“It was your fault,” the Chief said, peering at the expressions of the reat Elders before him. It pgued him that he was uo see Elder Peace’s rea.

  “It was our mistake,” Elder Gold admitted, staring down at the notes before her, writing down a thought. She had made plenty of deals with Adam, and she should have kept it in mind that the half elf had proved a boon to not just the Rot family, but also the rest of the families.

  “You should not have threatened his family.”

  “Is that how he viewed it?”

  “It is, because it is Adam.”

  Elder Gold remained silent for a long moment. No one could truly criticise her or the rest of the Great Elders. They o think for the Iyr, not just today, but the year, ten years, one hundred years, and even a thousand years into the future. There was always the ti ce that the Rot family could end up betraying the Iyr’s rules, and they o make sure they didn’t give the Rot family such tools. It was easier to make a deal with Adam personally, and if the Rot family had an issue with it, it could have been raised to them.

  The logic was sound, and they had also sidered Adam.

  Adam, whht bauch to the Iyr, though he was no Iyrman. His s to the Iyr, in some instances, were unmatched by reat figures the Iyr had some retions with, from the likes of giants, tons, to reat beings. Lord Stokmar had rearrahe Front Iyr with their powers, but they had not gifted them Scribe Mages, or a Chaos Enter. No, two Chaos Enters, and perhaps soon, more.

  It wasn’t just the Rot family which had beed from Adam’s touch, but even with all the good and the bad, there was something even more important to sider. The Rot family was still a part of the Iyr. Those who were iing Adam’s great abilities were not just members of the Rot family, but the Iyr. They were Iyrmen doted upon by Iyrmen, even those who had known only misfortune for a thousand years.

  ‘We will o…’ Elder Gold gnced aside, noting the appearance of the Elder.

  Zijin approached the Great Elders, their aides daring not to stop the Elder. He gnced between them all, anger and annoyance embzed within his eyes. “How dare you. You have nht. Nht.”

  The Great Elders were gd he was a Jin, otherwise he would not have been able to trol his anger.

  “This matter is a matter for the Chief. Myself, as his Elder. Mulrot, as the Family Elder. Mirot, as the Family Head.” Each statement unctuated by a gre, while the Elder meeting each of their gazes. “You have nht. Should you have not shown your wisdom by allowing Chief Iromin to speak with him, I would have bee no choice!”

  The threat hung in the air. No choice… for that?

  “What were you thinking?” Zijin whispered angrily, not for Adam, but for the Iyr.

  “These are unpreted times,” Elder Gold said. “We o act with such a text in mind.”

  “Unpreted?” Zijin asked, gring at the Great Elder. “Do you believe our ws to have been gifted us by the Divihe prets are set! It is only under extreme circumstances we discuss the breaking of pret. You would eschew our ws, our rules, in this time of great chaos? You have nht! There is a reason why you have nht, Great Elders. You should have spoken to me before you decided to form this meeting, or you should have spoken to Elder Mulrot and Head Mirot. You have nht.”

  “Chief Iromi with the matter,” Elder Gold said.

  “Even you must follow the protocol, Chief.”

  “My position is in support of Adam.”

  “Even so,” Zijin stated firmly. “sider your wisdom today, that you did not speak such folly in front of Taygak. If it was not because of our situation, and if it was not because you made the right choice, I would have gathered the Elders to speak of my disapproval. I will end the matter at only writing a letter of disapproval today, but know this. My successor and I will not allow such a transgression iure.”

  The Great Elders remained silent, taking the criticism, for they had to, as was his right.

  “sider your fortuoday that he did n Raygak,” Zijin said, his voice low and quiet, his eyes glued to the Great Elders, full of a greater annoyand rage. “Even today, she has not asked, and I have not spoken of what has happened. If she behave in accordao the Iyr’s will, even so far as to give up her own, I should expect the same of you.”

  “It is our mistake,” Elder Gold said. “We will tio apologise for our behaviour and it will not happen again.”

  The Great Elders would take the criticism from all the Elders, and even the Family Elders and Family Heads. Each of the Great Elders could in favoke their rights, for each, in some way, could justify their as.

  Chief Iromin, as the Chief, could have invoked his general right, but he supported Adam and the Rot family. Elder Peace was not here, but her words could have assisted iuation for the reat Elders.

  Elder Forest, as the Elder of the Iyr’s wealth to be used within its borders, could have invoked one of her rights, si did deal with the wealth of the Iyr within its borders. Elder Gold, as the Elder of the Iyr’s wealth to be used outside of its borders, could have invoked one of her rights, and no doubt, she had a great right as the Great Elder which could deal with the United Kindom, and it was ected to the United Kindom.

  Elder Wrath, with the approag camity, could have invoked such a right to deal with Adam too. It was obvious enough for him to be able to deal with Adam with such a looming threat. Even Elder Teacher, possessed the ability to deal with Adam in this regard, as his domain was the education of the children, which Adam had assisted with previously.

  However, even with all the prao them by their titles, they still needed permission from the Estate Elders, and the Family Elders and Family Heads to a certain regards. After the Estate Elders and the families each deliberated, they would e to criticise the Great Elders.

  Zijin peeked towards Elder Teacher, who was deep in thought. He had half a thought to speak with the Great Elder, since he could assist Adam, but right now, it was important the Great Elders uood the wrongs of their as, and he didn’t want to muddle the situation by speaking with Elder Teacher. Also, his hands were tied, sihe Rot family had already said they were going to deal with it internally.

  ‘If you uand how much stress Adam causes, why cause greater stress?’

  While the Great Elders accepted their reprimanding by the Elder, and prepared for the future reprimands, Elder Teacher thought the most dangerous thoughts, which would have turhe situation from a crag ember into a bzing inferno.

  ‘Shall I use a key?’

  If you 't keep up about the politics, don't worry, me her.

  Also, sometimes I wish I didn't keep things a mystery because you'd pop off the same way as me knowing what Elder Teacher means by that, and the rolls I made...