Lavender dragons hovered in the air around the city and near the border of the territory, ready for the influx of other dragon contingents.

When they started flying in, it was really a sight to see. I'd only ever seen lavender and golden dragons in person, Cinira's and Ashur's skeins respectively. But there were all sorts of colors—blacks, grays, chocolate browns, oranges, reds, whites, hides with iridescent shifts, and more subtle variations. There were a total of thirty skeins and each one was represented by three individuals, since each Dragon Lord was allowed two guards each. Everyone was on time or early, which resulted in a sky filled with dragons, the sunlight glinting off their scales in a beautiful splendor of color.

Seeing the variety that existed all together, I couldn't help but think that maybe being separated wasn't the way that dragons were supposed to live. Or perhaps it was. What did I know? I’d only just recently gotten in touch with my dragon relatives and my dragon roots. Perhaps it was a little early for me to judge before I even met everybody.

Cinira had designated a specific guide for each dragon contingent, a guide and guard all in one. Efficient. Cinira's people directed the guests on when and where to land, the square not being large enough to accommodate that many fully-grown dragons at once.

They landed with packs that they set down on the ground before they changed. None of them were at all self-conscious of their nude human frames as they rifled through their packs and found clothing to wear. Maybe at some point I would be just as unselfconscious about my naked body. But I couldn't see that happening anytime soon.

Cinira leaned close to one of her aides and had a murmured conversation with her before turning back to Ashur and me.

"That's everybody," she said, nodding at the latest arrivals. "They will be led to the meeting hall now. We'll follow within a few minutes. Let them settle in a bit. Then we'll make an entrance."

I mentally sighed. I wasn't really the type to make an entrance, but I trusted Cinira to know what the proper protocol was here. Or the proper amount of showmanship, I supposed.

So, about ten minutes later, we followed Cinira into the hall. Housed in a building near the tower but not inside it, it was a long, rectangular room, punctuated with columns lined with the same stone that made up the cliff, the sconces glinting off the shimmering dark veins in it. The floor was also made of stone, but creamy white that was shined to a polish rather than the variegated stone used for the columns.

The long, solid table set in the center of the room was already filled with the visiting Dragon Lords. Each one had a pair of guards standing at the ready behind him or her. Their own people.

The room itself was lined with Cinira's people, bristling with weapons. If anyone tried anything, they didn't have a chance.

Everyone was already tense.

The murmur of conversation was pretty loud with so many people there, but the room quieted as Cinira led Ashur and me towards the head of the table, her personal guards trailing behind us. I found it a little ironic that we were showing up as part of her inner circle when we'd felt like complete outsiders when we first arrived. And still did, to be honest. My relationship with Cinira was growing, but I didn't know if her people had really softened any towards me or Ashur.

We looked like a coordinated group. Cinira had dressed in a silvery gown and put her guards in silver armor to match. She must have also given Ashur the heads-up because I realized his suit was made of a shimmery gray material.

I almost felt like I was part of a girl group. A very confused girl group. Maybe we should have learned a choreographed dance number for our entrance. All right, I was definitely not suited for this kind of thing. I didn't know if I would ever take this kind of pomp and circumstance seriously, but I could say that Cinira sure knew how to make an entrance.

Ashur and I were seated to her right, with me closer to her.

Ashur leaned over to murmur in my ear. "Let the show begin," he said wryly.

It surprised a smile out of me and helped me relax a little. Yes, this was an important meeting. But everyone here was also just a person. That steadied me somewhat.

Cinira didn't sit down when she reached her chair. She remained standing as the room slowly came to a silent halt and everyone turned to look at her.

"Thank you all for joining me today on such short notice," she started, meeting each Dragon Lord's eyes as she looked around the table, giving them personal attention. "I appreciate your swift replies and arrivals. Now, I'm not inclined to draw this out. I know you are all wondering why I asked for a meeting." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room and she nodded. "The reason why I couldn't say anything specific in my message was because the information is highly sensitive," she explained. "And I ask that you treat it as such," she added firmly, looking around the room. "I'm also sure you noticed the damage to my city as you flew in. And wondered what caused it."

You could hear a pin drop in that room.

Cinira let the silence hang for a moment. She knew how to play a room. She finally completed the thought.

"We were attacked yesterday." Another beat of silence. "By phoenixes."

It felt like the air had been sucked right out of the room.

And then the group erupted in a cacophony of outrage.

"An unprovoked attack?"

"That's outrageous!"

"Has Emberich gone insane?"

"Forget insanity! What does he have to say for himself?"

Cinira raised her hands to quiet the room down, her face stoic.

"I'm sure you've all heard that Ashur and I have come to a truce," she said, looking over at Ashur.

He inclined his head at her.

"We have," he said in a clear voice that was sure to carry.

She gave him a brief smile.

"I am also sure that all of you have heard the rumors why from your various sources," she continued. "I believed Ashur's skein was responsible for my daughter Grace's disappearance so long ago. But I was recently confronted with clear evidence that indicates otherwise." She looked over at me, her face softening as her eyes settled on me. "I will now cede the floor to Mia. My granddaughter. And Emberich's daughter."

There it was. I could tell from the shocked murmurs that that last bit was news to many of the people gathered here. Though some of it may have already pieced it together. In any case, there was no point in hiding my phoenix heritage from them.

They could smell it on me.

Hiding my bloodline, specifically the fact that I was Emberich's daughter, would only make them lose trust in us. It would also be difficult to explain the events we needed to without that background. Nothing would make much sense without that key piece. So we'd come to the decision to throw that information out in the beginning. Be up front with it.

As I stood, I felt the suspicious regard emanating from those gathered as they watched me. And I didn't blame them. An idiot could put together now that perhaps the attack on Cinira was related to the fact that I was here. And they had no reason to trust my intentions.

I took a deep breath.

"I know none of you know me, but I'm so grateful that you all came," I started. I knew my place here. And it was basically at the bottom of the totem pole. "I also know that you are all probably very familiar with Emberich's relationship—or lack thereof—with his children. Specifically," I continued, meeting people's eyes. "That he doesn't particularly like his children to live. So much so that he's fathered at least a dozen children, if not more, but none of them are above ground today." That was based on the information Cinira had gathered over the years. "They're all dead." I licked my lips trying to gather my thoughts as they wanted to scatter. "The only reason I'm still alive is because my mother, who I'm sure many of you knew, ran away with me because she feared for my life. She feared that Emberich would kill me as well." The story about how she got involved with him in the first place was a complete mystery to me. I didn't even know he was my father until well after she'd passed. "So, she decided to raise me in the city dome, among the humans. And it was fine. I was living my life." And it was true. A lot of people had a much worse lot in life than I had. "However, completely unbeknownst to me, my biological father was searching for me the entire time." I scanned the table. "And he found me. Unfortunately." I swallowed, feeling my mouth drying out. "To get to the point, I have survived multiple attempts on my life since he discovered where I was. Though that is not why I want to talk to you." Here it was. I felt my heart pounding. "Recently, it's come to our attention that perhaps Emberich's power base is not as strong as he might lead you to believe. In fact, it might have a very deep fissure in it." I looked over at Hathai in the corner and nodded at her.

She opened the door and Sven entered the room. He was still sandwiched between Fuera and Enzi, but he wasn't in shackles and he'd cleaned up. His blond hair was neatly arranged and his tunic and pants freshly pressed. The room erupted once again.

"What is this phoenix trash doing here?" an older black gentleman yelled out in a gruff tone.

"Your own granddaughter is one thing, but Sven from Emberich's own Court?" a younger woman of perhaps Indian descent said in a disgusted voice.

"What is the meaning of this?" a middle-aged man with a balding head said in a low voice. "Have you no sense of what is and is not appropriate?"

Cinira raised her hands once again, though it took some time now for people to quiet down and listen. The mood of the room was not receptive.

"If you will please hear my granddaughter out," she said, deliberately highlighting our relationship. Throwing her weight behind me. No pressure at all. I took a deep breath. There was no going back now.

"I'm sure many of you already know that Sven is an integral part of Emberich's court," I started again. "But he is also a part of a brewing rebellion that wants to overthrow the Phoenix King." This next part was going to be hard to convey in the right light. I could completely see how this would seem like a simple power grab to anyone who just heard this part. "He came to me after the attempts on my life," I started, wanting that part to be clear. "The faction plotting against Emberich needs a blood relative of his to stabilize the throne after they overthrow him."

"And I suppose you have aspirations to be that blood relative," the young woman who had spoken up earlier said in a dry voice.

Saying exactly what I feared they'd think.

"She is our only option. Emberich cleans up his loose ends too well," Sven interjected in a quiet voice.

The woman did not seem pleased to have him respond to her question.

An older man about Cinira's age cleared his throat and everyone settled down again. His salt-and-pepper beard and the mostly salt of his thick hair lent him an air of dignity. His plain black tunic and no-nonsense gaze made me take notice as much as everyone else's reaction to him. This man was well respected.

"I am sorry, Cinira," he started in a deep, somewhat raspy voice. "I am somewhat confused as to why we were called here. You seem to have been attacked because your granddaughter is here. And it she appears to be talking about overthrowing Emberich, so I wouldn't even say that the attack was unprovoked. To me, this seems like it is a family matter. Or a phoenix political matter. And, in either case, it is definitely not a dragon matter."

Murmurs of agreement traveled through the room.

Cinira inclined her head respectfully.

"I thank you for your input, Tanar," she said. "But I do not think that this issue exists in a vacuum. It affects all of us."

From the murmurs I overheard, nobody seemed to be buying that either.

I tried a different approach.

"Wouldn't it be better to have an alliance with the phoenixes rather than this fragile truce that keeps being broken?" I said. "I know there are still skirmishes. Skirmishes that hurt both sides. But Emberich will never let a truce happen. Not a true one." I met eyes as I looked around the table, trying to get through. "His power depends partly on the phoenixes having a common enemy, having someone else for them to focus their anger at. Without this feud, he would have an even harder time holding on to his power."

Sven stepped forward.

"And I can tell you that the people tired of Emberich's rule are not a small minority." The attention shifted to him grudgingly. "Many who are not actively participating are still sympathetic. Being ruled by someone who is egomaniacal, selfish, and power hungry is not healthy for any society. Overthrowing him would benefit us, yes. But Mia is correct. It would also be good for you." He spread his arms out. "Having a working relationship, a true one, would only be mutually beneficial."

They didn't seem to be buying it.

It looked like they were having a hard time getting past the fact that Sven was a phoenix.

Tanar spoke up again.

"It sounds to me like you want all of the dragon skeins to engage in the war to overthrow the Phoenix King. Now, I and the rest of us are not fans of Emberich." Everyone murmured their agreement once again. Tanar looked like he was the man to convince. "But you are talking about overthrowing someone else's government. That will cause destabilization no matter how hard you try to mitigate it. That destabilization will only hurt everybody. Any kind of war will result in casualties." He sighed, folding his hands over his flat stomach. "I do not see a compelling reason here to risk my people to get your granddaughter onto the phoenix throne." He met Cinira's eyes. "And I find it irresponsible of you to ask." His voice was measured and thoughtful, which only made the words even more of a blow.

Tanar stood, his frame straight and tall. And it was as if that was the cue for everyone else to stand up as well.

"I wish you the best, as I'm sure the rest of my counterparts do. But I am done here."

He nodded at me and at Cinira, and then he turned and walked out, his guards falling into step behind him. The scrape of multiple chairs followed as the rest of the table followed suit.

I pressed my lips together tightly. There was nothing that I could do apart from pleading my case, which I had.

There was no way to call this meeting anything but what it was.

A complete and utter failure.