They were alone. A last concession from the emperor before he went to his duty. She reached down and put her hand against his cheek. ‘Your eyes are different,’ she said, her voice softening. ‘Like a storm has passed. Do you feel it?’

‘Yes.’ The truth was, he felt as though a great stone had been lifted off his heart. ‘Just don’t ask me to explain it.’ She frowned and looked away. ‘Did you know what you were saying? When you were—’

‘No. What did I say?’

She shook her head. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ she murmured and flicked away a stray lock of her hair. ‘Why did you try to kill Leo?’

‘I don’t know.’ He shook his head blankly. ‘I can only think that wasn’t me.’

‘I hope he believes that.’

‘Well, I can’t change what he believes. All I can do is fight for him.’

‘Gods, haven’t you done enough for him already?’ she blurted. ‘It’s madness that you go so soon. What just happened – you can’t pretend it was nothing.’

‘I’m not. I. . . Maybe in time I’ll understand what it was. But the battle that is here now is just as real.’

‘I know it is.’ She reached out and turned his chin to her, to look into her eyes. ‘But you must live, Erlan. And so must I.’

He stood and turned his back to her, knowing what she meant and why. ‘Lilla, I love you but. . . I don’t think I can go back to the north.’

‘What?’ she murmured, pulling him back to her. ‘Of course, you—’.

‘Look about you. Do we lack anything here? We could make this our home. There is a fight that needs to be won here. A fight that is worth fighting. I can’t go back to the north.’

‘You must. We must. Especially now I know where you’re from. Don’t you see? Your people can help mine. Already we are allies. With your people, we have the seed of an army.’

‘My folk don’t want me back. Nor would they follow me. I betrayed them. That bridge is burned. My father. . .’ He shook his head, staring into the air. ‘I cannot return there, I told you.’

‘I knew it,’ she scowled, her jaw hardening in disgust. ‘You’re still bound as tight as ever you were. Whatever strange magic just occurred, even if you’re free from the Witch King, you’re still not free from yourself. I just don’t understand why. Why?’ she exclaimed. ‘We’ve all lost ones we loved. We grieve, we say goodbye. Then we get on with living—’

‘Is it not living here? Is this not life?’

‘Not our life, no.’

Erlan slumped into a chair. ‘I’m sorry, Lilla.’

She sank down on a couch opposite him. ‘Who was she then?’ she said in a quiet voice. ‘This love. . . I need to know.’