"Are you actually considering it? Have you gone mad?!" Kalevai threw her hands up in animated motions, pacing around the room.

"What other choice do I have?" Cleon rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes shut, as if even the sunlight was battering him.

"Refuse! Cleon, if you go through with this, they'll hang us from the fucking wall!" She slammed her hands on the table, furious.

"And if I do refuse? Vasta would end us all in an instant. Forgive me, but I'll take my chances with the people sooner than the Empire." Cleon stared, exhausted, through the huge window.

"Sacrea can't afford to lose those soldiers. Hell, Sacrea doesn't even have those soldiers! Selene knows the Empire does. That rat of an ambassador was just trying to scare you."

"That's not how these things work. Yuka's never lied to me in all my years knowing her. The Empire is our ally. We need to..." Cleon's words slowed as he realized the fault in them. He couldn't bring himself to finish

"Send our starving citizens to die until our own people riot? You'd have to be a fool to believe that! I know you're not a fool, Cleon."

"There is nothing I can do!" He raised his voice for the first time. He paused, recovering. Quietly, tiredly, he continued, "The Empire might send us soldiers. To help with the riots. If we prove our loyalty."

"You know they won't." Kalevai matched his tone, quieted. "They'll have us killed, either way. You know that request was a death sentence. You know what they meant by it." Cleon stayed silent, closing his eyes again. "Let us die with some dignity. Die with your subjects, not by their hand."

"Kalevai." Cleon continued to rub his face. "I need to think on this alone." Kalevai stiffened. "Leave me, please."

Kalevai strode to the door, steps echoing through the quiet room. She slammed the door, storming off into the castle hallway. Cleon didn't look up once.