"Why?"
"Because I need to understand if mom and dad are in danger."
"They're growing," Lena said. "She said it earlier; they are forcing people to join."
"Yes, they're getting allies, or vassals. Because of fear, naturally. The War Hounds are brutal, but they're good at what they do."
"And you?" Reidar asked. "What do the Spriggans offer? What are you doing to contend with their influence?"
"Freedom," Seraphine said. "We don't force people to join. We don't take more than our share. We try to build something better than survival for everyone. But that's a harder sell when people are scared."
"Principles, uh?" Reidar asked, wondering if that was really the best thing to do.
It was because of principles that he helped the Three Lakes and Havenwood, and in the last place, he got tricked and became a target for an organization made of monsters.
Altruism couldn't be idiocy, and he had been one back then.
