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Kerik had agreed. It seemed a simple enough proposal. And he was in no position to refuse. Lost memories come back to him in pieces. He remembers leaving on a ship bound for Pellex, Jur-Mattan’s wealthy capital city. He remembers setting out on a voyage across the Mortingale Sea.

But Kerik cannot remember reaching Jur-Mattan.

Was that where Perl took him? Somewhere on that journey. Back in the Starlight Tower, Perl had claimed he took Kerik from Lunatum. Lunatum was between Attar and Pellex. Was it that mission from Vindar that had sent Kerik into Perl’s path?

And that had led him here. To this terrible punishing cold?

Cold he is sure now, will kill him. But there is nothing he can do. No way to escape. He has never been so cold. He wants to sleep.

The door opens again. Kerik braces himself for more torment. He doesn’t know how he will resist whatever he is presented with next. He would not be able to refuse another offer of a fur cloak. He would go happily to the pit if it meant getting free of this cold.

Again he feels the light and warmth from the parlour. Again a figure appears.

“Perl?” he says softly.

At least if Perl came he could explain. He could tell him that he is too weak for this. Sob that he is sorry, but he cannot bear this cold any longer.

“Not your Master, no,” says a soft voice. For a moment, Kerik thinks it is the Queen. But when he blinks he realises it is Diamanda. She is carrying a tray of spicewine.

Kerik can see steam rising from the jug. He wants to cry at the sight of it. But she does not offer it to him. She sets it down on the floor by the doorway, saying, “Sorry, but you know you can’t take this.”

Kerik stares at the steaming jug. He wants it more than he can find words for. He supposes he ought to be glad that she isn’t going to torment him with it, but he wants to scream at her, he wants to beg for that spicewine. Perhaps that is her wish. Diamanda is the daughter of the heartless Queen. Kerik has no reason to think she is not as cruel and sadistic as any fae of the Ice Court.

She moves closer to Kerik and sits down beside him on the ice, taking his hand. Her fae skin — which should feel cool against Kerik’s — seems hot enough to burn. “I’m glad Perl has you,” Diamanda says in a soft sweet voice. “Please pass these tests so he can keep you. He needs you more than you could ever know.”

Kerik looks at her. The warmth from her body is enough to clear his head so that he can think of more than just the sheer horror of the cold. “Why?” he says. His voice comes out slurred as if he is deep in his cups. “What does Perl need protecting from?”

“He is tainted in ways you do not know,” Diamanda says. “But it is not his fault. Many think he was not shamed enough for it. Many are bitter about his place here and all that happened to Ulla because my mother wished to keep him. She is delighted to have him back and he is a great favourite of hers, but she is fickle, if you do not please her in these tests, Perl will suffer for it just as much as you will.”

“If you are talking…” Kerik pauses, stops and swallows. He is slurring and struggling to understand Diamanda’s words. “If you’re talking of how he was caught kneeling for Seridil and lowered with iron he has told me all about that. He said it was over. That he had taken his punishment and been forgiven for it.”

Diamanda shakes her head with a small, sad smile. “That is not the real heart of Perl’s shame. When his perversions were discovered many thought that he was indulging so because of what he was rumoured to be. My mother has long banned any mention of it. But it is known. There are many fae who think that no true fae would have committed such acts.” Diamanda lifts her pretty pale hands and blows on them. “And that it was a sure sign of the taint within him.”

“What taint?” Kerik frowns at her. “What is he?”

“It is forbidden to speak of it. But he bears it. And all faekind know of it. It is even part of his name.”

“His name? What about his name?” Kerik’s frozen mind searches for what that name is. “Perlash-zeren-ai?”

“What does your name mean?” Diamanda says.

“My name? Kerik?” Kerik blinks. “It is an old Fanosti name. It is a name from the line of the Dukes of Fanost. My great-grandsire was named Kerik.”

“All fae names are Old Magaar. They are bound to their fae from birth and cannot be changed. I am Diamanda-zeren-ai. Ai, is for the Bell-ai, the ice fae, zeren refers to the Ice Court. Diamanda means wonder. My name means the wonder of the Ice Court of the Ice Fae. My mother chose it. Her name is Exeinil-que-zeren-ai. Exeinil means exquisite. The Qui means ruler. And Perlash means…” she stops and swallows. “It means shame.”

“Shame?” Kerik says. “Perlash means shame? His name means shame? Why?” He feels a dark sensation uncoil in his belly. Similar to the one he felt when he was first paraded through the Ice Hall, almost naked, with Perl’s name written on his chest.

With ‘shame’ written on his chest.

“Why would Perl’s parents give him such a name?”

“They did not. When my mother took Perlash as her ward he had no name. Neither of his parents survived to name him. Exeinil was not Queen of Ulla back then. She ruled Vylenor and the Ice Court, but Ulla was under the control of Oria and the Timeless Court. Her sister Sefi had ultimate control of both isles. Exeinil was only allowed to keep Perl if she allowed Sefi to name him.”

“So he was…, he was named by Vane’s mother?”

Diamanda nods her head.

“So what was so scandalous about Perl? Is it to do with his parents? What happened to them?”