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Jemel slumps back onto the settle beside Xan, breathless. This is really happening. The Five Fae Princes. It is happening. “Elric?” he says to Lyr.

“You know him,” Lyr says softly. “Elric Underlia. Son of Lord Harwin. Although he likely did not make himself known as such. He came to see you at the Rose Palace. He wanted you to come and see us⁠—”

“I am bound not to leave the Rose Palace,” Jemel says weakly.

“You’ve left it now,” says Kerik.

“Of course,” Lyr says, speaking far more carefully and calmly. “Elric could not tell you the true reason why and we did not know then that you were…” Lyr pauses. He smiles up at Damon.

“You’re my youngest brother,” Damon says.

Jemel can only nod, overwhelmed. It is only then that he can take in the rest of the company in the room beyond his brothers. The Princess Ferra is sitting in a corner with Prince Umbert and another woman, who he recognises after a moment as the Lady Inez. It comes to Jemel a little more slowly that the man hunched beside them is Doroth.

“Damon,” Ferra says suddenly. Her voice is loud. She sounds stricken with fear as if she, like Jemel, has only just realised where she is. Damon crosses the room urgently and takes her hand. “You can rest, sister,” he says, “You are safe here.”

Ferra looks at Damon. She still has fear in his eyes. “You did not take us as hostage? You do not mean to ransom Umbert back to Atticul?”

“He is no hostage,” Damon says. “And nor are you. Nor is anyone in this room. Any who wish it may return to the Rose Palace. The streets outside are dangerous but I will provide you with safe escort anywhere you wish to go.”

Ferra shakes her head. “I will not go back to that place. Atticul wanted to take Umbert from me and raise him as his ward. And now he is saying he will exile him when he has a son of his own line.”

“No one will take him from you now,” Damon says levelly. “Ferra, I swear it. He is your son. He stays with you. I am your brother. I will protect you now that you are widowed.”

Ferra has tears on her face. “Vindar is dead. Atticul took his head.”

“I know. I am sorry, sister,” Damon says. “I had hoped to bring him safe from the temple too.”

Ferra stares at Damon, her eyes glitter as she whispers, “I am grateful to Zai you did not. Damon, you must know that our father committed a great sin. You paid for it in public and I in private. Vindar knew the details of it. I was the price of his silence. You and I. You took his punishment as stead and I was given to Vindar to keep the secret of our father’s sin.”

Jemel lifts his chin. “And I am that sin.”

From his seat across the room, Kerik says, “Now there’s a way to introduce yourself.” He stands up and crosses the room, holding out a hand to Jemel.

Jemel takes Kerik’s forearm, Kerik’s grip is deathly strong.

“Kerik.” Kerik says, “Duke of… Kerik of Fanost.”

“I know who you are,” Jemel says lightly.

“Really?”

“I have lived in the Rose palace all my life. Of course I know.”

“I don’t recognise you, great sin of my dead father. Take off the veil.”

Jemel feels a shudder of horror, but then, why shouldn’t he remove it? Why should Xan be the only one in the room who knows his face, when Xan is his betrayer and these people are his family. “I wore the veil in the Rose Palace, so it will not help you know me, but, if you wish.”

Jemel feels Xan stiffen beside him, as he reaches behind his head and finds the knot hard and alien beneath his fingers. He remembers he did not tie it himself.

“I’m sorry, I…” he stammers. “The knot is tight.”

Kerik mutters something like, “I have to see his face now.”

He feels hands touch his own behind his head. Softly, in Plumian, Xan mumbles, “Let me, Jemel.”

Jemel doesn’t know what to do. He thinks he might weep. He nods and lets Xan unfasten the knot. It loosens. And the only thing holding the veil over his face are his own hands.

Doroth stands up, “Jemel,” he says, “are you sure?”