"Lord Hedrick, you have parties you can call on for support—parties with enough influence, armies, and ancient debts of honor to stand by your side," Theo advised in a calm yet deliberate tone. His words carried the weight of strategy, not sentiment.
"Like who?" Hedrick raised an eyebrow slowly, his expression carved from exhaustion and cynicism. "No one in this universe is willing to stand with me. I've made enemies of them all—every lord, every emperor, every scheming councilor who ever pretended to be an ally."
"Blood is still heavier than water." Theo tilted his head slightly, watching Hedrick's reaction carefully. "There are people—blood relatives, commanders, old allies—who would be harmed by seeing you perish. Not for love, perhaps, but for the imbalance it would cause."
