take them fifteen days to travel."

"The wind this season is with them," Heneral Arkan said. "Give them twelve days from today."

"We need to make haste with the machine," Prince Reiji spoke for the first time since their meeting started, and it was not what Kazuri expected of him.

He'd always assumed and felt that the Matu was against the recreation of the machine, yet here he was now, suggesting to complete it quickly.

And then the Matu added, "We should move it to a location where it can protect the ports when the fleet arrives."

Kazuri sat up straight. The location! That was what the Matu was getting at. They both needed to know where the machine was relocated.

The Kahani looked at Prince Reiji, eyes shadowed with something Kazuri couldn't understand. "We should," she agreed.

"May the old kings prevent another war," Master Rieta whispered.

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