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It is confirmed that is his destination when he is fitted with a death bridle. A piece of padded leather, forced into his mouth and held in place with a buckled strap. A common enough addition for a condemned man. Jemel supposes Atticul does not want Jemel shouting that his mother is the Immurite during the Ascension.

Whether people believed him or not, it would certainly distract from Atticul’s great ceremony.

Finally, Jemel’s veil is placed over his face. It surprises him for a moment, before he realises that Atticul wants him to be recognised. It is a strange circumstance of Jemel’s life that he is more recognisable with his veil covering his face than without it.

He does not want the veil now. He does not realise it until it is placed over his face and he finds it strange, blurring his vision and making each breath feel stuffy and uncomfortable. Did he really wear this daily? For what reason? He cannot seem to remember what it felt like to believe he needed to do as Zai commanded, or as Gelen told him Zai willed.

He is taken in his chains to the Sarelik Temple, dressed in the highest pomp for Atticul’s Ascension.

On the wide stages is set the golden throne, a hundred strong choir of brides sing the greatest of hymns to Zai, winter sunlight glitters through the coloured glass. All is sparkling wonder. And this is where he will die, in the beautiful light of Zai.

Jemel is placed on a low bench. Sitting beside him, dirty and dressed in rags is Vindar. He is thin and his face is bruised. He wears his own death bridle. It is not hard to deduce the kind of time Vindar has had since he was arrested for treason.

Jemel remembers Atticul telling him that the information about Jemel’s mother had been tortured out of Vindar. Vindar was the shrewdest man in the Rose Palace. It was said there was nothing he did not know. And from the extent of his injuries, Jemel has no doubt Atticul now knows all that Vindar once did.

And on the other side of Vindar, sits Lukas Darekul. He looks in far better health. Quite well in fact. He is heavily chained, with manacles around his ankles and neck. His wrists are held behind him and when Jemel glances back he sees that Lukas’s right hand is missing. He had heard rumours of this. He has a hook in its place, tied roughly to his left wrist with rope to keep his arms in place. Jemel supposes wrist manacles like his own would serve little purpose on a man with only one hand to keep them in place.

Lukas looks at Jemel. He raises both eyebrows, in a simple and almost friendly greeting. Lukas Darekul seems quite happy with his current situation. Lukas Darekul is his brother. But if they both die here the world is over. Ur-Durik will have won and there’s nothing he can do.

Below Jemel the rows of seats are arranged in an arc around the great stage. These, he knows, will be filled with great dignitaries from across the empire. Wardens, Dukes and Generals with their retinues.

The upper level is thronged with the people of Attar crowded onto the balcony to watch the Ascension of a new Emperor.

Across the stage, opposite the choir, sit the royal family. Princess Ullinor, Princess Ferra, Prince Umbert and beside them the Lady Inez. She is veiled in gold studded with tiny diamonds and still holds her small wiry dog in her arms. So Atticul is truly going to marry her.

As Jemel watches her, he is sure she is weeping beneath the veil. Is that why brides are veiled? To hide their tears?

Should he be glad of his own for the same reason?

He knows he should not shed tears for Xan. Xan simply used Jemel to get his Isle back. Jemel cannot quite condemn him for that. He was offered freedom for his people in return for Jemel’s life, why wouldn’t he take it?

Jemel thinks perhaps if he could see Xan now he could tell him that. Tell him that the deal he took makes sense. Why would he put some Azurian priest above the people he is sworn to protect?

But no. He would not be so forgiving. He cannot be. He let Xan touch his heart. He told Xan his most guarded truths. Of course the deal Atticul offered him would have been tempting, but it was also brutal and cruel. He could have told Jemel the truth. Been honest with him about his will. But he let Jemel think he felt the same desire that Jemel did. And he used Jemel. All his flirting, all his charm, even the ways Jemel found himself trusting him were all just part of Xan achieving his aims. Was any of what he said true about Pluma and being held prisoner as a child? Was his tender care over Jemel’s wounds in the garden just meant to entice Jemel into his bed?

And when that didn’t work: foribunda.

Did he even come here to try and find a way for the Mortingales to attack Attar? Perhaps that too was a lie. Perhaps he had been brought here only for this? Only to destroy Jemel?

Jemel’s hazy mind rushes away with itself wondering if perhaps Xan was merely a paid whore. But no, he shakes himself. That would make little sense. A whore would not want the deal Xan took. His thoughts rush in circles, trying to make sense of all that happened.

But Jemel’s mind swims, his despair a heavy cloak as he sits in the Sarelik Temple, his favourite place in the world. The place where he will die.

If Xan planned to take Atticul’s deal, why did he fight so hard to free Trysta?

They had trusted each other. Jemel is sure something of that trust must have been real. If Xan’s stories were true then he showed Jemel his heart.

If they were true.

He should have questioned Xan more about why Atticul wanted to speak to him in private without even Jemel present. He should have had his suspicions roused when Xan told him Atticul had brought in a Plumian soldier to translate something to him.

If he had asked and Xan had told him the truth, what could Jemel have said? Ignore Atticul and your people’s needs, for I am destined to fight the demon that will destroy the world so why not help me instead and we can free your land in the world that is wrought when that is done? He almost laughs to himself. Xan, he is sure, believed nothing about what Jemel told him of Ur-Durik. And why should he?

He finds himself scanning the crowds for Xan. Atticul had demanded Xan serve in the Imperial Army and lead a legion of Plumian slaves to take the Amber Forest.

Atticul is still going to the Amber Forest. He had claimed he was riding there to capture Damon and the rest of the Darek bastards at that first audience, but Warung had stopped him. After the Ascension, however, Warung will not be able to raise any objection.

Atticul seems certain Damon, Tobi and Kerik will appear at this Ascension so the real reason he is going to the Forest must be to open the vault and free the Bellator. Jemel closes his eyes. And Xan will be there.