“Don’t you dare,” Janel snarled through gritted teeth. “Don’t try to pretend what you did in Mereina had anything to do with altruism. You and Relos Var are not the heroes here. You did this to terrorize the region, so Duke Kaen could walk into Jorat—save the day—and be hailed as the new Atrin Kandor. You weren’t sabotaging a demonic invasion, you were waging war.”

Senera smiled. “This was always war. At least now we can to stop pretending it was anything else.”

“Enough!” Xivan Kaen said. “I don’t care about demons. I don’t care about my husband’s damn war! Tell me where Suless is, Senera. Tell me right now.”

Senera stopped smiling. “Your Grace, I’d be glad to help, but Wyrga—Suless—knows I have the Name of All Things. She knows what it can do. She’s not going to stop moving for long enough for us to catch up with her. And while you’re chasing her, what happens to your dominion?”

Xivan’s expression epitomized quiet fury. Her voice was soft. “Do you have family, Senera? Do you love someone?”

Senera blinked. “No.”

“Someday,” Xivan said. “Someday you will. And when you do, only then will you understand. In the meantime, trust me when I say I don’t give a fuck what happens to Yor. This place was my husband’s obsession, not mine. The only Yorans I give a damn about are my family and the people standing right here!”

As if on cue, several dozen women stood to attention. The male Yoran soldiers looked at a loss. Reality was starting to set in.

“Are we free to leave, then?” Janel asked.

“And go where?” Ninavis glanced over at Janel. “I hate to break this to you, but we’re not going to make it far without food, water, or winter clothing.” Ninavis glanced over at Janel. “Although I suppose you could keep us from freezing to death with that trick of yours.”

Janel turned to Xivan. “I don’t suppose you’d—”

Qown broke off reading.

Kihrin frowned. “What’s wrong? Why did you stop?”

But then he heard a noise behind him.

Kihrin turned around in time to see a gate open in the tavern’s center and Relos Var step through.

PART IV

DEMON FALLS

53: BROTHERS

Jorat Dominion, Quuros Empire. Three days since Miya discovered that her son wasn’t dead after all and then discovered that no, he really was

The people sleeping on the ground or lounging on the other side of the tavern room proved they’d just been pretending. They jumped to their feet, reaching for weapons. Janel stood, scowling. Ninavis reached under the bar for her bow. Star pushed Dorna behind him, while Brother Qown inhaled, eyes wide.

Kihrin drew his sword and stood there, eyes narrowed.

“Var, you unbelievable—” Janel started to move forward.