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DAMON
Amoon’s turn ago, Damon had gone to Inez in her solar. He’d had her send her handmaidens from the room and explained that he would be made Warden of Vashti at the Hero’s Gala where he would receive the Order of Azuria.
“There will be much work to do before we move to Felgrace. With Kres gone the household will need more of my attention. Tavi is mild, perhaps too mild to command the authority needed for a seneschal, but he will do for the time being. And he will be capable of managing Sanglora when the household moves to Felgrace. I will find a new man to oversee Felgrace. Perhaps Vindar will recommend someone when everything is official. I could take one of the junior keepers of the Rose Palace. I would like you to help with the decision about the new seneschal. You will have an important role in running Felgrace.”
Inez looks at him. She looks surprised by the statement. “You would not prefer I remain in Sanglora?”
“Of course not. You are my wife. But,” he pauses. He knows he has to tell Inez this. It would be cowardly not to. “I will be taking the slave I brought from Jur-Mattan. In Vashti, he will be my favoured. He will attend me in bed.”
Inez looks confused by this statement, as well she might, “You will live in depravity?”
Damon looks down. “Yes. Selim has granted me this.”
Quietly Inez says, “He has granted you leave to shame me.”
“I do not mean to. This will be a hidden sin. The Rose Court have promised to ignore it and we will be far from Attar. You will be mother to my children. Please, Inez, I never wish to bring you anything but peace. You know my nature, but I swear to you, I will protect your honour with my final breath.”
“Did you renounce any claim to the throne as part of your bargain?”
Damon looks at her. Is that her main concern? Not that he intends to lie with his male slave in Felgrace. “I cannot renounce something I do not have.”
“Then how did you have Selim agree to…” They are alone in the solar but her voice still drops low. “That.”
“I gave them information about Queen Jareleezi.”
“The old Queen of Jur-Mattan? Why would Selim care about that?”
“She is a descendant of the Hevelikar. Selim believes the Hevelikar took valuable items from the Rose Palace and hid them in Jur-Mattan. When we reached Pellex, Jareleezi escaped and she may have taken these items.”
“What items?”
Damon sees no reason not to tell her. “Books.”
“What books?”
“The Books of Alios.”
“Alios,” says Inez, with a small note of reverence in her voice.
“You know of Alios? The old faith?”
Inez looks around the empty room as if being cautious all her handmaidens have truly left. She says. “I do. A little. My mother had a shrine to the twin Gods. Long ago. But why would a pure land that worships Zai want such heathen books?”
“They wish to have them destroyed.”
“And they would give you so much? Simply for information to find these books they want destroyed?”
Damon nods. “Do not ask me what the books contain. I do not know.”
“Is that why Selim is allowing you to lie with your slave? To get more information?”
“I…” he could lie. His lie is right there. But he does not lie to his wife. He says, “No. Lying with him in Vashti is my reward from Selim for what I have already told him.”
Inez nods. “Then so be it.”
Less than half a moon's turn after that conversation, Damon wakes in the middle of the night to find Inez standing by his bed. Tears on her cheeks.
He sits up and takes her hand, “Wife? Are you unwell?”
