“The missives are from ravens, so they are not thorough, but he is admitting to the spying, and why. And there is no recourse about the infidelity. It was witnessed. Even by Vanka.”

My heart sunk for Vanka and my expression must have shown that for True spoke on.

“He has always been arrogant and acted like he could do anything he pleases. He had a more kingly manner than my father, and not in noble way. If she did not know this was a good possibility, she is a fool. Vanka has been turning the other cheek far too long. It sounds unkind, but I do not have much sympathy for her.”

I could not argue that either.

Thus, instead, I noted, “True, you are king.”

His brows inched together. “Pardon?”

“Take Silence out of this equation. If another member of your gentry spied on a visiting monarch without your knowledge or approval, what would you do?”

His lips thinned.

“Do that,” I said.

“What I would do is relieve him of his landed title, Farah. Which means relieving him of his land.”

“Do that,” I repeated.

“It is only just recently we’ve come to know he is not Silence’s father. She has grown up thinking he is. And he is my uncle.”

“He spied on a visiting sovereign, True. It doesn’t matter the reason. It cannot be abided. And, yes,” I conceded, “this is precisely what Mars has maneuvered for you to do. But Mars didn’t spy on himself and his wife. Johan did it. And you, as a monarch, who I have personally seen work very hard, very long, and with not a small amount of frustration to establish healthy alliances with the other nations of Triton, cannot have a member of your gentry for any reason imperiling that.”

I took a breath while I watched True reflect on this.

Then I went on.

“Actually, it’s worse. For it’s so bloody foolish as to be obnoxious. It was not for crown and country. It was simply to be horrid. As you say, if Mars was not Mars and he did not feel as he does about Silence, you know how he’d react to being spied upon. His warriors would ride. It could have had very dire consequences, including the loss of life, just because Johan is an arrogant bastard.”

He seemed to be studying my ear.

“Silence will understand,” I whispered.

His gaze came to mine.

“You are certain?” he asked quietly.

This was his issue.

He did not wish to cause harm to his cousin.

I laid a hand on his cheek. “I am certain.”

His body moved with the deep breath he drew in and it moved again when he released it.

“I hate this time,” he said.

I was confused. “Sorry? What time?”

“This time, of a morning, when we have to leave our bed and let the world into our lives.”