No, Jem said. That is not why he ran away. He married a woman who was a fugitive. Roland went into hiding to protect her.

Catarina looked up at him.

“What?” she said.

I was in America a short while ago with an Iron Sister, he said, to retrieve some adamas. While there, we encountered a Shadow Market connected to a carnival. It was run by a Greater Demon. We confronted him, and he told us that there were Herondales lost in the world and that they were in danger and that they were very close by. He said that they were hiding from an enemy neither mortal nor demon. Also at this market, I saw a faerie woman with a mortal man. They had a child. The man was called Roland.

Tessa was stunned by the rush of information coming from all sides, but she was caught by the thought of a man throwing away his whole life to run with the woman he loved, giving everything he had to shield her and counting it as nothing. That sounded like a Herondale.

“He was alive?” Catarina said. “Roland? At a carnival?”

When I realized what was happening, I tried to track him down, but I was unable to find him. Please know that it was not you he was running from. The Greater Demon told me that they were being chased and that they were in great danger. Now I know that to be true. The faerie who came to me tonight—he meant to kill me. The forces looking for the Herondales are neither mortal nor demon—they are fey, and the fey mean to keep something secret.

“So … I did not chase him away?” Catarina said. “All this time … Roland …”

Catarina shook herself and regained her composure. She picked up the tea tray and brought it over to the bed, setting it on the edge.

“Drink your tea,” she said. “I used the last of our ration of milk and the biscuits.”

You know that Silent Brothers do not drink, Jem said.

Catarina gave him a sad smile. “I thought you might still find comfort in holding the warm cup.”

She wiped her eyes covertly and turned and left the room.

You did not know of this? Jem said.

“She never said,” Tessa replied. “So many problems are caused by unnecessary secrets.”

Jem turned his face away and ran his finger along the edge of the teacup. She caught at his hand. If that was all she could have, she would hold on to it.

“Why have you kept so far away?” Tessa said. “We have both been grieving Will. Why do so separately?”

I am a Silent Brother, and Silent Brothers cannot—

Jem cut himself off. Tessa clasped his hand to the point where she might have broken it.

“You are Jem—my Jem. Always my Jem.”

I am Brother Zachariah, Jem returned.