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“Will you explain to Nerys why we need to kill the R?ll?” Idris asked. “She knows that the R?ll is trying to summon a demon. She generally knows why, but there are some details I thought may be better coming from you.”

Again, doubtful.

“Of course,” Qiana said. “May as well discuss this now, too. The curse—and how it ties into the R?ll’s summoning.”

“The curse,” Nerys repeated.

“The curse is real,” Qiana said. “While many do think it is just a story to explain why we can’t maintain peace between our kingdoms for more than a decade at most, or a heretical lie…those of each kingdom who have magic—the Gift Bearers—have long sensed there’s more than that.”

Nerys looked to Idris for confirmation, and he gave it with a reluctant nod. “We can…feel it. Each time we use magic, we can sense the thread that ties us to chaos.”

Nerys hadn’t noticed anything of the sort when she used her sight, but she had also been a bit compromised.

“And Sight Bearers can, at certain times, detect the curse itself,” Qiana said.

“Um, what does a curse look like?” Nerys asked.

Qiana paused a moment. “It’s not an entity. It’s more of a…pressure. Sometimes light. Appearing when it takes an action. Hidden while it waits.”

“We don’t need to discuss the curse anymore, Qiana,” Idris said gently. “You’ve explained more than enough.”

“No” ?Qiana sighed? “it’s alright. She needs to know. And who else will tell her?”

“Still—”

“I’m fine. Truly.” Yet the expression Qiana had when she turned her attention to Nerys was an obvious mask, hiding something Nerys wasn’t going to ask about.

“As I was saying,” Qiana said, “because Sight Bearers can see the curse, and other Gift Bearers have their own experiences, various rumors have appeared over the centuries for how to break it—with encouragement from various rulers—but the one I think most likely to work is not an option.”

“Why?”

“All of us would have to agree, for once,” Idris said. He gave Nerys a sad grin. “I think I have a better chance of convincing you that high-heeled shoes are comfortable.”

“What is it?” Nerys looked back and forth between Qiana and Idris. “If it would stop this, why wouldn’t anyone do whatever it takes?”

“It might not work,” Idris said. “And the cost is too high if it doesn’t.”

Qiana nodded in agreement. “I’ve been wrong before. And there are so many potential ‘cures’…who knows what’s worth paying attention to anymore? ”

“So,” Nerys said, “based on what you’re telling me, I take it the R?ll wants to break the curse, and has found another way that is more acceptable to him, and one you want to stop—summoning a demon.”

Qiana raised an eyebrow. “You guessed correctly.”

“For once,” Fina muttered.

Nerys glanced at Idris. “Idris took me to the site of another ritual and…I think I understand what the R?ll is trying to do.”

“As a Sight Bearer himself,” Qiana said, “the R?ll has heard of a deal he can make with a powerful demon. The short version is that this demon promised that if he summons her, then she will murder each of the rulers and their heirs, leaving only him to rule over all. In effect, break the curse by removing all the other victims.”

“To rule alone over our piece of the continent,” Nerys finished. Qiana nodded in confirmation. “But…that’s stupid. It wouldn’t work.” Nerys’s mind swirled back to the gruesome creatures she had seen in Qiana’s library. “And how is he so sure that this demon will keep its word?”

“Fair questions,” Idris said. “As to the first, from what we’ve heard, the demon’s offer was more complex than just ‘I’ll kill them and leave the rest of the world to you.

’ I wouldn’t be surprised if there were additional terms worked into the bargain.

And as to the second—the R?ll has the best Sight Bearers at his disposal, as well as his own abilities.

Powerful demons can be bound and contained—not without risk—but this isn’t like he is whipping it up in his bedroom like an army diorama. ”

“You may want to mention the more common theory,” Fina said, for once saying something seemingly useful, rather than just that the R?ll was a greedy bastard.

“What is she talking about?” Nerys asked.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with,” Idris said.

“There are rumors,” Qiana said, ignoring Idris, “that the R?ll has been influenced to do this. By creatures. Or by the curse itself. But I emphasize—it is a rumor. Do not mention this at court.”

Nerys swallowed.

“Nerys,” Idris said, leaning towards her. “What the R?ll is trying to do requires blood. Blood of betrayal, specifically.”

“What are you saying? ”

“The R?ll needs to give the demon quite a few offerings.” 115 Qiana said. “Specific offerings.”

Nerys’s mind raced back to her village. How villagers were posed as a star, the contents of their abdomen draped around them. The tableau of teeth, spines, and fingernails and the odor of sulfur. Adilette’s mangled body. “He killed my family. Destroyed my village.”

“Yes,” Idris said. “And he has also destroyed others.”

“But…there had to have been more people in these villages than he needs. Isn’t that enough?”

“Some,” Qiana said, “are likely just a distraction.” Nerys covered her mouth, stifling a horrified sob.

“This is not known at court. The courtiers don’t know about the ritual.

Most don’t know for sure that the R?ll is summoning anything unusual at all—the court has just been told that there were massacres as a cost of war.

I only know the truth because of Idris—the R?ll has been successful in framing Cerdoran, at least as far as I’m concerned.

As to the bodies…I don’t know enough about the summoning to say.

I only know that if a demon is that powerful, it has a specific list of wants. Down to the age, sex, and hair color.”

Adilette had died—possibly thousands had died—for a R?ll whose real goal was to rule the five kingdoms. He probably even thought he was doing the right thing, using the curse to justify his greed.

She buried her face in her hands. Fuck him.

She lost her family. Lost her home. The R?ll, who was supposed to protect them, was slaughtering in order to kill many more.

“I’m sorry, Nerys,” Idris said. “I know this is a lot to take in. Unless you have more, Qiana, I think we should let Nerys get some rest.”

“Of course,” Qiana said quietly. “I’ll send the salt up shortly. Good night, Nerys. We will speak more tomorrow.”