Ragnar called his first coalition council session as chair on a Monday.

Marina arrived early and sat in the second ring of the circle, the advisor position she had established as distinct from the leadership positions. Not behind the council. Beside it. Close enough to be consulted, far enough to be clearly separate.

Ragnar noticed. He said nothing about it.

He opened the session with the boundary survey update, which had progressed faster than anyone expected because he had assigned his best two trackers to work alongside Goldenridge's surveyors and had told them all personally that the survey would be completed accurately and on time regardless of what the result...