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“I see,” says Selim, sweetly, “Then perhaps we should discuss your soul. Prince Atticul was eager to inform me that you insisted on bringing a male whore back with you from Pellex. And shared a cabin with him on the Azuria Ascendant. Of course, sins committed at war are something Zai understands. My prayers in this very room include penance to wash you of them. But as you are in Attar now and no longer a soldier they do concern me. I hear you have kept this whore. Is he meant for your bed? Has your old sin followed you home?”

Damon swallows as Selim’s cloth wipes warm water around his ankles.

Selim continues, “If it is true that you have a male whore for your bed in Sanglora Manor I will have to ask you to hand him over to the enforcers. I know Atticul relishes any chance to have you brought low. He is a jealous boy. He has always been this way. Do not give him fuel for his spiteful fires. Hand the whore to my enforcers and I will execute him. Your soul will remain clean in the eyes of Zai and the Rose Court. Unless, of course, you plan to return to war. Then, things could be different, for you and this Juran whore.”

Damon keeps his breathing even. This is no surprise. He knew the news of what he brought back from Jur-Mattan would reach Selim’s ears. And he knew what Selim would demand. The only surprise here is the additional consideration, the offer, Lyr’s safety and Warden of Vashti for conquering Ik-Sundal.

But perhaps he can keep Lyr safe without needing to take Ik-Sundal for Selim. Damon had a plan of what he would do when he was asked to surrender Lyr. And he realises this plan will be more effective now than he ever realised.

Because he knows why Selim wants to take Ik-Sundal.

“Your Grace,” he says, considering the delicate line he must walk here. “Atticul was wrong about the providence of the whore I took. He was not for Prince Ramel’s bed. He belonged to Queen Jareleezi. He was her favoured slave.”

“Oh,” Selim looks almost startled at the idea. He sits back on his heels. “So he is not a whore for the beds of men?”

“No,” says Damon. “He is far more than that. Your Grace, I understand you entrusted Prince Atticul with a mission in Jur-Mattan.”

“You know of his mission?” Selim says tightly, revealing nothing.

“I do and I know he failed.”

“You should not speak of these things, Damon,” Selim says as he leans forward to continue his washing. His fingers dip into the water and slide between Damon’s bare toes, but his voice is sharp. “Some things are great secrets. You are bastard born. You should know your place.”

There is a small sound, the guards standing a little straighter. Tightening their grip on the weapons they hold. Damon looks down at Selim.

“I know about it because I deduced it. Atticul was looking for something. He tried to get information from King Ramel but his torture was clumsy and Ramel died too soon. You should not have entrusted this to Atticul. He has poor control in the aftermath of battle. And he would have executed the slave, if I had not taken him. He belonged to Jareleezi, the Dowager Queen. He knows her secrets. Atticul sent my ship, The White Watch after her. I have already extracted from the slave that Jareleezi would not have gone to Ik-Sundal.”

Selim looks quite overwhelmed by this information. His voice quavers as he says, “Jareleezi is the last Hevelikar. A descendant of the evil family that once ruled Azuria. She thought she had found a safe haven to work against us, married into the royal family of Jur-Mattan. She was wrong.”

“Not so wrong, she did escape,” says Damon.

“She took a great treasure with her,” Selim says. “Stolen from the Rose Temple two hundred years ago when Sarelik drove the Hevelikar out of Azuria. I must retrieve it. The Books of Alios.”

Alios. The prophet of the sun. One of the Sidusia, but older even than that faith. The Books of Alios could be very ancient. Damon nods simply and says, “Jareleezi’s slave has already told me that she conducted many magical rituals with him and when she fled, leaving him behind, I think she may have told him where she was going. And no doubt she took these books with her.”

Selim shakes his head in wonder. “Perhaps I should have trusted you with this mission. I am a fool to prefer Atticul for this when you have proved your skills time and again.” He picks up a second linen cloth. Damon takes his feet from the bowl, which is whisked away by Doroth Zain. Selim uses the dry cloth to blot the moisture from Damon’s feet. “I think it might be useful for you to bring the slave here. Let him spend a little time with Gelen the Green and his enforcers.”

This was always the risk in revealing Lyr’s truth — that Selim would demand Lyr’s secrets were extracted under torture. But Damon has a plan to protect Lyr from Gelen the Green. A plan that involves doing something Damon has never done before. Using the rumours about him to his advantage. “The slave trusts me, Your Grace. I think I will get more truth from him than Gelen the Green.”

Selim looks up at Damon with narrow eyes. “You said he did not serve Ramel in his bed. You said he belonged to Jareleezi. Does this slave share your weakness?”

“He does, Your Grace. And he and I have a bond.”

Selim still looks unsure. “Is this slave Hevelikar?”

“No. He was bought in the slave market on Klish.”

“Is he Priam?”

“I do not believe so.”

There is a pause. Damon holds his breath, thinking, if Selim insists on taking Lyr from him and subjecting him to the enforcers of Zai he will have no choice but to run. He will take Lyr and run. They’ll find a place. He’ll find somewhere.

Eventually, Selim says, “Speak to the slave further yourself.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

“Keep him at Sanglora. Protect him and tell no one that he was owned by Jareleezi, let them continue to believe he was King Ramel’s whore. Find out everything he knows about where his Mistress took the Books of Alios.”