Chapter Seventy-Five

Summary

• The chapter is set during a Summit, where Ruhn initially expected danger but is instead bored by mundane discussions about troop movements and trade proposals.
• The orders for troop movements come from the Asteri and the summit members seem to feel there's no point in contesting them.
• Ruhn realizes that the monotony of the summit may be a strategic move to make the governors agree to unfavorable terms out of boredom and desperation to finish the meeting.
• Ruhn's father, along with the mer and the witches, are holdouts who do not easily agree to the terms discussed during the Summit.
• One notable witch, Queen Hypaxia, is hinted to have been Ruhn's possible betrothed, but she has shown no interest in marrying him.
• The discussion during the Summit turns into an argument when the prospect of building a canal for transportation of war tanks is proposed, which threatens the fishing industry of the mer people.
• A participant, Tharion Ketos, argues against this because of the severe environmental impact it will have.
• Queen Hypaxia supports Tharion's argument, giving historical examples of destructive wars and offers counterarguments to Governor Sandriel's dismissive remarks.
• Hypaxia manages to make Sandriel back down from her viewpoint, surprising the attendees.
• Ruhn's father assesses Hypaxia as to whether she could be a good bride for Ruhn.
• A character named Hunt, bored by the Summit, is trying to appreciate the calm before an inevitable clash with Pollux.
• Hunt hopes that those delegations that haven't yet agreed to the Asteri's decisions will hold out until the end of the summit.