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Damon nods. “Very well. We should ride for Urynwud. I will speak with Harok.”

Lyr says. “But that means letting him get to the vault. If Ur-Durik’s plan is to release the rest of the Bellator it will be dangerous to take him exactly where he wants to be.”

Perl, still standing by the window, speaks next, “We need to. Jemel is right. The magic of the forest will be required. The words of the ritual will enchant the swords, but not here. We must go north.”

“Is it what you expected the Books of Alios to say?” Damon says to Perl.

“It makes sense with what my father believed. I knew the five swords would be needed.”

Jemel says, “What are these five blades?”

“Each Prince has a sword,” Perl says walking over to the bed. “Damon has the Amber Blade, an ancient sword of the Hevelikar, passed through the line of rulers. It is normally used at the Emperor’s Ascension, but Atticul did not have it, of course, it had long found its Master and he was never able to take it back. He used Lukas’s sword at the ascension, the Blue Blade. The twin of the Amber Blade, thought long lost until Lukas found it in Lunatum, where the weapon drew him in so viciously he lost his hand for it. Tobi’s sword is Demonica, an ancient blade of the Irgo’s of the Amber Forest. Harok wields it on his behalf as he does not care for swordsmanship. Kerik’s blade, Iceheart, was destroyed by the first Magician when he fell to madness, but it was re-wrought by my father in the Waste and retrieved from Vylenor.”

Perl pauses. He looks at Jemel and says, “Oh.”

“And me,” says Jemel, “Must I also bear a sword? I have never held such a thing.”

“I have never heard any tell of the Scholar’s sword. But as all the others, excepting Kerik’s, found their way to their Princes, I thought you might know of yours.”

“I know of no sword,” Jemel says. The words had been clear. Five Swords. They must use five swords to kill one of the Bellator to seal the rest deep in the earth below the forest.

“Perhaps,” says Elric, “Jemel’s sword is something different. There is that old story about a scholar whose weapon was his books. Could it be words? The words of the incantation.”

But Perl says, “I know not. But I do not think it would be that way. You have really not encountered any sword that has felt like it belonged to you?”

“No,” says Jemel. He cannot imagine such a thing.

He looks at Xan, then. For the first time since they came into the room. He isn’t sure what prompted it.

Xan is gazing at him, watchful, still standing, straight backed as a Sentinel. Jemel knows Xan has been watching him the entire time they have been in the room. Why is he here? Does Xan want to fall to his knees and beg forgiveness, or simply hopes to fuck him again.

Xan is clearly concentrating hard, trying to follow the Artemian. Jemel doesn’t feel willing or able to provide him with any Plumian. “You speak of a blade,” Xan says, slow and thickly accented.

“Yes,” says Perl. The Plumian word. He continues in Xan’s language. “Did you see a blade in the Rose Palace? One that seemed meant for Jemel?”

Xan nods. “In the garden,” he says in Plumian. Then looks to Jemel. “You said the blade seemed to be yours.”

“Oh,” says Jemel. How did he not think of it? But his head feels so heavy. He looks at Xan. His face seems to fracture, splintering to pieces before his eyes. He blinks. “There was a dagger. A dagger I found in the magical gardens beneath the palace. I felt it was mine and I kept it. And, oh…” He blinks hard again, “On the hilt it said, Blade of the Fifth.”

Perl’s voice sounds delighted. “That would be it, I am sure.”

“That must be your sword,” says Damon at the same moment.

“Where is that blade now?” says Perl.

Swallowing Jemel turns to Xan, In Plumian he says, “I had it with me when we…” He has to force the words out, “when we were found by Atticul. Do you know what happened to it?”

“I do,” Xan says. “I took it.” he wets his lips. “But I could not bring any blades to the temple. It is still in my rooms. In the Rose Palace.” His eyes soften. “You need it?”

Jemel does not answer. He turns back to Damon, Perl and the rest. “It’s in the Rose Palace.”

“Then we will retrieve it,” Damon says with clear determination. Jemel is sure Damon is a man who is happiest when he has a plan in place. And he continues. “We get your dagger and we go north. We kill Atticul and Ur-Durik in the Amber Forest.”

“Very well,” says Perl, looking far less certain.

“I must go,” Damon says. “I have some other business to finish this night. On the morrow, we will make some decisions. Lyr, come.” His smile to Lyr, as he holds out a hand to him, is soft.

Smiling back, taking Damon’s hand, Lyr climbs from the bed. He adjusts his clothing and takes a moment to thank Jemel for his work before following Damon out of the door.