Arturyn managed to listen to Erin's story calmly up until the point where she told him about getting pulled through the tear in space and into the Dark Plane. But when she started describing what she'd seen there, his complexion gradually grew worse and worse, presumably because he recognized it from her earlier descriptions of the times she'd seen Wraith.

And when she told him how she'd finally realized that the king of Myrikar, Wraith, and Jechrin were all one and the same person, Arturyn's composure finally broke. He leaned against the table and buried his face in his hands.

"Are you serious?" he said in a muffled voice. "I knew there was something odd about that boy, but...are you seriously telling me that he's the real king of Myrikar? He was right under my nose all this time? I don't believe this...."

"Didn't you promise you'd believe me?" Erin said, a little grumpily. She'd been talking for some time now, and she was getting very tired. Her forehead was also starting to ache again.

"I did," Arturyn said without looking up. "But I'm starting to wish I hadn't."

"Arturyn, are you all right?" Kirchel asked, apparently unable to stay quiet any longer. "What exactly has she been telling you? And what language are you two speaking?"

She and Elerick had both been watching him with concerned looks on their faces for a while now.

Arturyn raised his head and looked at the two of them with a conflicted expression, like he was trying to decide how much to say.

"The magic that Jechrin used on her had several effects," he finally said with a sigh. He was speaking in Silmarith now, although Kirchel had spoken to him in English. "One of those effects was allowing her to see some of his memories. And she learned...some pretty incredible things...."

"With all due respect, sir, she did get attacked by a Relian and then suffer a head injury," Elerick said, glancing skeptically at Erin. "Are you sure what she's telling you is really reliable?"

Arturyn gave an awkward smile. "One of the other effects of Jechrin's magic was to give her the ability to speak the same languages he does. So please show a little discretion in what you say, Elerick. She can understand you...."

"What?" Elerick turned back to Erin, looking startled and a little embarrassed. Then he frowned. "So you were listening to us discuss matters of official business without bothering to let us know you could understand everything?"

"Don't be too hard on her," Arturyn said gently. "Like you said, she was attacked and is recovering from an injury and magic side effects. And the prince used this magic on her in an emergency situation, without being able to give her any warning or explain it to her. She's still trying to figure out what's going on, too." He gave Erin an apologetic look. "I know a little bit about this kind of magic from intelligence reports, so I suspected it might have an effect like this. I was making sure that we didn't talk about anything too sensitive in our previous conversation. So no real harm's been done."

Elerick scowled a little but didn't press the issue.

Arturyn sighed and switched back to Myrik. "I'm sorry, Erin. There's a strong resentment against Relians in Silmar, and I'm afraid that having a Relian mark is enough to make people start associating you with them. I've given strict orders to all the Guard members here that they aren't allowed to harm you or Jechrin. But I can't stop them from being suspicious."

Erin bit her lip and looked down at the table. She was annoyed about being treated unfairly due to something that wasn't her fault. But at least Arturyn was willing to defend her. And the exchange made her better appreciate just how much of a risk he'd been taking by telling her about his own mark.

The people here would probably turn on him just as quickly as they'd turned on her....

"There was a little bit more," she said quietly, glancing up at Arturyn. "Do you want me to keep going?"

"Please." He gave her an encouraging smile. "And I believe you. I promise."

She nodded. Then she finished telling him what Jechrin had told her about the Dark Plane and how the Jechrin Sil-Talinde they knew was just a puppet.

"...and then I opened my eyes, and I was back in Teral's study. Everyone else should have been able to tell you most of what happened after that...do you need to hear it from me, too...?"

She seriously hoped not...she was exhausted.

"No, you told me enough for now. Just...did Teral recognize the Silver crest? Is that why he stopped trying to hurt you?"

"Right. And why he protected Jechrin from the areots. He said it was his duty as a marked Blue. Galeth didn't seem to recognize it, though. He wanted to kill us both."

"So he was a marked Blue, was he? That's quite a big deal in Myrikar.... Well, not as much as a marked Silver, of course." Arturyn let out a small laugh. "You'd basically be considered royalty there now, you know?"

"Wait, really?" Erin had been slumping back in her chair, but that was enough to make her sit up, temporarily distracted from how tired she felt.

"Really. Though I expect a lot of Relians wouldn't be too happy about the idea of a human being adopted into the royal family." Arturyn glanced at Kirchel. "They're even worse than Nirayls that way...."

"Great. Another group of people who all hate me now," Erin sighed and leaned back in her chair again. "Maybe I should just stay in the human world from now on...."

Arturyn gave her a sympathetic smile. "Well, I can understand why you might feel that way. Though living a non-magic life might also be difficult for you at this point.... But it's not something you need to decide right now. You'd better go back and get some more rest. I'm sorry to make you keep talking this long."

Erin nodded and slowly pushed her chair back from the table. But when she tried to stand up, her legs shook and she had to sit back down.

Kirchel quickly got up from her own chair and came over to help her. "Looks like you overdid it a little. Here, try leaning on me. And if that's not enough, we'll make Arturyn carry you." She shot him a slightly accusatory look. "Since it's his fault you had to keep going for so long...."

Arturyn held up his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry. I really am. As penance and thanks for your cooperation, I'll happily carry you anywhere you want to go."

They were both speaking in English, possibly as a mild snub to Elerick. Kirchel had seemed quite irritated by his attitude toward Erin.

Fortunately, leaning on Kirchel was enough for Erin to be able to walk back to the bedroom, so she was spared the awkwardness of having to make the Emperor of Silmar carry her around.

Once they made it through the door to the next room, Kimoja hurried over and helped Kirchel put the exhausted Erin back to bed.

"Honestly, that emperor..." she muttered, tucking Erin's blanket back around her. "I told him not to make you talk for too long. I'll be sure to give him a good scolding later. Just because he ignores his own health and runs around non-stop doesn't mean he can expect everyone else to do the same...."

Erin looked over at Jechrin. He was still lying in the same position he'd been in when she left. Since she knew this wasn't his real body, and since he'd been able to speak to her earlier, she wasn't terribly worried about him. But she hoped he'd wake up soon.

She had a million questions to ask him....

She reached out and took hold of his hand, giving it a small squeeze. But there was no response.

"I'm sure he'll be all right," Kimoja said gently. "Just give him a little more time. Here, I'll give you another pain treatment to make it easier for you to sleep."

Erin sighed and closed her eyes. She felt Kimoja put a hand lightly over her bandaged forehead and send a wave of warm, soothing magic into her aching skin.

She fell asleep a few minutes later, to the sound of Kirchel and Kimoja speaking very softly together on the other side of the room.

 

---

 

When Erin woke up again, she heard the murmur of voices and thought the two women were still talking. But when she opened her eyes and looked sleepily around the room, she saw that it was dark outside the window, indicating that she had been asleep for several hours, at least.

Once she was awake enough to listen properly, she also realized that one of the voices she was now hearing sounded male.

"...not that we doubt he's being well cared for. It's just...well, I'm sure you can imagine what kind of turmoil the family is in right now. They simply want a little reassurance. I'm a healer at the city eyathar, so they decided I was the best person to come check on him."

"I understand," Kimoja's voice replied. "And if the emperor has given his permission.... But the prince isn't the only patient we have in here. Just let me speak to the other patient's guardian for a moment to make sure there's no problem."

"Ah. Of course."

Erin turned her head toward the voices. She saw Kirchel standing near the bed, looking like she'd just gotten up from the chair that Kimoja had been sitting in earlier, and facing the door to the next room.

There were footsteps, and Kimoja appeared, just visible behind Kirchel. "Did you hear all that?"

"Most of it. He wants to see Jechrin?"

"Right. Arturyn apparently gave him permission, so it shouldn't be a problem, but since Erin's here, I thought I should— Oh, she's awake."

Kimoja had just looked over Kirchel's shoulder and noticed Erin watching them. Kirchel turned around to look as well.

"Someone's here to visit Jechrin?" Erin asked, sitting up slowly.

"That's right." Kimoja came closer to the bed. "His uncle. He says he's a healer, so the family wanted him to come check on Jechrin's condition."

"Oh, that uncle." Erin nodded, remembering. "When we went to his aunt's house, she said she was waiting for her husband to get home from his shift at the eyathar."

"Right. That should be the one. Do you mind if he comes in? From what I've heard, Jechrin's family is...quite upset about this whole incident. But this is his uncle by marriage, so he'll probably be a little more neutral. And I'll ask him to leave if he makes things uncomfortable for you."

"Oh...." Erin glanced at Kirchel. "You'll both stay here, then?"

"Of course." Kirchel sat down in the chair and reached over to pat Erin's hand. "I'll stay right here."

"And I'll handle all the medical talk," Kimoja added. "So you shouldn't have to say much."

"I guess that's okay, then."

"All right. I'll tell him he can come in."

Kimoja was starting to turn away from the bed when she paused, looking over at Jechrin. Then she bent over Erin and slid Jechrin's arm over to his side.

"It's not like there's anything wrong with you two holding hands. It's just...decorum and all," she said, giving Erin an apologetic smile.

Then she went back over to the door to let Jechrin's uncle in.