The queen mother did not show up, and neither did Kinley.
Neul was still shaken so badly by the recent events that not even merchants in the marketplaces cared about thieves taking a pastry here or a few pieces of fabric there. Only when the gold was in danger, they intervened, and when they did, pistols were pulled out and blood got all over northern silk.
Serenica walked the streets she had once considered her own, waiting for the official negotiations to begin.
She got company, but from a rather weird source.
The crown prince of the Great East joined her.
He had lost some weight, even though it was hard to tell from his massive size that anything had happened at all.
"I should thank you profusely, Doctor Ingram," he said and gestured towards a bench that was probably able to support his weight.
Serenica looked at him curiously and saw a glimpse of the blood of the Dreamer in the eyes of the prince.
They sat down.
