Chapter 57

Aria's POV

The meeting with Aldric was scheduled for five days later.

Drogo and I spent those days preparing. Going over current trade numbers, discussing what expansion might look like, planning for every possible angle Aldric might use to manipulate the situation.

"He's going to try to separate us at some point," I predicted. "Get one of us alone so he can work on us individually."

"Then we make it clear from the start that we operate as a unit. If he wants to talk to one of us, he talks to both."

"He won't like that."

"I don't care what he likes. Those are our terms."

The...