Page 27 of Clash of Kingdoms

Rancor hesitated before he answered. “Yes…”

Huntley stared him down.

Rancor’s hand was slightly exposed on the table, so he tucked it underneath because the bloody dagger was still sitting there.

Huntley was quiet for a long time. He didn’t stare at Rancor, but through him. “You were wrong to assume we would ever surrender. We’ll fight until every last one of us is dead, because we’d all rather be bones in the ground than prisoners to someone else. You underestimated your enemy, Rancor.”

Rancor kept his gaze elsewhere.

“The Exiles of Palladium told us the crystals reincarnate them. When the demons are killed in battle, their bodies somehow return to their domain. They carry the scars from their wounds, but otherwise, they’re exactly the same. As long as they have any crystals in their possession, they’ll continue to be invulnerable.”

Rancor slowly turned to look at Huntley, like that was news to him.

“You need to call off the deal.”

Rancor blinked several times.

“You heard me.”

“I don’t think there’s anything I can say or do to change what’s going to happen,” Rancor said. “I already told them your lands were probably a viable source of power. The damage has been done.”

“Then you’ll convince them to go elsewhere.”

Rancor sighed. “They’re not the kind to be reasoned with?—”

“Nor am I.”

If they went somewhere else, they could choose my homeland, and that thought terrified me. Everywhere they traveled, they wrought destruction. It was only a matter of time before the earth was completely destroyed.

Rancor was quiet for a while. “The only way I could get them to leave is if I had something better to offer. And since I’ve never left these lands, I have nothing up my sleeve. And I suspect they wouldn’t take my offer even if I did…since your lands are so close.”

“Why haven’t they invaded us yet?”

“The earth is different under the mountains,” Rancor said. “It’s solid rock nearly all the way through. They penetrated Delacroix because the soil is different. They’re also preoccupied by other things…”

So Ivory’s assessment was correct. When they attacked HeartHolme, they would attack from the north. Evacuating the northern kingdoms had been a smart call.

“What things?” Huntley asked.

“I’m not sure why you think they share so much with me?—”

“Then how do you know they’re preoccupied?” he snapped.

“Because it’s the only explanation that makes sense,” Rancor said. “I don’t know anything about their kingdom, their hierarchy, or their domain. I’ve only been there once…”

“But you do have a contact.”

Rancor nodded. “Vine.”

“Is he their king?”

“I’m not sure if they have a king…or kings.”

“Where is their domain?”

“The ring of fire,” Rancor said. “I’m sure you’ve seen it.”

“But what is it?” Huntley asked. “Do they live in underground caves?”