Chapter 25

The council chamber buzzed with an energy that felt different from the usual tension that accompanied these meetings. Today, there was a contentious issue on the table-one that had divided the council for weeks. The debate centered around sending additional troops to a volatile border region where a series of skirmishes had threatened to escalate into a full-blown conflict. The advisors argued among themselves, each one presenting a different strategy for dealing with the unrest.

Aeliana sat quietly at her usual place near the edge of the room, listening intently as Tharx's military advisor, Kadrin, made his case for a more aggressive approach. His deep, rumbling voice echoed throughout the chamber as he outlined a plan to deploy a significant portion of their forces to the region. "The rebels grow bolder by the day," Kadrin declared, his eyes scanning the room with a fervent intensity. "If we do not crush them now, we risk encouraging others to rise against us."

Several other advisors murmured in agreement, but Aeliana's thoughts drifted to a recent conversation she had shared with Tharx in private. He had asked her opinion about how human leaders might handle such a situation, and she had suggested a more cautious approach-one that involved using diplomacy alongside a strategic show of force. To send a message that strength would be met with strength, but also to leave room for negotiation. At the time, Tharx had seemed intrigued by her reasoning, though he hadn't committed to anything outright.

Now, as she listened to Kadrin advocate for a direct confrontation, she felt a surge of frustration. This plan wasn't just reckless; it contradicted the strategy that Tharx had seemed to favor in their private discussions. It felt like a step backward, a choice that would cost countless lives with little guarantee of a lasting peace.

Before she could stop herself, Aeliana spoke up. "Sending such a large force risks provoking the rebels into open war," she said, her voice carrying across the room. "What if, instead, we establish a line of defense to secure the borders, while seeking a diplomatic solution? It would demonstrate strength while still leaving an opening for peace."

The room fell silent. Heads turned toward her, and several of the advisors exchanged incredulous looks. Kadrin's gaze darkened as he regarded her with thinly veiled contempt. "And what does a human know of our military matters?" he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Shall we risk the safety of the empire on the advice of a captive?"

Tharx's expression remained impassive, his gaze fixed on Aeliana as if daring her to continue. Her heart pounded, but she didn't back down. "The cost of a full-scale war is not just measured in troops and territory," she retorted. "It's measured in the loyalty of your people. Crush the rebels now, and you might win the battle-but you could lose the support of those who see your actions as needlessly brutal."

Kadrin's lip curled in disdain, but it was Tharx who spoke next. "That is enough, Aeliana," he said, his voice cold and dismissive. "Your concerns are noted, but the empire cannot afford half-measures. Kadrin's strategy will be considered as the primary course of action."

The words struck her like a blow, and she felt a flush rise in her cheeks. She had expected him to support her suggestion, especially after their private conversation. Instead, he had publicly dismissed her in front of the entire council, reinforcing the notion that her voice held little weight in the matters of the empire.

The council resumed its discussion, but Aeliana could no longer focus. Tharx had humiliated her, reducing her contribution to a mere formality. The rest of the meeting passed in a blur, and when it finally ended, Aeliana was the first to leave the chamber. She strode swiftly down the corridors, her anger building with each step.

Before she could retreat to her quarters, a voice called her name. "Aeliana." She turned to see Tharx standing in the shadows of the hallway, his expression unreadable. He gestured for her to follow him into a nearby chamber-a private study rarely used by the council.

The door closed behind them, and the silence seemed to deepen as Tharx took a step closer. "I understand that you are upset," he began, his tone calm but firm. "But you must know why I had to respond the way I did."

"Had to?" she snapped, her frustration boiling over. "You didn't have to dismiss me like that. I thought you agreed with me-or was that just a convenient lie to make me think I mattered?"

Tharx's jaw tightened, a rare flicker of emotion breaking through his otherwise stoic facade. "The council does not trust you," he said slowly, as though explaining to a child. "Had I supported your suggestion, it would have given them more reason to question my judgment. They would see me as weak, swayed by the opinions of an outsider."

"So, you humiliated me instead," she retorted, her voice laced with bitterness. "To protect your reputation."

"To protect you," Tharx corrected, his voice rising slightly. "If the council perceives you as a threat, they will not hesitate to eliminate that threat-by any means necessary. You do not understand how dangerous these men can be."

"And whose fault is that?" she shot back. "You're the one who's kept me in the dark. You're the one who's made it impossible for me to know who to trust."

Tharx took another step closer, his presence looming over her, his eyes dark and intense. "Trust me," he said, his voice a low growl. "You must trust me, Aeliana."

"Trust you?" she echoed, her anger giving way to a deeper, more painful emotion. "How can I trust you when you're constantly pushing me away? One moment, you seem to value my opinions; the next, you treat me like an inconvenience." Her voice wavered. "You make it impossible to know where I stand with you."

There was a flicker of something in Tharx's eyes-regret, perhaps, or vulnerability, though it was quickly masked by his usual sternness. "This is not a simple world," he said quietly. "There are dangers here that you cannot fully grasp. I am trying to shield you from them."

"I don't need your protection," Aeliana replied, her voice soft but fierce. "I need to know where I stand. I need to know if I'm just a prisoner here, or if I'm something more."

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension. Tharx's gaze bore into her, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might actually confess something-something real. But then he turned away, his shoulders rigid, his back to her.

"You are many things, Aeliana," he said, his voice rough. "But right now, you are also a weakness-one that I cannot afford to reveal to the council."

Her heart sank at the words. "A weakness," she repeated, the bitterness in her voice unmistakable. "That's all I am to you?"

Tharx turned back to face her, his expression strained. "You misunderstand me," he said, his voice softer than before. "I have given you freedom because I value you-your mind, your insight. But that very freedom makes you vulnerable. There are those who would see you as a means to undermine me, and I cannot allow that."

"So, you keep me close," she said, the realization dawning on her. "But you won't let me get too close. You're afraid to show any sign of weakness."

"I cannot afford to be weak," Tharx replied, the tension in his voice palpable. "Not when so many would see it as an opportunity to strike."

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the room seemed to close in around them, the space between them narrowing until there was nothing but the rawness of their emotions. Aeliana could see the conflict in his gaze, the way he struggled to maintain his composure, to keep her at a distance. But beneath it all, there was something else-a need, a longing he refused to acknowledge.

"Then maybe you should stop pretending," she whispered, taking a step closer. "And let someone in."

Tharx's breath hitched ever so slightly, but then his mask fell back into place, and he took a step back. "This conversation is over," he said, his voice low and controlled. "You will attend the next council meeting, but you will remain silent unless spoken to."

Aeliana's chest tightened with a mix of anger and disappointment, but she held her ground, meeting his gaze one last time before she turned and left the chamber. As the door closed behind her, she could still feel the weight of his stare, the unresolved tension that clung to the air like a storm about to break.

She knew now that there was something more to Tharx than the cold, calculating ruler he showed the world. But whatever that something was, it remained locked away, buried beneath layers of duty and fear. And if she was ever going to break through those walls, it would take more than words. It would take a willingness to confront the dangerous emotions they were both struggling to contain.