“You’re lying.” A mocking smile tugged at Will’s lips.

“Aah!” Ding Rui’s body jolted.

“Your humans have always seen wolves as mortal enemies, and the Frostwall Legion is our sworn foe. Why would Orek—Commander of the Wall, slayer of wolves—send an envoy to negotiate with us?”

Ding Rui hung his head even lower, beads of sweat dotting his forehead, but nothing escaped the Wolf King’s sharp eyes.

“Half a year ago, we fought a battle. The Frostwall won, but it was a pyrrhic victory… The Legion suffered heavy losses and needs time to recover. So… so Orek doesn’t want permanent peace. He just hopes… that humans and wolves can reach a temporary truce, to give both sides time to catch their breath…”

Will found Ding Rui more and more intriguing. Though he stammered, his mind was surprisingly clear.

A truce? What a ridiculous idea! If I don’t shoot this down, he’ll think our clan has no backbone!

Will laughed coldly. “Commoner, don’t you see the contradiction?”

“Huh?”

“Half a year ago, your human army attacked Wolfhold, nearly wiping our clan off the face of the earth. If our warriors hadn’t fought to the death to carve a path out, I’d be nothing but a pile of bones in the snow. For six months, our children have scattered across the Outer Wastes, clinging to life. They have to avoid your patrols and other demon clans. Do you think we have the strength to fight you again?”

“I…”

“So we’d be grateful enough if you humans didn’t attack us. Why would we need a truce? This is all a lie. You fell into our ambush, and to save your skin, you made up this story of being a peace envoy, trying to tie me down. Am I right?”

The Wolf King laid out his case, then swapped his legs on the throne’s armrest, waiting for the human to surrender.

But surrender never came.

“No.”

He still dared to speak.

Ding Rui said, “Even if your clan can’t launch a full-scale attack, you’ve sent many spies to infiltrate our ranks… Two mages in the Frostwall Legion have already died at the hands of your undercover wolves.”

More than two…

Will coughed lightly. I completely forgot about that!

Ding Rui continued, “So the Seer’s truce is still meaningful. Because… the truce would include a ban on sending undercover wolves.”

Wearing human skin, striking in the night—that’s our true battlefield. We’ll never stop.

Will’s lips parted, ready to tell the truth: Besides, those spies aren’t my doing. I can’t decide to stop.

He lowered his legs from the armrest and sat up straight.

Though Ding Rui’s words sounded plausible, the evasive look humans always wore when lying gave him away.

The Wolf King decided to end the game.

“I’ll admit you’re braver than the other two captives, but the game is over.”

“I’m telling the truth…”

“But more than two people have died in the Frostwall Legion.”

“What?”

“Kammon is dead too.”

Ding Rui froze, his face going pale.

“You were out in the Wastes when it happened, so you wouldn’t know. But Kammon served the Frostwall for forty years, rising from a commoner to steward—third in command of the Legion. A rare feat indeed.” Will let out a sigh.

He watched as Ding Rui’s eyes welled with tears, just as he’d expected.

Kammon was an idol to many in the Legion, especially commoners. Though he wasn’t a Divine Kindred, he was just as important to the Frostwall as any mage or warrior.

“We killed Kammon.” Will spoke slowly, each word deliberate. “Now, do you still insist on peace?”

Tears silently streamed down Ding Rui’s cheeks. He’d never cried or begged for mercy since being captured, but now he couldn’t hold back.

The Wolf King looked down at the broken commoner, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction.

“Commoner, I admire your wit and courage. We wolves need stewards too. If you swear loyalty to me, I might spare your life.” Will smiled.

Ding Rui shook his head slowly but firmly.

“Then you won’t see the sun rise tomorrow!”

Will gave a signal to Wolf, his personal guard. Wolf drew his wolf-headed blade and stepped toward Ding Rui.

The blade inched closer. Ding Rui’s face was ashen, his eyes filled with terror, but he never begged for mercy.

Wolf raised the blade.

The steel flashed in the candlelight.

“Stop!” Will barked.

The blade hovered just above Ding Rui’s head.

“In my experience, most commoners are suspicious, cowardly, and weak.” Will stood up from his wolf-tooth throne and walked slowly to the center of the hall. Wolf stepped back to make way.

“But there are a few—rare, but they exist—who are brave, wise, and dare to fight wolves.” Will patted Ding Rui’s shoulder. “You and Kammon are both such people.”

Ding Rui trembled, big drops of sweat rolling down his forehead, leaving faint wet trails.

“Perhaps this is why we wolves have never been able to rule the continent in all these millennia.” Will sighed softly.

“Let him go.”

The order shocked not only Ding Rui but also Wolf, who looked utterly bewildered.

“Commoner, I’m letting you go. Take a message to Orek: The wolf clan is willing to sign a temporary truce with the Frostwall Legion. Two years. No attacks from either side.”

Ding Rui’s face went rigid with shock.

“Take him away.” Without waiting for a response, Will ordered his guards.

Ding Rui was led out of the hall by two wolf guards.

Will watched his back, and a memory surfaced.

Many years ago, before he became Wolf King, Will had overcome countless obstacles to sneak past the Frostwall and climb its thousand-foot cliffs into the human kingdom. He’d worn human skins, pretending to be a commoner, knight, guard, Seer, even a Sorceress… traveling through the kingdom’s cities, towns, villages, and ports, savoring the thrill of deception and slaughter.

Once, he’d arrived at a village called Holy Light Village, posing as a black market merchant. He’d gained the trust of the entire village, planning to massacre them to add to his wolf’s tally of victories.

But on the eve of his attack, he’d discovered a Seer living in the remote village.

Will had been forced to abandon his plan. For days, he’d walked on eggshells, terrified of being exposed by the wolf slayer. In the end, he’d made up an excuse and fled the village in disgrace.

Though he’d escaped unharmed, he’d been ashamed of his cowardice for years. I was so scared of a Seer I didn’t dare move?

After returning to the Outer Wastes, Will had reflected deeply on his flaws. He’d trained relentlessly in bladework and trickery, eventually gaining the upper hand in the clan’s power struggles and claiming the Wolf King’s throne.

Years later, as Wolf King, he’d received intelligence that a new steward had been appointed to the Frostwall—a commoner named Kammon, from Holy Light Village.

The Wolf King had suddenly realized he’d been tricked.

A commoner faked being a Seer…

Will let out a bitter chuckle. A commoner had fooled him for years.

“Wolf King, are you really letting him go?”

Wolf’s question pulled him back from his memories.

“Yes. This boy is my pawn, meant to confuse Orek.”

Wolf paused, then suddenly understood. “Wolf King, you’re planning…”

Will snorted. “Half a year ago, the humans’ attack cost us dearly. Wolfhold fell, our kin died. This blood debt must be repaid!”

Wolf frowned. “But we don’t have many cards left to play.”

“Wrong. We have plenty.” Will said confidently. “The White Wolf clan, for example, is our ace.”

“You mean we should ally with them?”

“Exactly.”

“But the White Wolf King won’t even meet us…”

“I’ll go visit him personally. He’ll have to see me!”

Will walked toward the hall’s entrance, his shadow stretching long across the floor in the candlelight.

“One day, I will take back everything we lost!”

The Wolf King’s voice echoed through the hall, until the shadows swallowed the entire room.