"Yes. Which brings me to you." Elara leaned forward. "I could destroy you the same way. Present evidence, force property transfers, exile you from Port Crestfall. But you're different from them."
"How so?"
"You're political, not economic. Your wealth comes from family holdings, not business operations. You're connected to the succession battle through one of my sisters who could retaliate against me if I push too hard." Elara paused. "And honestly, I don't want another enemy among the other princesses. I have enough of those already."
Marrs processed this. "So you're offering... what? A deal?"
"An arrangement. You stop funding attacks on me. I don't present evidence of your assassination attempts. We both pretend this conversation never happened and maintain polite neutrality."
"That's it? No property transfers, no exile?"
