“Oh, please. You saw Culinnon and you wanted its treasures. Don’t turn yourself into a victim, Xavier, it doesn’t suit you. And you haven’t looked once at your children since you’ve entered this room. How do you think Alethea would feel about that?”

Xavier’s face darkened and his throat bobbed up and down. “I . . . can’t,” he said.

“Do you blame them for her death, as well as me?”

Xavier said nothing. Agnes heard Leo shift on the bench. She felt a dull ringing in her ears.

“So,” Ambrosine said, steepling her fingers, “Alethea’s death was everyone’s fault but yours. How so very Kaolin of you. Men don’t have to take responsibility for their actions where you come from, but here on Culinnon, you will be held accountable. So tell me again: Why are you here?”

Xavier’s hands clenched into fists and for a moment, Agnes thought he might try to hit Ambrosine.

“Braxos,” Kiernan cried, breaking the tension. “We came for Braxos.”

Ambrosine’s turquoise eyes glinted like chips of ice. “Braxos,” she said. Then she sighed. “I admit, Xavier, I’m disappointed. I thought you would have some better motive than riches.”

“It’s not about riches,” Xavier said. “You think she didn’t tell me? About the stories, about the scrolls?” He pulled at his hair and for a moment, Agnes wondered if he’d gone completely mad. “She’s supposed to be there!” he cried. “She said . . . the island where you could speak to the dead. She said so, she told me! Past, present, and future, all together, all at once. I just . . .” Suddenly he crumpled to his knees, and this frightened Agnes more than the shouting. “She can’t be gone forever,” he said. “She’s supposed to be there. Everything else I had is gone. My work, my company, my children, all of it, gone.” He glared up at Ambrosine. “Does that make you happy? You won. You’ve got everything now. But not her. I can still have her. If I can just get to Braxos.”

For a moment there was nothing but a ringing silence. Xavier’s chest heaved and even Ambrosine seemed at a loss for words.

“Your children are here, Xavier,” Matthias said softly. “Look at them. You never lost her.”

Xavier turned his head away and Agnes felt her chest collapse. But then, to her great surprise, Sera stood.

“I can show her to you,” she said, and Xavier gaped at her, at his ability to understand her as much as at her words. “I can show you Alethea.”