"You are both very kind," Briony said, doing her best to keep her voice even. "My father has always spoken of you with the highest regard and love, King Enander."

"And how is he? Have you had word from him?" Enander was toying with something in his lap and it distracted her. After a moment she saw the bright little eyes peering out from beneath his heavy velvet sleeve. It was a small animal, a tiny dog or a ferret.

"Some letters, yes, but not since I left Southmarch." She couldn't help wondering what the two of them were thinking. They acted as though this was any other audience-did they not know her situation? "Your Majesty is doubtless aware that I left my home… well, let us say I did not go by choice. One of my subjects… no, one of my father's subjects, Hendon Tolly, has traitorously seized the throne of the March Kingdoms. I suspect he murdered my older brother, as well as his own." In truth, Kendrick's death was the one crime she could not with certainty lay against Hendon Tolly, but he had admitted his role in his own brother Gailon's death.

"Lord Tolly says differently, as you probably know," said Enander, looking troubled. "We cannot take sides-not without knowing more. I'm sure you understand. Lord Tolly claims you ran away, that all he does is protect Olin's remaining heir, the infant Alessandros. That is the boy's name, is it not?" he asked Ananka.

"Yes, Alessandros." She turned back to Briony. "You poor child." Ananka was handsome, but she used too much powder-it accentuated the lines of her thin face rather than hid them. Still, she was the kind of woman who had always made Briony feel like a clumsy, stupid little girl. "How you must have suffered. And we have heard such stories! Is it true Southmarch was attacked by the fairies?"