Damian didn't react right away. He picked up Gabriel's discarded fork, wiped it down with a napkin, and set it on the table's edge to be picked up by a server later.
"Let him rage." I gave him every opportunity to keep his crown.
Gabriel shifted in his seat, his hand still resting lightly on the quiet beneath his skin. "King Edmund isn't trying to protect his people or the throne; he just wants to bring his brother down with him."
Edward gave a short nod. "That seems to be the general strategy among crumbling monarchs."
"And Edmund isn't the only one trying to bluff against fire," Damian murmured. His gaze was now distant, angled at the letters. "I assume Max is already monitoring troop movements at the southern crossing?"
"Max and Leslie both," Edward confirmed. "We also intercepted a courier two hours ago near the border. A message from Donin. Edmund and Hadeon are attempting to force a two-front distraction.
