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I swallowed at the thought of a child being stuck here in Morrath.

"Unless she is married, that child would be veiled the moment she stepped out of Morrath," I said quietly.

"My guess is if she knew you were the younger sister she always wished she could have protected, perhaps her nonsense with killing and spies and deathmages would end," he said dryly.

"Is this information I should not know?"

"My loyalty has always been to Ryaran," he said simply. "It is you more than anyone she wanted protected. You were her greatest pride. And so I will give you the weapon she favored most: truth."

"So what is next?" I sat up in bed.

"You need to find Eravic Vaelor, and get the Arrolyn so that you can survive.”

"And the amulet?"

"Safe for now. Here. But there is a new problem visiting who likely wants it."

Fuck. Dali.

Before I could process it, Axar handed a round glass, shaped like a memory stone and yet different in texture. “What is this?”

He sighed. “A Yarastone.” I stared at him. “It is the way the witches give…information that is necessary, to those that are willing to pay the price.” I briefly wondered what price Axar had paid, and if it had been on my behalf or for my mother. “It was the only way to find out what happened to you that night.” He handed it to me. “Close your eyes.” His voice invited no room for argument, so I lay back down.

CHAPTER 19

The Ruby

What felt like seconds later, I woke up with a start. I had seen more than I could process for one evening. The final stone had shown me everything from the night of the dinner forward. Edrin's face. The taste of the poison. Colsar running. Teorin lifting me. The gate cracking as he carried me through.

I saw all of it.

When it was done I sat up slowly and looked at Axar.

"Ask me what you need to ask," he said.

So I did.

I asked about the poison first because that was the most urgent thing and he confirmed what I had already begun to suspect. It was definitively Yorali work, or so he believed. He had encountered most things, but never this. Whatever had been used on me existed nowhere in his records, and that concerned him more than the poison itself. Unknown things could not be treated with known remedies.

"As you get stronger," he said, "so will it. It will not kill you quickly. But it will not leave you either. We need the antidote and I cannot find it from inside Morrath."

"Then what do I do?"

"You get stronger. You let Vaelor help you. There may be something in his healers' stores that can slow it even if it cannot cure it." He paused. "And there are creature networks below the surface. Black market infant feeder blood exists if you know where to look. Enough of it could get you out of here permanently." He looked at me. "I can do more for you beyond Morrath than I can from within it."

I stared at him. "You're leaving?”

"Yes."

"I thought you were trapped here."

"Yes." He said it without apology. "The lie served its purpose. But now you are here, and the first part of my promise to your mother is fulfilled.” He moved to the table. "I am leaving Harxin in charge of the castle. He is a creature of considerable loyalty and answers to me and to no one else. You will be safe."

"And Teorin?"

"He is with a healer now. He has not fed properly for most of his life and the marrow donation made it considerably worse. He will regain his physical strength quickly with treatment. His mind will take longer." A pause. "Until then he cannot be trusted. You understand what I am telling you."

I understood exactly what he was telling me.