I remembered Anouk’s arrival. I was ten, Anouk fourteen. A cousin had been a much-needed gift of friendship. But a few months into our new acquaintance, Anouk had stopped visiting. Stopped responding to letters. I assumed she decided I wasn’t worth friendship.

Instead . . . she’d been hiding a pregnancy.

“I had a son.” Her eyes shone. “I named him Cairden. He’d be six years old now. I begged Father to let me keep him. He said yes, but he didn’t mean it.”

How could a father be so cruel? Suddenly my struggles with Oma seemed so trivial.

“I woke one morning and Cairden was gone. Father had left him in the canals. I told him I’d never attend to one of his customers again until he took me to the canal. He gave in. Footprints were everywhere in the surrounding snow. Someone found him. Saved him. I thank the Well every day for whoever rescued my baby from freezing to death. But I’ve been searching for him ever since.”

“Oh, Anouk.” The silence that filled the glade spoke more comfort than any words could. We both felt the same weight of helplessness in each other’s plights.

“That’s why I married Mattias.” Anouk’s voice grew the quietest it had been yet. “I . . . I’m pretty sure he’s the father.”

“What?” I sputtered. “The king hired a . . .” I almost said prostitute, but that wasn’t what Anouk was. Anouk was a victim. Yet also a warrior.

“This was years ago. I was practically a child! And he was a rebellious prince flirting with the ways of the world. He had two older brothers at the time. Being king wasn’t on his mind.”

Until his brothers died. From accidents. And all of Fairhoven speculated his involvement. It wasn’t the first time royalty slaughtered each other for status. “You married him.” I couldn’t imagine it. “You married . . . your abuser.”

“I was nothing more than a commodity. And he was . . .” She shrugged. “Well, he was the gentlest.”

“That’s no excuse!”

“It’s sick, isn’t it? That I would do this?” She pressed a wad of her dress against her mouth. Squeezed her eyes tight, then composed herself with a deep breath. “He doesn’t know. He didn’t recognize me. You alone know, Myrthe.”

I’d run out of words. What could I say to comfort Anouk? To understand her choices? “You have my vowed silence.”

She took a deep breath and the trees seemed to inhale along with her. “It was the only way. The only way for me to access every means possible to find Cairden. I’ve been able to send militairen to investigate. I’ve inquired after Talented. I’ve interviewed and searched and hired and done everything I can think of. And finally I was able to ask for a wish.”