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Mereli turns around and looks at Tobi. He raises an eyebrow. Clearly he wants more. “Lymok came to my room and said he would help me. He claimed he wanted to help me so I didn’t suffer the same fate as his mother. But it was a trap. Lymok was going to the Exceli. To join them. He took me because he wanted to shame Harok. And because Azuria offered to help the Exceli in return for them ensuring I never left Urynwud alive. The Exceli have Azurian weapons from this pact. The Azurian empire is helping them.” The words tumble out of him in garbled sobs. Half Ambolk and half Artemian.

But the truth in his heart is simpler. Harok came for him. And in the process, Harok was injured. An injury Tobi is sure would have killed any other man. “Will the Exceli be able to get inside?” Tobi says, feeling sickened at the thought.

Mereli pauses for a moment. “Urynwud has not fallen for two hundred years,” he says. ”Harok has informed us of the same things you witnessed. He explained that when he came to your bed chamber and saw that you were gone, he went after you on Embox. He was able to track your cart. He has told us that Lymok is a traitor and that he took you to the Exceli and also that the Exceli appear to have Azurian steel. But Harok believes they do not have the numbers to take Urynwud. Especially after many were slain this night.”

“Is Harok angry with me?” Tobi says. “Will I be punished for leaving with Lymok?”

Mereli shakes his head. He looks out of the window again and says, “Kushir, do you see that stone there in the zhilvar? Do you know its purpose?”

Tobi comes over to the window and looks out. Mereli is pointing to a tall grey stone in the centre of the zhilvar, surrounded by trees. Tobi has seen it before, but never approached it.

“I know it is called the sacrifice stone,” Tobi says. He doesn’t know why it is called that. But that is the stone Lymok claimed Harok would chain Tobi to as punishment and leave him to be taken by all. Tobi is sure Lymok was lying, Harok is far too possessive to ever do such a thing. But he wonders why Mereli is pointing out the stone to him now.

“The sacrifice stone was used for one of the three trials faced by those given to Diazuul. Here the tribute would face the Trial of the Trees. The second trial. The first, the Trial of the Beasts, would happen in the ring. You have seen the ring, I am sure?” Mereli points over towards the courtyard, indicating the large circular structure Tobi had taken for some kind of abandoned fighting arena when he arrived.

Tobi sucks his top lip. He is unsure why Mereli is telling him this. “There were three trials? The sacrifices were not simply given to Diazuul?”

“No, it would take some time. Every Long Night. The beasts, the trees and the final trial. The Trial of the Earth. Each named for one of the ancient Gods of the Solwen. The ones we honour once again, now under Irgo Harok’s rule. Beasts, trees and earth, the three aspects of the sacred forest. The Triple God.”

“So the triple God was still a part of the worship of Diazuul?”

“The Blood Priests were no friends to the Verilissia, but they still respected that their ways were tied to the ancient forest. The three trials were meant to give each aspect of the Triple God a chance to intervene and stop the sacrifice.”

“And did they?”

“No. If you ask me, I do not believe the Triple God has been interested in the ways of the Solwen for centuries.” Mereli turns back from the window and looks at Tobi. “I am sure Harok regrets his actions when he saw you wearing boots. He has trouble with his temper. Some say he is demon-kissed, because of what he did.”

Tobi looks at Mereli. In all that had happened since, he had half-forgotten about what had caused him to run from Urynwud. But now he is reminded, the memory stings sour. “I do not think he had cause to burn my possessions and punish me before all, Sire,” Tobi says,

“It was indeed a rash action. But not an unexpected one for a man like Harok. Your Irgorye sleeps now. He has been given salix and sofi to aid his healing. While we let him rest, let me tell you more about your master.” Mereli gestures to the chairs by the fire.

Tobi nods reluctantly. As he goes to sit down, Mereli says, “And let us have some of your bark tea. I see the urn I requested is here.”

Tobi nods and goes over to the urn. He pours out two cups of tea, loads his own with honey and brings them over to the fire. Mereli has already taken his seat.

“If you want to tell me about Harok,” Tobi sniffs as he sits. “Perhaps you could tell me what he even wants with me. Why am I here? He ignores me except when he takes me to bed and surely he could have found any handsome man for that who would be honoured with such a position.”

Mereli smiles. “You want to know what Harok wants. Truly that is a very interesting question. For the early days of his life I think he wanted nothing except to avenge his father. Once he achieved that, he changed. And now it is hard to know. He has a reputation for being difficult in his moods. I have oft thought that deep down he is more like his own father than he would admit. But, of course, after what happened with his father, he does not want to be so.”

“He thinks his father weak.”

“Indeed. After all, his father walked obediently to his death in the face of his brother’s obvious corruption of the Blood Priests. He put his honour — his will to uphold the traditions of the forest — above all, even the safety of his son and named heir, who would be left in the charge of Vahul, a man any Solwen could be sure would not treat Harok fairly or kindly.”

“And what was it like for Harok, growing up with a man like that?” Tobi says suddenly struck by the twisted horror of the story. Vahul killed Lal, Harok’s father, by manipulating the Blood Priests. And Harok was forced to watch as his father went willingly to his death, handing Harok’s own fate over to Vahul by declaring him Harok’s regent. Was Harok’s father stupid? Or simply blinded by honour?

“If you are asking if Vahul mistreated Harok, then the answer is yes. He could not abuse Harok directly, of course, Harok was still the heir to Urynwud, but Vahul ordered many torments for Harok as a boy under the guise of making him ready to rule. Harsh training and harsher punishments, when his body could not keep up with the rigour Vahul expected. He was flogged in the courtyard many times for even the most minor mistakes. Vahul seemed to delight in coming up with tests for Harok. He was a strong youth, but Vahul would make him fight four men at once, or fight blindfolded, and if he failed... “ Mereli sighs. “Vahul once had the boy burned with hot irons simply for not making enough progress with his archery. It was meant, I suppose, only to break him but, as is often the way with these things, it made him strong. Made him the Unkillable Irgo.”

“Do you think he really is unkillable?”

Mereli lifts a shoulder. “Who can say? Some say he is. Some because he slayed Diazuul. Others because he is the son of one of the Verilissia and she carved that sigil on his chest. He has certainly taken grievous wounds fighting the Exceli that one might assume would have killed a lesser man. Including the one he took to retrieve you.”

Mereli pauses and Tobi thinks of the marks on Harok's body. Vahul was a cruel man and because Harok does not want to be like his father, he wants to be like Vahul. He wants to be like the man who tormented him. He tries to solve his problems with strength and stubbornness. He will not speak to the Exceli and try to make peace. He would not apologise to Tobi for burning his clothes in a rage.

“I would like to see Harok now,” Tobi says. “But before I do, I have some words I need you to teach me. There is something I must say to him in Ambolk.”

In his chamber, Harok is propped on pillows. A healer is applying a bright green poultice to his shoulder and the wound on his chest has been redressed. Tobi approaches the bed and looks at him.

“Suskara,” Harok slurs out, lidded eyes only half open. His eyes look dark and glassy. Clearly he still has the salix and sofi in his blood.