And it was, because we could hear it resonating in his voice. But still. How much I’d shared with the son of the monster who tormented me, about what his own blood had done. I felt strangely violated, though I couldn’t figure out in what sense. Rose hadn’t done anything to hurt me or Seppo or Soren; he’d kept a fact from us. And did it matter if Lydian was his father if he’d had such a little role to play in Rose’s life as he’d said? It didn’t matter who Seppo’s father was. Seppo had been raised by his mother, same as Rosamund had.

While he hadn’t told us of his heritage, I could hardly blame Rose for the sins of Lydian, especially if they barely knew each other. From what I knew, Soren was raised by his father, who was not a good person and someone who did not care about the pain and suffering of others and who treated those weaker than him cruelly; someone who treated his own son cruelly enough for Soren to murder him for his seat as lord without so much as a single doubt. But I couldn’t blame Soren for his father being cruel. And what about my own father? Who while good-hearted and well-intentioned instilled in me a self-hatred I fought every day because of his hatred of the Permafrost? Was I really one who could judge Rose?

No, as much as it made my stomach flip and sink, and as much as I wanted to be outraged, I couldn’t. It wasn’t like any of us had a choice who bore us, and in truth, I could see why Rose hadn’t shared the knowledge. I don’t think any of us would’ve let him near us had we known, and then I wouldn’t have a friend, and Seppo wouldn’t have his boyfriend.

“I understand,” I said.

Soren turned to me, frowning. “Just like that?”

“He’s not Lydian. Why punish him for what Lydian did?” I replied. “You’re not responsible for your parents’ crimes. We have more important things to worry about than Rose’s parents. We can discuss his withholding of information after we’ve done what we came here to do, but I doubt it’s necessary.”

Soren nodded but still had a sour look on his face. Seppo looked visibly relieved if still a bit hurt. Diaval looked bored. She’d known about this too—how? Was it part of her magic?

Hel smiled, and the way the rotten half of her face moved made me shutter. “Yes, what did you come here for?”

“I think you know,” I said, nodding toward the trapped Lydian. “Considering you’re dangling him in front of us like a lure.”

The monstrous goddess of death cocked her head to the side in a coy gesture. “I have no idea what you mean.”