Axel does not move yet.
“Explain shared survival,” he demands.
The envoy’s fingers tighten slightly on the seal.
“The suppression failed,” she says, and the courtyard stills at the open acknowledgment, “and the pulse was felt beyond your borders.”
I feel the tether beneath my ribs react faintly as if in confirmation.
“The forces along your perimeter are not here to destroy,” she continues, “they are here to prevent destabilization that could impact all territories.”
Axel’s gaze sharpens.
“You position troops along our borders and call that prevention,” he says.
“We position oversight,” she replies evenly, “because uncontrolled escalation benefits no one.”
Atticus exhales sharply in disbelief.
“You are framing containment as cooperation,” he says.
The envoy does not flinch.
“We
