Jolthar looked at the assembled forces—five hundred elite knights and forty-five combat mages, all prepared to bring him down. Any reasonable person would surrender. The odds were impossible. Fighting would be suicide.
Halvren was aware of Jolthar's strength. He had defeated the Great General Princess, one of the empire's strongest generals, and underestimating him would certainly cost him dearly. So he had come prepared this time.
Then Jolthar smiled.
It wasn't a nervous smile, or a desperate smile, or even a brave smile trying to hide fear.
It was genuinely amused, almost predatory, the smile of someone who had just been presented with an interesting challenge rather than certain death.
He stepped out of the shadow of the mansion's entrance into full view of everyone assembled.
His voice carried clearly, projecting without shouting.
"You brought five hundred knights and forty-five mages," Jolthar said, his tone conversational but loud enough for all to hear.
