Marriette walked into the Council, and seGraine stood before any of the others. ReTaggin's sour look hadn't changed.

"In my day we didn't let any ragtag ambassador waltz in and insult the throne," he said once he'd sat down again.

"I don't recall any recent wars with the Empire." Torrance sounded amused. "If we'd hung ambassadors on the city walls, I'm sure I would have heard about it from my father."

"The Empire didn't much care about us then," duSarche said. ...