“I…” Her hand touched her ears. There were no points to them. What use had her years of schooling been if she was too unintelligent to find words when it mattered most? “It has been suggested that perhaps I was part something-or-other. But other than my hair and my eyes, I’ve never shown any traits…”

He smiled, though, not unkindly. His irises were the too large circles of the pure fae—eyes she’d seen only once in an unfortunate faeling who hadn’t lasted long in Farleigh. There was a gentle consideration in them as he studied her. “Your hair and your eyes should have been giveaway enough. Odrin confided in me that you were in a mill when he met you. Isn’t it interesting what humans commodify?”

She recoiled at the implication, even if she couldn’t fully fathom its weight.

“I apologize,” he said. “That was a poor choice of words. It’s disappointing what humans commodify. And while I can’t pretend to empathize with it, I’m not so unaware of the world around me that I don’t recognize patterns. If I had to guess, I would say that your particular brand of otherness has laid a king’s carpet at your feet. How interesting, then, that you’d seek a life of hardship at Uaimh Reev.”

She narrowed her eyes. “It would have been a life of hardship either way. I’d rather a steel sword than a golden cage.”

“Yes,” he agreed, “but a luxury nonetheless to be able to pick one’s metals. Now, do you truly not know of your ability?”

She shook her head. Not only did she not know of gifts, but she didn’t even understand the nature of his question.

He relaxed again, the same amused expression returning to his face. He rested his chin in his hand as he had before, an entertained smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“What would you say happened just now? In the meeting?”

“I honestly don’t know,” she answered.

He nodded. “How interesting, Amaris of No People.”

His eyes turned to hers with the gentleness of a teacher. He didn’t seem to be chastising or agitated, merely instructional. He said, “Persuasion is a rare and dangerous gift. In my many centuries, I, myself, have never met one who demonstrated it—though those with the fabled silver tongue have been hunted and killed by humans for millennia. While other fae might find you compelling and charming, it’s nothing like the absolute obedience you’ll find when you give a command to a human. I didn’t suspect such a gift of commanding crowds, but perhaps if they’re engaged with you as you are with them… Well, given the results of the meeting, it would seem you can address a collective as well, so long as you address them directly. Fascinating. Do you know of persuasion? Any such tales?”

“Persuasion?” she repeated uselessly.