Astra shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she waited for the others to file in for the peace conference. A placard sitting on the huge round table before her stated her false identity and allegiance. Lumianna Yunai of Yunai Ice Wraith Clan, daughter of Chief Yunai, ambassador of the ice wraiths.

She wondered if the real Lumianna knew anything about the deceit.

Eight chairs. Three were already taken up—one by her, one by Ciril, and one by Jemma. Their assigned seats were sandwiched by the empty seats of the other dignitaries.

As the other dignitaries began to enter the room, Astra kept her eyes downcast, hoping no one looked too long at her.

"Aren't you dying in this heat?" someone asked. There was the sound of a seat being slid out.

Astra peeked to her right. A young man with windswept brown hair with a hint of copper settled into the seat next to her. His placard read Olan Amador, ambassador of Aeris.

"It's manageable when I stay inside," she answered, unsure of what else to say when she caught sight of Xernes, discussing something animatedly with someone she recognized as the Prince of Solasia.

She lowered her head even more and turned to Olan. "How long have you been an ambassador?"

He smiled. "Much longer than I would like. You?"

"I feel the same as you."

"Thank you all for attending our annual peace conference," the King of Auxerre announced, pointedly not looking at the only seat that remained empty, between Jemma and Ciril.

Next to Astra, the placard reading Prince Dalen Avrlove of Solasia shook as the prince sat down.

"The Pelosian-Iveian War ended five years ago with an armistice," the king began gravely. "Yet, this is the fifth year the Pelosian government has refused to attend our peace conference. Border activity has also increased, although thus far, they have been considered minor skirmishes and thus under the jurisdiction of the border cities."

"Border activity has increased for us as well," the prince of Solasia spoke up as he leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "Fifteen injured, six deaths, and stolen crops and damaged homes, just in this past week. Pelosia has announced statements that they're bandit attacks."

He was younger than her. It was strange that the Queen of Solasia had not sent someone else, someone more experienced.

"They're preparing for war. We've known this for years," Xernes pointed out. "We ought to just call the armistice off. The longer we stall, the more likely we'll be defeated when they do come knocking."

"And what about the people?" Olan leaned forward. "After the Pelosian-Iveian War that lasted over a decade and the millions of lives that were lost, do you honestly think anyone would want to fight?

"That's why we draft fighters, Ambassador." Xernes waved a hand at Astra, Jemma, and Ciril. "And that is why we offer incentives to the wraith clans in return for armies."

To Astra's relief, Ciril leaned forward to answer first. "And what incentives would you offer, Commander?"

If Xernes realized a traitor, one of his prized agents, was sitting in the same room as he was, he would likely slit her throat without hesitation, peace conference or not. Or perhaps he would drag her back to Varaly to torture her first.

"Citizenship, of course," Xernes offered. "Among other possible amenities."

Second-class citizenship, Astra thought, but she wasn't stupid enough to say it out loud.

"I don't see why we need to talk about the same things every single year," the Solasian prince interjected. "Some of you are aging—" he gave a nod to the disgruntled Commander and to the frowning King of Auxerre "—and I have the greatest respect for you. But I have attended this conference twice before, and I am afraid we have yet to talk about anything new or of real consequence."

Astra smothered a laugh by pressing her glass of water to her lips, pretending to take a sip.

"Then what are you suggesting we discuss, Your Highness?" the king questioned.

"The immigration sanctions and refugee crisis." He leaned back, a posture of relaxation and power. "We've been so worried about Pelosians invading and burning our castles and estates to the ground, we've somehow left behind the people without any shelter at all."

"Auxerre already offers asylum to all those who can prove they are being—"

"Do you really?" the prince interrupted. He brushed his black hair out of his eyes before he continued. "Because I have reports that over eighty percent of those who try to make it through immigration checkpoints on the border are turned away, often because of ridiculous reasons." He held up a finger. "Contractible illness is one excuse. I recovered from a cold just a week ago; I'm surprised you let me through your borders.

"Second—insufficient documentation." His piercing blue eyes stayed focused on the king's brown ones. "I'm not sure if you're misinformed or simply not aware," the prince said, "but it can be quite difficult for refugees seeking asylum to obtain all the forms your country requires from them."

The king scoffed. "I don't see Solasia taking in large numbers of refugees either. You ought to fix your own problems before correcting me on mine, boy."

Astra frowned. Before the prince could respond, she said, "Regardless of His Highness' hypocrisy, the problems remain, Your Majesty."

She could tell from her peripheral vision that the king had turned his eyes on her, and Astra splayed her hand flat on the table, staring at it instead of him. Perhaps he remembered her from a few days ago, when he had sanctioned that experiment on her. The urge to give him a taste of his own medicine was overwhelming. The left hand she hid under the table twitched, the ice magic already coursing to her fingertips, ready to be released.

"And what would you suggest, Ambassador Yunai?"

Astra hesitated, unsure what to say, when Ambassador Amador cut in. "I don't think she needs to suggest anything. As I'm sure you're all aware, over the past decade, Aeris has taken in millions of refugees from not only Pelosia, but also Varaly, Solasia, and Auxerre. We have been rationing water and food resources for years. This is a peace conference." The ambassador cut a glare toward Xernes. "Our goal is to maintain the peace for as many people for as long as possible."

"Even if the possibility of waging war now could result in peace for everyone for a much longer and stable period of time?" Xernes offered.

Ambassador Amador cocked his head. "I'm not sure you understand the nature of what happens after a war, Commander. If a full-scale war exactly like the one we had a few years ago is what you're suggesting, the aftermath will still be the same, if not worse." He turned away from Xernes to address the rest of the conference. "It's economic strife and mourning for years at the very least. Internal turmoil that could possibly lead to civil war or anarchy at worst.

"I know Aeris, for one, cannot entertain another war. Our resources are spread too thin with humanitarian efforts. That's why we're calling for a five percent increase in aid from every sovereign nation."

"You ask for more every year." The king frowned at Ambassador Amador. "Perhaps the Commander is right; we should just end the Pelosian crisis once and for all."

"You say that like we can end it." The prince of Solasia shared a look with Xernes, and Astra felt her blood run cold. Something had just happened, come to an understanding. She wasn't sure what. The prince looked away. "Consider Solasia's part done, Ambassador."

"Are you speaking for yourself or for your sister?" the representative of Aeris inquired.

"Consider it done," the prince growled.

Astra swallowed, unsettled by the political tension in the room.

"I believe Varaly would be willing to take Aeris' request into consideration," Xernes said.

"We'll see." The King of Auxerre settled back to stare at Astra before moving on to Ciril and Jemma. "While we're at it, Auxerre would like to call for stricter regulations on wraith immigration, perhaps first and foremost, a zero tolerance policy on—"

"Not this again," Prince Dalen interrupted again.

With more seriousness, Ambassador Amador added, "Might I remind you, Your Majesty, that what you're suggesting is not only inhumane, but also illegal by the terms of the treaty signed at the end of the Wraith Wars over four centuries ago."

"You did not let me finish, Ambassador." The king tapped his fingers against the table, impatient. "Unregistered fire wraiths still roam Auxerre, in addition to the influx of illegal wraith immigrations we've had this past year from the wraith lands. Intelligence has indicated that Pelosian operatives have slowly invaded the unclaimed land there set to the wraiths and are causing a lot of the displacement. Resources are low for everyone, Ambassador. We cannot endanger ourselves, and thus our entire continent, by not regulating the immigration flow."

"Why don't you ask them what they think?" The prince sniffed his nose. "Considering they're, you know, the very people you're suggesting to shut out."

He turned to look at Astra. Next to her, the Ambassador also turned his head. Thankfully, the others chose to stare at either Jemma or Ciril.

"It's a matter of national security, of course," Jemma began. "We're very thankful indeed for Auxerre's continued generosity—" Astra groaned internally, but kept her mouth shut "—and we would understand if Your Majesty's nation chooses to impose stricter laws. If the roles were reversed, I would imagine a very similar conversation going on in regards to immigration protocols."

Astra thought the king smiled a little under his thick beard, but it was hard to be sure. Meanwhile, on the other side, Jemma smiled broadly. If she had any feathers, she would certainly be ruffling them right now in obvious satisfaction.

This was what Riviera had meant when she said they wanted wraiths that could play the game. It was clear the real wraith ambassadors had never been invited. Everything was a front. A game to prevent the wraiths from gaining power.

The king motioned to Ciril to speak. "And your thoughts, Wind Ambassador?"

"I, uh," he said, clearly not as eloquent as Jemma. His heterochromia eyes flicked left once, then right. "I agree with the Fire Ambassador. Tensions are dangerous enough. We'd prefer if the Pelosian threat was terminated once and for all."

"And our Ice Ambassador?"

The king turned his eyes on Astra, and she froze. To speak her mind, or play it safe? Did it truly matter?

"I think... I think a better plan can be implemented."

The king raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And what plan would that be?"

Astra sucked in a slow breath. She didn't even know what exactly the zero tolerance policy or whatever it was called entailed, she only had an educated guess. One she was relatively certain was accurate. She said, "National security affects us all. If one country falls weak, so does her allies. A better plan would be one that encompasses all represented nations here today."

"Thank you, Ambassador. You summed up my point nicely."

Astra blinked in rapid succession, trying not to gape and make obvious her surprise.

"Auxerre already has in place limited immigration and refugee mandates, passed late last year. That's why I once again bring up the Zero Tolerance Policy, or what my advisors and I have been calling the ZTP. By implementing the ZTP, we prevent weakening of our respective countries and can effectively contain Pelosia within their own country and the wraith lands, and if necessary, efficiently combat them." The king of Auxerre spread his hands, smug.

"An excellent proposal, Your Majesty," the Commander said thoughtfully. "I'll need copies of the formal documents, but I do think following the ZPT, for all of us, is the best route in case full-out war does break out."

The two representatives of Auxerre and Varaly looked to the representatives for Solasia and Aeries expectantly.

Finally, the prince of Solasia said reluctantly, "I cannot speak for my sister."

"I'll send the copies of the proposal, just in case."

The prince nodded. "Of course."

"And Ambassador Amador?"

"Aeris will not agree to this."

The king frowned. "Well, again, I'll send along the documents—"

"With all due respect, Your Majesty," the ambassador said thinly, "there's no need to waste paper and ink. The answer will be no."

"Your country's stance will hurt the war effort," the king warned.

Ambassador Amador smiled. "I don't think it can when there currently is no active war." He paused and glanced around the silent table. "We ought to move on; any other topics of import?"