“No matter what,” Aramus said.

“Who thought I’d want to be back in that throne room listening to landowners griping about fence placement disputes,” Nis muttered.

But Bond dismounted.

Aramus turned to him.

“No matter what, Bond,” he warned.

Bond got close and dropped his voice.

“My king,” he began, and Aramus braced, for none of his men addressed him in this formal manner.

His next words explained it.

“As you are aware, I do with honor what my father did before me. I am in direct service to my king. And as I’ve taken up that mantle, it is my duty now to share what my father told me. This being that your father told him that if you were ever to come to this place, I should do what I could to talk you out of walking that path.”

He said this, pointing to the narrow path that ran the side of the gorge.

“Rest easy, my brother,” Aramus replied.

“The royal missives are being received, and thus far, there are no reports of unrest. With the end of bondage in the Southlands, which are known to be barbaric, and we are not, they must have known that this would happen here and be waiting for it.”

“It is early days.”

“True, but we are prepared.”

“Bond—”

“And we began operations even before we left Wodell to ascertain if that Rising was attempting a foothold on our shores, and thus far, there’s no murmur of it.”

“This doesn’t—”

“Aramus,” Bond got closer. “The quakes have ceased. We have not felt one for some time.”

Aramus understood his friend had to do this.

So, he fell quiet to let him do this.

“We all saw her murdered, my brother,” Bond stated quietly, coming finally to the meat of the matter. “But if told Queen Mercy would die for her country, she would not have shirked that honor.”

“She did not die for her country. She was made a martyr.”

“Queen Mercy would not have shirked that either. The only thing she would have changed is not allowing her son to see it.”

Aramus clenched his teeth, for he was right.

“We can keep her safe,” Bond asserted.

He was now referring to Ha-Lah.

In a low voice, Aramus shared, “The Nereus men do not love like normal men love.”

“Yes,” Bond muttered.

“My father with my mother, it was legend.”

“Yes,” Bond repeated.

“My grandfather with my grandmother.”

“Aramus, I know.”

“It is the gods who bring them to us, it is the women who force the fall.”

Bond fell silent.

Aramus had to choose his next words wisely, for his men did not know what was within that abyss.

Only the King of Mar-el knew.

And his heir.

“I can no longer go on not knowing what I’ve come here to know,” he felt it safe to say.

“I wish you to rethink your ability to do that,” Bond urged.

Aramus stood quiet and closed his eyes.

But all he could think was just how angry he became at the thought of Ha-Lah in any danger.