Absolutely book-destroying spoilers for By Honor Betray'd.

From pages 372-73, emphasis added:

[T]he Grand Admiral knelt. "My lady," he said [to Perada]. "I have never broken oath to any, nor do I break it now."

"Then call off your fleet and your attack, and return to the worlds you came from."

"My lady, I cannot. I am sworn to the lords of the Resurgency by oaths from which I am not free—oaths into which I entered after I was released from yours by your death." . . .

[Llannat:] "I challenge you for your Circle."

"You have neither the skill nor the standing to challenge me," the Grand Admiral said.

"My lord sus-Airaalin," Perada said, "by your oath of service, I command you to accept."

The Grand Admiral rose to his feet. "As you will, Domina."

Call me crazy, but if sus-Airaalin was released from his oath, why, exactly, can Perada compel him to duel?

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One of the authors, James Macdonald, comments:

Two different oaths ... He has sworn to attack the Adept worlds, and cannot break that oath. Had Perada not died, he could never have honorably made that oath, but she did, and he did, and now there they are.

But he has also taken a commissioning oath in the Resurgency Fleet, and it is of this oath that Perada is reminding him. He isn't calling off the attack, which he can't honorably do. But he can duel for the command of the Fleet.

Yeah, it could have been worded better. What can I say? It was clear to _me_?

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Which now makes sense to me, for which I am glad, because I knew there had to be a reason . . . Thanks.