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Early in his work, Jemel translated a long digression where Batreous spoke in detail of the many forms of fae magic. Speculation about the workings of fae magic is not unusual in old texts from the early part of the Hevelikar’s reign. Jemel had mostly dismissed this, simply ploughing through the words and setting them down on the page in Artemian, seeing it as more of an exercise in his skills than anything meaningful, but he flips through his stacks of papers now, looking for it.

And there he finds something about bridges. Sometimes the fae create magical bridges. They also refer to them as doors. A salt door. A blood door. But Batreous describes them as bridges that cross vast distances the way a bridge of stone and wood crosses a river.

So perhaps the bridge Ur-Durik will cross is a magical one. A way of leaving the forest and coming where? Where else but Attar. The place where he sent Sarelik Darek, to create an empire built to worship him.

Could this happen soon? What if it has already happened?

But there was no demon in Attar. No demon, but many men. If Ur-Durik was already here, and Embel had believed the demon to be in Attar, could he be inside the body of a man?

It fits exactly with what Embel had said Pershel had told her. Her dying message. Embel had thought it Pershel telling her who had killed her, this demon disguised as a man. But what if she had meant it as a warning, a last message delivered as she died. Ur-Durik will come to Attar and take the form of a man.

Something Pershel had wanted Embel to inform someone else of. But who? Embel had thought it Jemel who was the demon. Could that be because Pershel had also said his name as she died. Because the message was for him? Or is that just a comforting thought?

That she thought of him as she died?

That her final message has somehow found its way to the person she meant it for?

But who Pershel meant her last message for matters less than the message itself. There is a demon in the Rose Palace in the body of a man. So if it is true and the demon is here, who is it?

He would want someone powerful. The most powerful man.

Ur-Durik manipulates events to create the path he needs. He charged Sarelik Darek to build an empire to worship him. He would want one of Sarelik’s line. Why else would he create such an empire?

His most devoted servant. That would be Selim. But Selim was dead. Could it be that Ur-Durik would have had to change his plan? Perhaps at the last moment. Because Selim was killed, unexpectedly and violently, and by one of the Five Fae Princes. So he would have to…

He would have to take Atticul instead.

Jemel swallows a dark sick feeling. The truth, if he is right, is more terrible than he could have imagined. Ur-Durik is Atticul. Atticul is Ur-Durik. He is right, he knows he is. If only he had got to this sooner. He has been so lax in his work without Doroth Zain checking on him.

There is a soft sound. A brush of paper. It takes Jemel a moment, so deep in other thoughts, to realise that a note has been slid under his door.

Jemel rises from his desk. He picks up the paper, then opens the door and looks outside. The passageway beyond is empty. He closes the door and leans back against it to read the note.

The words are a scrawl. An uneducated hand, not used to forming letters. The paper is a scrap torn from something else, someone who does not have the easy access to palace-made paper that Jemel has, and the words are written in charcoal — a piece of burnt stick.

I have an important message for you. You are needed. Come to the shrine of Nebis.

A friend.

His first thought about the author of this message is Xan. He checks himself. Xan cannot write Artemian. And if Xan wanted to speak with him, he would simply barge into this room as he had before.

So who sent this?

Could it be from Embel. Somehow able to write Artemian letters.

He doubts it. She thinks him a demon.

Could this be from Doroth?

Doroth is coming to Attar, Gelen told him so. And told him to stay away from him. Could Doroth already be here? And know that he and Jemel can only meet in secret?

But that cannot be right either. He knows Doroth’s hand well. Doroth does not write like this and what could his circumstances possibly be that he would be writing in charcoal on a paper scrap?

Could Doroth have had to get someone else to write this message?

He does not know, but he cannot risk not finding out. And who knows how long the sender of this message will wait for him in the shrine?

Quickly, with well-practised fingers, Jemel dons his veil and leaves the room. He takes care not to look hurried as he walks, although his heart beats fast. He simply moves as he normally does. Just the Hare, going about his business.