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Lukas rolls his eyes. “Where has the little wretch gone?”

Lyr looks up from where he is tending the fire, cooking a stew of herbs and roots. Without Opeth, they take turns to play scullion. “Is there any chance the Beast Tamer went to Ceruleum to see his mother and received the letter? Could he be on his way to Attar?” he says.

Elric shakes his head, eyes still gleaming.

Trysta looks at him, grinning as she strokes Marko in her lap. “What is it? Where has the little wretch gone?” she says, echoing Lukas.

“He will be found,” says Damon, his low rumbling voice makes the hairs stand up on the back of Lyr’s neck. “He’s not the type to retire shyly.” He moves close to where Lyr is tending the pot on the fire and sits down behind him. He reaches out with a hand to play his fingers on Lyr’s shoulder.

Elric shakes his head. “Oh, I do wish I’d met him.”

Lyr catches Elric’s dancing eyes. “Why, what has he done?”

“I had to check this, because I thought the first person I spoke to might be mocking me with a wild tale, but it is apparently well known that Tobi Darekul was taken by the king of the Amber Forest. To be married to him. The Copperhead Circus strayed onto Ambolk land and the king demanded Tobi as payment. It’s like something from a tale.”

“It sounds like the Gold Alyse story,” says Lukas. “Perhaps this Copperhead Circus invented it. To promote their shows.”

“Gold Alyse?” says Lyr. “What tale is that?”

“A maid who was snatched by the King of the Amber Forest fifty years ago,” says Damon.

Lukas laughs. “Do you not know it, Lyr? It is a famous tale in Azuria. The King of the Amber Forest was bewitched by the beauty of the fair daughter of the Duke of Northern Azuria and carried her off into the forest. He forced her to his bed, but it has a happy ending. Forest kings are excellent lovers.”

Lyr shivers, leaning back against Damon. He tips his head up and looks at Damon’s face, biting his lip. He thinks he would like to know this story. He would like Damon to tell it to him. He would like to imagine himself a snatched Azurian maiden and Damon a demanding forest king. His voice sounds thick, betraying himself when he says, “We don’t have that story, on Klish.”

“It’s all fancy,” says Lukas. “Although the daughter of the Duke of Northern Azuria really was taken by the Ambolk. Nothing is really known of what happened to her, however. They probably simply killed her.”

“But if it is true. If this forest king took Tobi for his consort, does that mean that in the Amber Forest men can lie with men?” Lyr says

“That is why the story is so scandalous,” says Elric. “No one knew this before. Very little is known about the Amber Forest. The last person to travel into the forest and return was Sarelik Darek. Your ancestor, Bastard.”

“He is still the last person,” says Damon. “If Tobi does not return.”

“You don’t think,” says Lyr, “that this has something to do with Vindar. That he has found a way to dispose of Tobi and then created this tale to cover up what he has done?”

Damon’s throat moves as he swallows. “Perhaps, but Perl told Lukas and the Lordling that one of us would meet Ur-Durik in the Amber Forest. Which makes me think it true that Tobi is there.” He sighs. “We may have to journey north. We cannot leave him to face this demon alone.”

Lyr tries to hide it but he can’t. North. North where Jareleezi has fled. He turns to look at Damon with his heart beating hard.

Damon puts a hand on Lyr’s face, and leans down to kiss him on the temple. He does not say anything. He does not need to. Lyr knows Damon shares his thoughts. Lyr can feel it then, something in the air. Something that seems to mean that whatever they do and whatever Damon promises, something will take him north. Something will take him to Jareleezi.

It is fated. It cannot be undone.

That discovery had been several moons ago. Now they are in Attar. They stand outside Sanglora. Lyr never thought he’d ever see this place again. He isn’t sure how he feels about it. This had been the place where he walked with Damon in the gardens, where Damon first took him in the grove on the Feast of Surrus. But this place now belongs to Inez.

“I will go in alone first,” Damon says. He’s wearing a heavy cloak but this still seems desperately risky. “If I do not return by the bell for evening prayers, get out of the city gates.”

“That’s reassuring,” says Elric to Marko — the usually excitable dog is sleeping in his arms.

“Is this a good idea,” says Trysta, with an amused glance at Elric. “You would return to Attar and stay in your own home.”

“It’s not my home,” Damon says. “No one would dream I would return here.”

“And you trust this Inez?” says Lukas. “You appear to have given her many reasons to wish you ill.”

“I would set my life in her hands,” says Damon.

Lyr swallows. He hates this. But he says nothing as Damon turns and walks towards the back entrance to Sanglora.