They didn’t seem to be put off by my otherness, only saddened on my behalf. If I hadn’t known to look for it, I might not have caught that it happened, but, as sure as the sun rises, they looked to one another . . . and they glanced up at the throne.

“I’m sorry for your loss. It’s too much for someone so young,” the gentleman said.

“Thank you, sir.”

He moved his eyes to Etan. “Do we know?”

“Nothing we can prove.”

“Silas,” he said, shaking his head. “He hated Silas.”

“He did.”

The gentleman sighed heavily, almost angrily. “Once you’re certain, alert us.”

Etan nodded, the Dinnsmors turned to speak to someone else, and we moved so we could take in the rest of the room.

“How do you know them?” I asked quietly.

“I mentioned a Micah on the way here, a friend I lost at the front. Those are his parents.”

I looked over at him, gaping.

“They send me things sometimes. Notes and trinkets. A whistle once. I think treating me like a son helps make up for the fact that theirs is gone.” His jaw went tight. “It should have been me.”

“If you ever say anything like that in my presence again, I will . . . force you to listen to my voice for an hour. I can talk about anything and am very persistent, so watch it.”

There was a hesitant smile playing at his cheeks. “I do believe torturing civilians is illegal.” He looked at me with those sad eyes.

“Well, you said I wasn’t Isolten, so I’m not really worried about obeying laws. Stop talking like that. You’re alive. So live.”

He nodded, taking one long breath and then focusing his attention back on the room. My eyes went to Valentina. She saw me and barely raised her fingers from the table to give me a wave. I gave a small one back.

“I wish I could talk to her,” I murmured.

“Need I remind you that she’s the enemy?”

I sighed. “Just when I thought you were getting tolerable. No, she is not.”

He squinted at her. “She does look a little pale. Perhaps she is pregnant.”

“For her sake, I hope so,” I wished, trying to think of a way to get close enough to her to ask. I couldn’t just walk up to . . . Etan’s eyes were boring into me, stealing my focus. “What?”

“What do you mean by that?”

I swallowed and leaned in so that no one would hear. “She’s lost three already. She seemed very nervous about her place when she visited Coroa. I’m worried the king will divorce her if she doesn’t . . . what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Are you positive about that?” he whispered. “Three miscarriages? You’re sure?”

“Yes. She told me herself, but I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone. I’m counting on your discretion, Etan. I mean it.”

“Have you told anyone else?” he asked.