Five Broken Blades
by Mai Corland
Contents
Chapter Eighty-Five
Overview
Joon imposes a tight monsoon-season deadline for the team’s theft of Quilimar’s ring and backs it with brutal threats against their loved ones. Euyn realizes the mission likely originated with Joon through Bay Chin, meaning Mikail has been lying since the start. Joon’s pointed mention of “Ailor” rattles Mikail and deepens Euyn’s fear that Mikail’s past—and leverage—are far bigger than Euyn understood.
Summary
In Qali Palace, King Joon adds a final condition to the forced mission: Euyn and the others must steal the Ring of Khitan from Queen Quilimar and return before monsoon season ends.
Euyn protests that the timetable is impossible, but Joon confirms they have roughly five weeks. Joon frames the deadline as a test: return in time and they will be richly rewarded; fail and they will suffer.
To ensure obedience, Joon threatens to punish their loved ones if they fail or if Quilimar discovers Joon sent them, promising to kill those people in front of them. Euyn recognizes the specific leverage on Sora (Daysum) and Royo (a man in prison), and assumes Joon is also threatening Euyn through Mikail.
While absorbing the threat, Euyn realizes a deeper betrayal: if the plan originated with Joon via Bay Chin, then Mikail never spoke to Quilimar and must have lied to Euyn from the beginning. As they are hauled up by guards and told to meet a fleet ship, Joon grants them access to the armory, then privately warns Mikail that Joon will “take good care of Ailor” until Mikail returns—leaving Euyn shocked by both Mikail’s reaction and how little Euyn truly knows about Mikail.
Who Appears
- EuynPOV; challenges Joon’s deadline, realizes Mikail lied, and is shaken by the name “Ailor.”
- King JoonImposes five-week deadline, promises rewards, threatens loved ones, and warns Mikail about “Ailor.”
- MikailTarget of Joon’s leverage; reacts with panic to “Ailor,” deepening Euyn’s distrust.
- Queen QuilimarRuler of Khitan; the intended victim of the ring theft, and a danger if she discovers Joon’s role.
- AeriReferenced as part of the threatened group; her loved one leverage remains unclear to Euyn.
- SoraReferenced; Joon’s threat targets her loved one, Daysum.
- RoyoReferenced; Joon threatens a man Royo cares about who is imprisoned.
- Bay ChinReferenced as Joon’s informant; suggests the mission plan came from Joon, not Quilimar.
- AilorUnnamed person Joon claims to be holding; a powerful piece of leverage over Mikail.
- DaysumSora’s loved one; cited as a hostage target under Joon’s threats.