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“Nothing you need to concern your—”

“No, I’m helping.” His eyes shot to me. They were wide, full of fury, but full of tears as well. “I don’t care how awful you think it is. You’re all but alone now, esiasch. You and Medica are not enough to stand against them. To bring them back, you’ll need all the help you can get.”

“I’m going to speak with Iliantha as soon as I’m finished here. She has an army.” I kept my voice gentle. “But I don’t need your help, Alastair.”

“Tough shit.”

“Your parents would never forgive me if—”

“Well, it doesn’t matter while they’re dead, does it?” He started for the door, collecting his cloak and bag. “I’m going to spread the word. My aunts need to know, and my grandmother, and Agni, and…” Pain reflected in him for a moment, then a shield of fury took its place. “I’ll make sure every eternal knows what’s happened by nightfall. And then I’m coming to your door, and you’re going to walk me through this plan.”

I almost laughed, touch of pride glinting through me. As angry as Sanvi, Errol, Eike, and Volke may’ve been if I agreed to let him help, I had no doubt that they’d be proud. “You do know I’m the elder here, don’t you?”

“I do,” he said. “And I know that you have to say therightthing for your own peace of mind so you don’t feel guilty if I end up dead too. So I’m not giving you a choice. If I die, that’s on me. But I won’t.”

I managed a faint smile. “Very well, lad.”

Once he was out of the house, I turned to Heylel.

His eyes were on the ground, still full of tears. “I don’t know how to tell Dem. He’s with the army today, coaching, but he’ll be home at supper.”

Dem was Cere’s father, so Heylel’s grandfather. He and Brynn were good friends. But Brynn was a fair deal like Véa. When she was in pain, she isolated. The wound was too fresh. She had to wait for it to scab before she so much as poked it. I doubted she’d rushed here to tell Dem.

“I’ll tell him,” I said.

He nodded slowly, swallowing. He rubbed his mouth, blinking hard, shaking his head again. “This doesn’t feel real. I just saw them all. Everyone was fine. We all…”

“I know, esiasch,” I said. “But we’ll have them back one day. I don’t know if it’ll be soon, but we’ll get them back.”

He nodded as the tears overwhelmed him again.

Frowning, I stood from my seat and lowered myself beside him. I hadn’t even wrapped my arms around his shoulders when he collapsed onto my chest, body quaking with every sob.

I’d loved Véa and my children more than I loved anything. But now that they were gone, there was no one alive I cared for more than I cared for this boy.

He was proof that this was not the result of how Michael and Gabriel were raised. Heylel was a kindhearted, gentle, loving man. He was as smart as Michael, as playful as Gabriel, and they all shared the same parents.

Maybe Véa was right. Maybe Michael and Gabriel turned out the way they had because they were raised on Matriaza.

Or maybe nurture had next tonothingto do with it. Maybe in any life, regardless of how well they were treated, those boys would always turn out to be the cruel bastards they were now.

* * *

When I arrived at the castle, the queen was in the courtyard. Iliantha wore only chainmail as she danced circles around Dem, each with a sword in their hand. I wouldn’t interrupt their sparring. Not only was it intriguing to witness, but because I was about to rip Dem’s world out from under his feet.

But the moment the queen got him on the ground with her blade to his throat, and he accepted his defeat with a laugh as Iliantha helped him vertical, our eyes met, and he knew. I wasn’t sure if he read my mind, but the shock, the grief, that flooded through him was undeniable.

“We need to speak,” was all I said.

He dropped his sword to the ground with a clatter, and I swear, I watched his heart fall out of his chest.

As we walked inside the castle, Dem didn’t ask what this was about. Iliantha didn’t either.

When we made it to her throne room, and we all sat, I told them. Just as I’d told Heylel and Alastair. I left the gory details out, but I made it clear that they were gone. Everyone except for me and Medica were gone.

Dem said nothing. He propped his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and cupped both hands over his face, head hanging low.

“Stars,” Iliantha whispered. “I’m so sorry, Nix. Are you alright?”