Odessa entered the throne room quietly and joined Margot and Mae, bracing for her father’s cold displeasure. Five imposing Turan warriors stood armed before King Roan as he thanked them for delivering six dead marroweels the previous night. A massive chest of Calandran coin was brought in as payment, and one warrior inspected the gold while another—suggesting the fee had changed—challenged the agreed price.

Odessa realized that the man at the center was Prince Zavier Wolfe, Mae’s betrothed, indicating the meeting had become a royal introduction as well as a payment. Two Voster priests arrived, one levitating and radiating stronger, sharper magic than the first. Then the Guardian entered—tall, unarmed, and unmistakable with molten silver eyes—and took his place beside Zavier as the tension in the room grew, especially for General Banner, who glared at the Guardian but held his composure.

At the levitating priest’s prompting, Margot presented Mae to Prince Zavier in accordance with the Shield of Sparrows, naming the autumnal equinox—three months away—as the wedding date. Zavier seemed bored and exchanged a silent look with the Guardian, who watched Odessa with apparent amusement.

The Guardian broke the silence, dismissing Mae with “Not her,” then indicated Odessa with “Her,” making clear that Prince Zavier would marry Odessa instead. He escalated the demand by setting the timeline to that very night and framing the marriage as the “bride prize” for killing the marroweels.