Aramus took in a visibly deep breath and let it out.

“She is a Princess of the Mer,” Jorie said.

“She is the Queen of Firenze,” Mars returned.

“I am not your enemy,” Jorie replied. “I am, in the now, solely a brother who seeks an introduction to his sister.” He took a step toward Mars, stopped, and finished, “I have no siblings. My mother and father tried…”

He didn’t finish.

“Mine as well,” Mars grunted.

“Without fortune?” Jorie asked.

“I had a sister, she passed,” Mars shared.

“My mother died in the trying.”

Mars felt a vein throb in his temple.

“What would you do for a sister?” Jorie queried quietly.

“Find one, grow up beside her, then marry her to one of the finest men in all realms,” Mars replied, jerking his head to True.

Jorie glanced at True before saying to Mars, “I don’t understand.”

“It will undoubtedly be explained eventually,” Mars muttered. “For the now,” he did not mutter, but he did take a deep breath before he concluded, “It is time to meet your sister.”

“Mars,” True said low.

He looked to his friend. “She would wish this.”

“I urge you to think of all that has happened in the last days, with her a part of it, and know she must now withstand this.”

“She has a silver soul, my brother. It is bendable, but it very rarely breaks,” Mars returned. “You treat her with care, which I respect, and I am grateful for. But she is much stronger than you think.”

True held his gaze before he nodded, but he did so still communicating he did not like it.

“I would know…”

Both men turned to Jorie at hearing his voice.

“What you meant by abuse and neglect,” he said to Mars.

“This man, at my side, until she met me, is the only man in her life that has shown her love and affection,” Mars explained.

Jorie’s eyes cut to True.

“She had but one friend,” Mars went on, and Jorie looked back to him. “Her maid. Until she met the women in the other room.”

Jorie’s face grew hard.

“She was an outcast in her own home,” Mars continued. “The man who raised her knew she was not of his blood, and treated her thus, even if she did not understand it. Though she knows it now. Regardless, he is of an ilk, if she was his blood, it would likely not be much better.”

Jorie’s voice was rumbling when he stated, “I would meet this man and have words.”

And it was at that, Mars finally fully calmed.

“That is not your duty.”

“I am her brother.”

“And I am her husband and I’m seeing to it.”

“How?” Jorie demanded.

“How else when my wife would be upset if I cut his throat?” Mars asked. “I’m taking away everything he holds dear and leaving him with nothing.”