‘I doubt there is a will behind—’

‘But there is, Prok. Mine!’

‘You feed her something unseen, then, milady?’

Sandalath’s face was glowing in the reflected flames as she studied the fire, and at Prok’s strange question a curious smile drifted to her lips. ‘Mother would have understood. We make them what we need them to be.’

‘You speak of words delivered in years to come, milady.’

‘I speak of my will, sir. I speak of need as power, which clearly you do not comprehend.’

‘Need… as power.’ Prok frowned into the flames. ‘Indeed, your words confound me. The very notion of need hints at weakness, milady. Where in it do you find power?’

‘Mother took him away from me. She sent him to Kharkanas. That was wrong. It was wrong, too, to send me to House Dracons, to make me a hostage again.’

‘Then I’d question the worth of her advice on matters of parenting.’

‘I will find Orfantal. I will make it the way I want it to be. No one can stop me. Not even Korlat.’

The conversation left Wreneck troubled, but he could find no reason for what he was feeling. Something burned fierce in Lady Sandalath, but he wasn’t sure it was love, or tenderness. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing at all.

‘The child is growing too fast,’ said Prok. ‘In unnatural manner. Sorcery feeds Korlat, a most alarming conclusion. Is she but the first such progeny?’

‘A demon gave her the child,’ said Sorca. ‘You posit an unlikely trend.’

‘Milady,’ Prok persisted, addressing Sandalath, ‘life itself is a burden. Your daughter has her own needs. The brother you would have her protect will not see it as you do. Indeed, he will likely cast a protective eye upon Korlat.’

‘He will not. He is the one who matters. The one I chose.’

‘Was Korlat given leave to choose you, milady? Or the manner of her conception? The seed of her father? How many burdens must she be made to bear?’

‘Only one. She will be my son’s guardian.’

Wreneck thought of the time in the carriage, when he held the baby and looked down into that perfect face with its shining eyes. He saw no burdens there. No, they’re what the rest of us bring, if we’re to people her world. My mother’s fear of the forest, her fear of being alone, her fear of me dying somewhere with her never knowing. Even her fear of Jinia, and me marrying her and us moving away. We bring those things. Those fears.

And like Sandalath said, those fears are needs, and together they have power.

But I turned away. I did what I had to do. I took on a different burden. The one about disappointing people. Needs can pull, or they can push.