“No, no,” I say to the old fae, feeling guilty for appearing without notice at his door. “Thorne and I just wanted to discuss something with you. But we can come back at another time. Give you more notice.”

“As it happens, I have something I’d like to discuss with you as well. So the timing is fortuitous.” He smiles, then leads us into his sitting room. I heat water in his teakettle, then make myself and Admon a cup of tea before settling down into a leather sofa by Thorne. I give him a wink at the frown I see forming on his expression and instantly know it’s because I did not let him make the tea for me.

“Admon,” I say once he’s also settled, “what did you want to discuss?”

“I’ve just come from visiting Nemesia.” I tense. I hadn’t explicitly forbidden anyone from visiting her, but I didn’t expect that she would have visitors. “I confess my own curiosity about what she may have learned from the Velmaran archives drove me to her. I’ve visited a few times. I hope I did not misstep. I assure you, Your Majesty, my intentions were scholarly only.” Thorne rubs circles on my thigh, and I relax.

“It’s okay.” I trust his intentions implicitly. “It’s good that you’re attempting to extract information from her. Though we should consider anything she tells us carefully, as she could be lying.” I’m not ready to voice my doubts about Nemesia aloud to anyone but Thorne, even Admon.

Admon looks thoughtful. “That is, of course, a possibility. But I’ve spoken with Nemesia at length about her time in Velmara, her escape, and what she uncovered.”

“Escape?” I ask, fear for my friend cutting through all the layers of emotional detachment I’m trying to maintain.

“Indeed,” Admon continues. “Nemesia discovered a great secret, and King Mazus killed someone she’d grown close to before attempting to capture Nemesia. Thankfully, the librarian who was killed was a powerful air channeler, and she aerstepped Nemesia to the Echosa port just before she died. I believe Nemesia feels immense grief over the loss of the librarian.” My mind is racing and my stomach churns with too many emotions for me to unpack right now.

“What was the secret?” It’s all I can get out amid the flurry of feelings roiling through me.

“She says she won’t tell anyone but you. Even now, Nemesia demonstrates her stalwart fealty to you and to Thayaria. I must say, I struggle to believe Nemesia betrayed us,” Admon says gently. “She’s always been so loyal to you, and the knowledge she revealed to me matches the books she brought with her. She insists the letter you discovered was meant for you.” I crumple in on myself, those words from Admon the final nudge I need to change my approach with Nemesia.