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Yrsa slouched and nodded. “It’s true, Lyra. It would be felt the moment Ingir connected Fadey’s blood to yours; she would’ve known you were his child.”

“Clever queen.” Thane ground his teeth. “My mother was always slyer than she let on. She’s keeping a secret from Fadey, no mistake. Knowledge for her alone ensures that she has a touch of power in case their twisted alliance sours.”

“So he will always be able to slip into my thoughts since we’re blood bonded?”

“For now.” Gammal offered a melancholy smile. “He may try to manipulate you, but he cannot harm you there or the bond he covets between you would snap.”

I looked up at Roark. His jaw pulsed in tension. Gingerly, I slipped my fingers through his and squeezed his palm tightly.

“Now, let me tell you of the visions that began this battle. Unfettered Folk visions often teach others or offer guidance.”

Gammal cast a swift look at Thane, then Yrsa, then back to me.

A smile teased the corner of my mouth. “You were the one who taught me about craft.”

“Yes. But how I also blame myself for putting you in such a dreary place as you are now.” Gammal studied her hands. “Many seasons ago, when Fadey was still young, like the other kingdoms in your realms, we Unfettered Folk realized that the use of these corrupted soul bones likely had a darker purpose than the crafting of their warriors.”

Gammal opened a hand to Kael. My brother bared his teeth, but for a moment, I thought I might’ve seen a tinge of heat on his cheeks, like he wanted to curl away and hide from the others.

“Fadey was once honorable. He sacrificed himself to the bonds of Jorvandal. Offered to be the melder of Stonegate so he might learn the truth behind the soul bones.” The woman shook her head. “He insisted the gods would not have given him such a craft if he were not meant to do something great on their behalf.”

Gammal brushed a lock of her brittle silver hair off her brow. “He ventured into the realms of Stìgandr and lived a full season as a Myrdan man, until he let the silver scars of his eyes be known and he was brought to a young Damir.”

From there, Gammal told us of the rise in Fadey’s position. When Damir took the throne, for his belief in Fadey’s loyalty, the Jorvan king favored the melder. Loved him. Used him. Grew in power and might with Fadey’s ambition.

“Fadey melded soul bones. He grew stronger, and practiced his craft with vigor. Soon, he learned from Damir what the hunt truly was about. I’ve no doubt that he could even sense the power of the Wanderer within the soil of the realms.” Gammal studied the flames of the inglenook for a long pause. “For a time Fadey attempted to stop the hunt by lying to the king about what he felt through his craft. But it changed, and eventually he had reason to desire the Wanderer’s bones for himself.”

“But where do I fit in his plans, then? If this scheme was made before I was born—”

“I didn’t say that.” Gammal’s eyes flashed with a strange sort of heat. Like fury lived beneath the surface of her weathered skin and it was burning. “Again, I was the fool to not see how one of our own had been poisoned by the greed of the Wanderer.”

“Then tell us, woman,” Gunter said with a bite. “We need to know everything, even if you find it shameful.”

Gammal swallowed. “Before his greed corrupted him, Fadey told us of the Jorvan’s plans. As the seemódir, I told him of a dream I had, that a daughter of the god-queen could one day have the power to unite such gifts that lived in the blood of the heirs. To be as strong as the first king once was. He took pride in his purpose of protecting the bones…until a girl with silver scars in her eyes was spotted.”

“He did not know…I was his?”

“Without a name of the new melder’s mother, I’m certain he took it as the craft merely presenting in a new generation.”

“How did his ambition change?”

“Something took hold of Fadey’s heart. Something whispered to him that with the power of this melder daughter, the prophecy I spoke of could come to pass. A melder could find the power of the first king, bind it, use it. Rise with it. Instead of protecting her, Fadey hunted her. He used blood crafters, ravagers, and even some of our own folk to hunt this girl.”

Auki rubbed the back of his neck. “But if he lived within Stonegate, how could he possibly be Lyra’s father?”

Thane offered the man an incredulous look. “Must I explain it to you, Dark Watcher? You see, when a man and woman—”

Auki kicked at Thane’s boot. “I understand that part. I didn’t realize the melder bedded anyone except…well, except the king, as a consort.”

“Fadey traveled a great deal,” Thane said. “I have no doubt he was not a loyal bedmate.”

“True words, Jorvan prince,” Gammal said. “Like much of the Stav Guard and Dark Watch, I’m sure, lovers were found in many villages. It is to your benefit, elskan, that he did not realize one such dalliance resulted in the prophesied daughter.”

“Female melders are rare, Ly,” Emi whispered. “Centuries between their births.”

“Yes,” Gammal said. “But you brought the visions of uniting the crafts again.”

“Uniting? The vision was of my birth tearing kingdoms apart.” I bit down on my bottom lip.