The inter-demesne situation had not improved in spite of additional diplomatic arm-twisting by Sarah and more late-night visits by Everett to the usual band of cutthroats and reprobates. The Kingdom of Alarsaria was slow to withdraw its forces from the Summer Pass and had made claims to the areas that its army had occupied in the Unclaimed Flank. The Republic of Zheria was making rumblings about “border adjustments” along the Broken String River, wherever that was. Lots of members of the Assembly in New Zindersberg were talking about a preemptive deployment of “peacekeepers” to Irkisnukberg.