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“It is true. I have seen writings. I have found texts in this library that have shown this to be true.”

“Too much reading old tales has rotted your brain,” Xan says amused, then pauses. And his tone is far more serious. “Baraboo, this cannot be true.”

Jemel cannot hold back his tears. All his frustration and confusion are spilling out of him. He looks at Xan through smeary eyes. “There are Five Fae Princes, like in the tale of old, risen to defeat this demon. But I do not know if they will.”

“Baraboo,” Xan says, his voice smoky-dark. “May I touch you?”

Jemel swallows. “What?”

“You weep, my sweet priest. May I comfort you? I am asking if you would permit me to hold you?”

“Oh,” is the only word Jemel can manage, cracked and broken with a small nod as Xan folds him into big strong arms.

Jemel finds himself sobbing against Xan’s breast. The leather of his jerkin fills his senses. Xan’s body is so big, so warm. He feels like he could vanish inside it. Lose all his troubles and melt away into Xan.

“Baraboo.” Xan’s voice is a soft coo. “Baraboo, please, even if all you tell me is true, there are Five Fae Princes who will defeat this demon. Where are they?”

“One of them is Lukas Darekul. Imprisoned in this palace.”

“Ah, that is who you wished to free from the dungeons.”

“Only to discover he was not in the dungeons and that he has his own plan to free himself.” Jemel knows he sounds bitter. “And Tobi and Kerik are with Damon. He is one of them too. Damon Darekul. The man who built the Ferric Wall. And the fifth of them is me. I am one of the Five Fae Princes.” Jemel sniffs. “Damon Darekul is my brother. We all share the same father. Prince Rafus. The brother of Emperor Selim. I am one of the Dareks you despise. My true name, if I ever had cause to use it, would be Jemel Darekul.”

Jemel expects rejection for this confession. He is a Darek. His brother built the Ferric Wall. Xan has already told him he would not even allow Damon Darekul to set foot on the Isle of Pluma. And Xan does push him away, but gently, and only so he can look into his eyes through the veil. He brushes a thumb over the fabric where it is damp from Jemel’s tears. “But if you do believe this, if you think this God of yours to be a demon, why do you hold to his laws? Why do you veil your face? Why do you ignore your desires?”

“I didn’t know how to do anything else.”

Softly Xan says, “I think you do.”

Jemel stares at Xan’s lips through his tears. He’s so lonely. He’s been alone his whole life. He lifts his arm, brings his hands behind his head and unties his veil.

Xan gasps. “Baraboo?”

“Zai is a demon,” Jemel says raspily. “And you are correct. I cannot face that demon if all I‘ve ever done is follow his rules.” He lets the veil fall from his face.

Xan stares at Jemel, stares, like a man frozen. He shivers, “Baraboo, you are exquisite.” He breathes it. Jemel’s belly feels heavy. He wonders if perhaps he has made a mistake.

“I am marred here?” Jemel touches his twisted lip.

“I do not think that is enough to disguise your beauty. But it is strange. What caused it?”

“I was born with my lip broken. Many such babes cannot suckled and die but I was saved. Doroth Zain bid Pershel stitch it together. And I survived that. I do not remember it. For a long time I thought it was because of this deformity that I was given to the Faith by parents who thought me cursed. A demon babe sired by sin. It is why I am called the Hare. A broken mouth like a rabbit.”

“Sin? What sin? Your father was Prince Rafus? Who was your mother?”

“I know not. Only that my father was sentenced to twenty years exile for siring me. Damon took the punishment for him. That is why he was in the army. He did not choose to be there. But twenty years indenture is a cruel punishment. So, it must have been a great sin. Greater than siring a bastard child on a woman he had not wed. Since I discovered this, I assumed she must have been a Bride of Zai, but I do not know who. If a Bride of Zai has a child, she is executed. But there is no record of it that matches my birth. None that I have found.”

“Do you truly think your face marred? Is that why you choose to hide it?”

“No,” Jemel says. “I hide it because my face is sin. It is marked with the sin that sired me.”

“Your face is beautiful,” Xan says, sounding quite raw with the statement.

“The flaw and the beauty is a combination that, I have been told, could provoke men to sin if they look upon it.”

“You mean men who see your face would take you by force?”

Jemel shrugs. “I suppose. Before now, I have not shown my face to any men who would. Only Gelen and Doroth. It was Gelen who told me so.”