Chapter 9: What the Bond Cannot Decide

Caspian Wren's penthouse had a wall of glass and a view that made Ironveil look forgiven.

Alex stood in the middle of it with his sleeve caught in Caspian's hand.

He pulled the fabric free and stepped back.

'Say what you want,' Alex said. 'Without the bond in it.'

Caspian didn't move to close the gap again.

'I want you in this room,' he said. 'This hour. Nothing else.'

Alex set the restoration charter on the glass table between them.

'The false statement wasn't the only reason I refused it.'

Caspian looked at the folder. He didn't reach for it.

'Then what was.'

'Your signature exiled me,' Alex said. 'Desire doesn't settle that.'

Caspian went still, the way he did when he was taking a hit and refusing to show it.

'Read it,' Alex said. 'The clause. Out loud. Your voice.'

Caspian opened the folder. He found the line.

'I, Caspian Wren, affirm that the exile of Alex Jin was lawful and just.'

His voice cracked on the last word. He didn't try to cover it.

'You wrote that for me to say,' Alex said. 'About myself.'

'I know.'

'You didn't deny it.'

'I'm not going to.'

Caspian pulled his phone from his jacket and dialed.

'Archivist's office,' he said. 'Caspian Wren. Cancel the search on the tribunal building title.'

A pause. Alex watched his face.

'Since when,' Caspian said. 'Yesterday.'

Another pause. His jaw worked once, then stopped.

'Understood,' he said, and hung up.

He set the phone face-down on the table.

'It already reached Gideon's office,' he said. 'Yesterday afternoon.'

Alex said nothing. He let it land.

Caspian crossed the room and stopped one step short of him.

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