Halden

Halden is shorter than Aaric but strikingly handsome, with sandy-brown hair and green eyes.

Halden handles royal attention with practiced public polish, presenting a relatable annoyance at heralds and fanfare while still accepting the deference attached to his rank.

Aaric describes Halden as unable to control his temper and says his brother will be a horrible king. Aaric also treats his own presence on the mission as necessary because Halden created a royal-representative gap.

Halden and Xaden are openly hostile in both political and personal terms. Halden tries to imply that Xaden’s departure may require royal permission because he speaks in his father’s stead, but Xaden refuses that premise.

Halden is Violet’s former lover, and their relationship ended after she found him in a delicate sexual situation with one of his professors. Violet says he did not love her as she deserved, was not inclined to beg forgiveness, and did not speak with him again until shortly before the Deverelli mission; Halden admits he cheated, apologizes belatedly, and asks her to have dinner with him during the mission.

Aaric is Halden’s younger brother, and Halden discovers that Aaric has been hiding at Basgiath as a rider. Halden also realizes Aaric helped breach the royal vault, an act for which their father blamed Halden, and he makes Violet promise that nothing will happen to Aaric.

Halden publicly arrives at Signet Sparring with a herald, guards, and enough authority that every cadet rises until he tells them to sit. Privately, he intercepts Tecarus’s missive to Violet, supports the Deverelli route, offers to order Grady to change course if Violet retrieves the Amelian Citrine, and survives Xaden’s shadow attack with the wind knocked out of him rather than fatal injury.

Halden does not go on the Anca extraction, but his intervention changes the roster by getting Mira included in the riot of eight. His political influence helps launch that mission without putting him personally on the ground.

Halden presides over the Deverelli mission meeting from the center of the Senarium table, flanked by Aetos and Markham, and presents the new orders as settled. He permits Violet’s requested attendees, confirms the citrine and Courtlyn meeting, gives Violet one chance to name her squad, and warns that failure will allow another commander while refusal to continue will negate the Second Aretia Accord’s terms; because dragons will not carry non-riders who have not crossed the parapet or climbed the Gauntlet, Violet notes that gryphon transport is necessary for him.

Halden’s audience with Courtlyn turns disastrous after he reestablishes diplomatic contact and asks for Tecarus’s manor to serve as a search-party launch point. When that is not enough, he offers or authorizes the taking of heirlooms Deverelli considers its own; Courtlyn stabs Halden’s hand with the Blade of Aretia after Anna is caught stealing with a list in Halden’s handwriting, and Halden responds by insisting the items belong to Navarre, denouncing Deverelli, overturning his section of the table, and asserting that only he can speak for Navarre.

Halden becomes the personal cost of the final Deverelli deal. Courtlyn’s one condition is that Halden never set foot on his isle again or Halden’s life is forfeit, and Violet accepts the condition over Halden’s protest.

Halden tries to forbid Xaden from opening Tyrrendor’s borders, treating the province as part of his future kingdom and threatening to bring his troops into it. He retreats after Xaden warns that such a move could make Aaric first in line for the throne and Aaric openly sides with Xaden, but Halden still has troops stationed along the Calldyr border while they wait for King Tauri to order action against Tyrrendor.