Kai stared at the faces of all the nobles gathered before him—pale, tight-lipped, and silent. He had just finished explaining his plan, and the tension that followed was thick enough to cut through steel. Only Duke Blackwood and Leopold seemed unshaken by his plan. But that was to be expected—they were the only ones he had spoken to beforehand.

The rest looked as though the floor had dropped out from beneath them.

He didn’t expect immediate agreement. He couldn’t expect them to follow everything he says with loyalty when their faction was so young. So he waited patiently, his hands clasped behind his back, waiting for the first voice to rise.

Then it came, sharp and cynical. “What do you mean that we need to divide our forces, Duke Arzan?” Viscountess Vessa demanded. “You already said we have the fewest troops compared to the princes. That doesn’t sound wise to me. How will we win if we scatter them?”

Kai met her gaze evenly. “By taking out the princes one by one,” he replied.

A murmur rippled through the hall — disbelief, perhaps even alarm.

“We have no ability to take them all on at once,” he continued in the calmest voice possible. He knew it was true. Even with his power, his mana was not limitless, and after what had happened in the capital, no one would dare underestimate him again. Surprise would no longer be his ally.

He had thought long and hard, turning over every possibility, refining every detail. The plan had finally taken hold after a long discussion with Duke Blackwood.

Now, he stepped toward the large map spread across the table, its surface littered with forts, cities and rivers. From his side, he took three pieces — the figures of princes from a Battleboard set — and placed them carefully on the map.

“The princes are spread out,” Kai said, his voice cutting through the silence. “Each carving his own claim to the kingdom. Thalric is here—” he tapped the western edge, “—at Kaelgrim, pressing hard into the western territories. I have confirmation that he’s committed a large part of his men to guarding the border region.”

Kai inclined his head as Viscount Buck cleared his throat. “Because of the threat from the Ashari Desert tribals,” Buck said, “and the hibernating beasts that live in those underground caverns along the rim.”

“Precisely,” Kai replied. “I don’t think he’s afraid of the tribals. They’ve kept to themselves for centuries. But he is wary of the beasts. Most are Grade five and six, with a gloommaw and siltwurm nesting there. He assumes his enemies might poke them and sprint back, forcing his army to deal with the chaos. A distraction.”

He let that sink in. “Beyond that, most of his strength is tied up in seizing forts, cities, and towns. Some of you have holdings along this edge, too.”

A few heads dipped and faces drew tight. Viscountess Vessa’s among them.

“But Thalric’s main problem isn’t the west,” Kai went on, tapping the center of the map, the circle inked around the capital. “It’s here, the heartland. Eldric and Queen Regina hold it firmly. In the next few days, I expect them to launch a full–scale strike against Thalric. We can afford to breathe while our rivals grind each other down.”

A hand went up—Baron Lionel. Kai nodded for him to speak.

“Why wouldn’t Prince Edric attack the Sylvan Enclave?” Lionel asked. “It’s a week’s march from the capital. And the rumors say he and Queen Regina never liked you.”

Kai chuckled. “They don’t like me; they hate me,” he said lightly. “But they’re also cautious. That’s exactly why they won’t commit to the enclave with full strength, not at the start. They know I’m more dangerous on the ground of my choosing and they probably expect me to have tricks they know nothing about which is true.”

Kai leaned against the edge of the table, his eyes still fixed on the capital’s marker.

For Regina and Eldric, Kai was a big unexpected variable. They didn’t know what he was capable of, not completely, and that uncertainty made them cautious. Regina, especially. After what happened in the capital, she would be thinking that he might be able to surprise her even more.

And if she were to move on the Sylvan Enclave now, she’d be exposing herself. Thalric would seize the chance to march straight for the capital. She knew that. An attack of Kai would divide her attention, and right now, that was the last thing she could afford.

That was the greatest advantage he had right now—the princes being divided. They were all too busy fighting each other, and none of them wanted to be the first to face him directly. They’ll posture, maneuver, and try to bleed one another dry before turning their aim on him.

When he was done explaining his consensus to others, a murmur rippled through the hall. Some cautiously agreed while others stared at each other with unease.

Kai ignored it for now. “As for Aldrin,” he continued, shifting one of the carved pieces to the southern border, “he’s the most underestimated of the three. The others think little of him—his army’s small, his commanders lack experience, and his nobles haven’t fought a real war in years. But his strength doesn’t come from the kingdom.” He paused. “He has an entire kingdom behind him, and perhaps more than one ally waiting in the shadows.”

That drew a sharp breath from several of the nobles.

Baroness Marren spoke up in a cautious voice. “If that’s true, we might still have some time. Queen Regina will surely send out her diplomats, warning foreign kingdoms not to interfere in the civil war.”

Kai inclined his head. “She will,” he agreed. “But for the kingdoms outside our borders, there are only two choices—stay out completely, or commit fully.” His gaze hardened. “And I believe it will be the latter.”

Duke Blackwood’s voice cut through the hush. “Yes. I believe so too. Alparca has always backed Aldrin—bloodline obligations. The others will bide their time, watch how the tides turn, then swoop in. They have little to lose and everything to gain.”

Kai met the Duke’s gaze and spoke. “Hence,” he said, “we will put the bulk of our forces to take out Aldrin before turning to the others.” He tapped the southern marker, then drew a slow line toward the center. “When I said we must divide our strength, I meant it precisely. Eldric sits between Aldrin and Thalric; they’re not going to clash directly because the capital lies between them. Even if nobles from other regions join their banners, they’ll let territory fall now and think of reclaiming it later, moving to join their main armies.”

A ripple of unease moved along the benches. “But our position is different,” Kai continued. “We will be bombarded by portions of each prince’s army. They will test our flanks, probe our defenses, and try to bleed us while they hunt one of them down.”

Viscount Redmont leaned forward, incredulous. “So you want to detach contingents to hold Thalric and Eldric while you take the main force to fight Aldrin?”

Kai nodded once. “Precisely.” He pointed at the western border. “Viscountess Vessa, I believe you can lead the containment in your territory against Thalric’s pushes. I have heard you have personally warded the city of Matilla, right?”

All eyes swung to Vessa. Her face was tight, jaw flexing as she measured the risk. “Yes, but it’s not as good as it should be. How much of our force are you asking me to hold?” she asked.

“Ten percent,” Kai said plainly.

Her frown deepened. “Ten percent?” she echoed. “Even if Thalric is tied up with Eldric, ten percent won’t be enough. He’ll send more than that once he knows the main army is marching south.” Viscountess Vessa’s eyes flashed. “Then what? Are you going to sacrifice my territory?”

A few heads turned. The question hung like a blade.

Baroness Marren’s lips curled. “If it helps us win the war, I say let it be. Think of the greater good.”

Vessa’s glare could have cut iron. Before the argument could swell, Kai stepped in, voice flat and final. “No. I’m not sacrificing you.”

He crossed to the map and pressed a finger to the sliver of land that marked her holdings. “You will be besieged, yes. That’s why the ten percent I send will not be light levies—they’ll be seasoned, battle-hardened troops chosen for holding ground and fighting under pressure. I’ve arranged supplies as well.” A ripple of surprise moved through the room. “A merchant on my side has donated what he has,” Kai said. “Food, preserved rice, grain—enough to keep your garrison fed for six months.”

“That’s generous,” Vessa said, voice unsteady for the first time in the evening. “Are you going to be giving a part of your Enforcers too?”

“Yes. You’ll also get part of my Enforcers,” Kai continued. “But they will be more than that too. You will see. I’ll place a similar number of forces under Viscount Redmont to hold Veyrin in my absence. Is that okay with you, viscount?”

“That is acceptable. With Vanderfall being a plagued land, my men haven’t been getting enough practice anyway.”

Kai smiled at that.

“They will get their quota of it in the civil war,” Redmont said further.

Kai nodded. Internally, he was happy that even if Vanderfall tried something in the civil war, they wouldn’t be able to, especially with Elias being in contact with him. Though, he would have something else for them to do, but that was an issue for later.

For now, he needed to make sure that each of the nobles were on the same page as him.

The talk moved on as Kai pointed at the map spread out across the table. The candles flickered, throwing long shadows over the drawn lines and markers. He spoke slowly, his tone calm but sure.

“Thalric and Eldric would surely try to take out Matilla and Veyrin once they get a sniff of our plans,” he said, tapping the map twice. “They won’t fight us head-on. They’ll send small groups of Mages—quick and deadly. They’ll strike, burn what they can, and vanish before our troops can even respond. Bit by bit, they’ll try to break us with these tactics.”

He straightened up, looking around at the others. “The fief war was won because Lucian grew too confident,” Kai continued. “He had the blood drinkers with him, and he thought that made him untouchable. That overconfidence cost him everything. This time, no one will be underestimating us. All the princes are surely taking us as a major threat or the civil war would have never started.”

The others nodded quietly. The air in the room grew heavier as Kai moved to the next part of the plan.

“Now,” he said, drawing his finger across the right side of the map, “we talk about Aldrin. If Thalric’s army is pressing from the left side of the capital, then Aldrin stands on the right. Most of the border lords are loyal to him. And here—” he pointed again, tracing the curved line that marked Lancephil territory, “—this whole stretch is our longest border. If we move too deep into enemy lines, and a smaller country decides to join the war, this border will become our biggest weakness. We’ll be exposed from behind.”

A long silence followed. Then Duke Blackwood spoke.

“To destroy Aldrin,” the Duke said, “we first take the border forts. Without them, his support will crumble. Once those are secure, another force will march deeper toward Fort Valemount.” He moved his gloved hand to the top of the map. “Countess Seraphine rules there, and Aldrin should be with her now. The fort sits at the head of the kingdom, right beside the Alparca border. I have no doubt it’s already open to outside allies and mercenaries. That’s where the heart of his strength lies. House Blackwood will lead the main assault there.”

The men around the table murmured in agreement. Kai listened, then spoke up once more.

“As Duke Blackwood moves for Fort Valemount,” he said, “I’ll take a smaller force and capture the border forts first. Once they’re under control, I’ll fly to join the main attack.” His tone stayed calm, but there was a hint of quiet confidence in his words. “With my spells, I can disable the guards and strike fast before they even realize what’s happening. The quicker we secure the borders, the safer our advance will be.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Kai stepped closer to the map once more. His hand hovered over the markers as he began to explain the rest of the plan in detail.

“We’ll divide our soldiers between the border forts,” he said. “Each one will have enough men to hold against a siege for at least two days. If one is attacked, the others will have time to respond.”

He pointed to each fort in turn, naming the units and captains that would take command. There were more forts than most had realized—small outposts scattered across the long, uneven border. It was a lot to manage, but Kai’s tone stayed calm. Because if anything, that would give them the confidence they need.

The meticulous plans were made with Francis, Killian, Duke Blackwood and the Watchers. During that conversation, they’d gone through every possible situation they could think of and came to solutions.

As he spoke, he slowly revealed one strategy after another—supply routes, retreat paths, hidden channels for messages, and magical barriers that could be raised in emergencies. Some nobles listened silently, their eyes fixed on the map. They trusted him enough not to question his words. Others leaned forward, asking about what would happen if things went wrong.

Kai answered each question with the same quiet confidence. “I’ve made contingencies for that too,” he said more than once. Even if he believed the chances of failure were small, he refused to leave anything to luck.

But deep inside, beneath all the careful planning, there was still unease.

He didn’t show it, of course. To everyone else, he was composed and sharp, almost unreadable. Yet as the meeting went on, a single worry kept circling in his mind.

Maleficia.

Kai couldn’t stop thinking about it. Regina’s influence ran deep through that shadowed group, and by now, Kai was certain she was one of its core members. What he didn’t know was how she planned to act when the war truly began.

Would Regina fight openly, revealing her dark magic and forcing everyone to see what she truly was? Or would she move from the shadows, letting her creatures and followers strike unseen while she hid behind others’ banners?

Both paths carried danger. If she stepped into the open, her political power might weaken, but her intent would be clear. If she stayed hidden, then every ally, every campfire, could hide her agents, and no one would know until it was too late.

Kai exhaled slowly and turned back to the map, masking his thoughts with a small, thoughtful frown. “That covers our first movements,” he said, finishing his explanation. “Once we take the border forts, we regroup and strike at Fort Valemount. Then, we will have another meeting depending on how the war is moving.”

Around the table, the nobles murmured their approval.

Kai stayed a moment longer, his gaze fixed on the map of the border. So many pieces, so many players. And somewhere among them, Regina and her shadowed allies were waiting.

He didn’t know what role Maleficia would play in the civil war, but he knew he would find out soon enough.

***

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