Myron sank down on the seat with a long sigh. What an awful day it had been.

Even the room he was in seemed somber and bleak, reflecting his mood. In past years, being here with his father, discussing the latest business of Hallowscroft with sun shining through the window, had been a source of comfort. That same sunlight now seemed harsh, unwelcoming with his father's absence. It left Myron uneasy, not quite able to see it in the same way as he was used to.

Edeline had disappeared, most likely gone to her room. While part of him still wanted to ask her what she had meant by her earlier statement, Myron knew better after the last argument. He'd already roughly pieced it together anyway. He had no real proof, of course, but then again he doubted his sister had any either.

The door to the room swung open, surprising Myron. He had thought Hamond and Nela had been off seeing about what food they could fix, but Hamond was standing there. Unless...

"Is the food already done?" Myron asked.

Hamond shook his head. "Nela insisted on doing it herself. I think she's still feeling guilty about what happened at Morgivel's."

Myron sighed again. He'd have to ask Nela about it later. She shouldn't be too hard on herself, given that the only difference it would make would be to put him at risk instead of Edeline. And she wouldn't have taken that well either.

"And no, I doubt Kalvarel would have forced the First Ascension on you," Hamond said.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Nela?" Hamond looked Myron straight in the eyes. "Remember, I helped Morgivel with the rite before. I know that there's no way the two of you didn't at least discuss you becoming an Elefae."

Myron could not remember Hamond having brought that up, but that wasn't important. What mattered was that Hamond was right - he and Nela had indeed talked about doing it later, once they had made a decision regarding their future plans.

"I wouldn't mention it to my sister," Myron said slowly, "But that was something we discussed."

"Unless she asks about it directly, I won't bring it up." Hamond walked across the room, taking a seat himself.

"She's probably more concerned with...that other matter." Myron figured he might as well bring it up. Hamond might have figured out something he had not.

"Can I assume you had no idea about it before now?" Hamond asked.

"No, although I'm still not sure I believe it myself." His sister being royalty, even if illegitimate, was something he had never considered possible. As for what it meant for their family...Myron was not sure what to think.

"Even Morgivel couldn't deny it, and it matches too well with everything. Remember that statue's words?"

"The Stormsage's?" Myron thought, then his eyes widened. Suddenly, they made perfect sense.

"Child of the betrayer's blood," Hamond repeated, leaning forward. "Words addressed specifically to her...because she's descended from the Pelagoin."

"It still doesn't make sense though," Myron insisted, scratching at his beard. He really ought to shave it off. "Princess Splendora died months before Edeline was born. How do you explain how a dead mother gives birth to a living child?"

"What if she did not die?"

Both Myron and Hamond turned to see Edeline standing in the doorway. She was pale, but composed, remarkably so given her ordeal earlier in the day.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Myron asked. He knew she was stubborn, but Edeline really should go get some rest. It would do none of them any good if he were to upset her again with a misplaced remark.

"I cannot run away from my problems," she said, stepping forward into the room. "No more than I can run away from my ear."

Myron winced, then saw that Edeline was smiling slightly. A forced smile, probably, but she was trying to make light of the situation. Maybe she was dealing with this better than he had hoped.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

That still left the question though. "If Splendora is alive, then where is she?"

"I...I don't know." Edeline lowered herself into a chair, next to where Hamond sat. "But she had to survive. I'm sure of it."

"I do have a theory," Hamond spoke up, "But I'm not certain you'll like it."

"I doubt it can be that bad, given everything that happened," Edeline replied. Myron knew she was trying to be strong, but he was worried about what Hamond said.

"Then I'll be blunt," Hamond said, "My guess is that Splendora survived to give birth to you, and lived for many years afterwards, but she was one of the victims of Kalvarel's plan."

"Kalvarel had her killed?" Myron asked. By Aether, he couldn't tell where Hamond was going with this. "Why?"

"If I'm correct, it was not intentional. He had no clue who she was, or probably even that she was still alive. All he knew is that Splendora had a daughter. So he sent the watchmen under his control to get her. And you know what happened next."

Myron felt his body grow cold. Of course, that would be the perfect place for her to hide. Right in plain sight, where she could watch her daughter grow.

"But the only one who died then was..." Edeline trailed off as she realized it herself. "Aether, no. It can't be...she..."

"Indeed." Hamond looked back and forth between the two of them. "Splendora, or should I say Lendra, died that night in the street, before I could find the two of you. And Kalvarel was none the wiser on what happened."

Edeline looked up, tears in her eyes. "All this time...she...she was right there."

"Protecting you to the last," Hamond said, "At least, that's what I think is the most likely scenario."

Edeline let out a sound halfway between a growl and a sob, wiping her eyes with one sleeve. "A hexty curses upon Kalvarel."

"I regret ever calling him friend." Hamond let out a sigh. Myron had nothing to say to that.

But he did have something to say to Edeline. "I still don't see why this makes us no longer brother and sister."

"Were you not listening?" Edeline asked, expression hardening.

"Does any of it really matter?" Myron answered, forcing himself to remain calm. "You grew up under this roof, same as me. You held this place together while I was away. You fought to save me. Even if we are not bound by blood, we are still family, and no amount of lies or schemes are going to change that."

"Myron..." Edeline trailed off.

"I have to point out that this just proves you two have different mothers," Hamond said, "It's still quite likely you're still both Lord Hallowscroft's children. I am sure he would be far from the first noble to have an affair."

"So that would make me a bastard then. Not exactly better." Edeline closed her eyes.

"A bastard that they worked very hard to protect," Myron said. He could see it, their father dutifully maintaining the secret no matter how many lies it took. Spinning a tale of bitter failure to ensure his charge to protect the princess had been successful may not have been the wisest or kindest option. But it had undeniably worked.

"It might have been a mistake to hide it, but I agree they had good intentions. It's certainly better than having a father willing to enspell other people, or a broken shell of a mother who was a victim of that spell." Myron nodded his agreement with Hamond's words.

Edeline sat there silently, her head bowed. "Thank you. Both of you," she finally said, "I am sorry."

"Don't be thankful just yet. Again, we have no proof of any of this," Hamond stated, "There are only two people who could provide it, and one refuses to talk. We could be completely wrong."

"What good would proof do us?" Edeline made a cutting gesture with one hand. "I certainly would never seek the throne. It would only draw people who would try to take my head. And even if we did have their word, who exactly would believe it? No document, no sworn oath, none of that would convince anyone."

"I know." Myron said, studying her. He'd been brought up with the burden of leadership, the expectation that he would one day lead. Edeline had not had those expectations. Thinking back, she'd never really had anything of that sort. While there was the assumption that she would be married off eventually, nothing had really come of it.

What would Lendra think of her daughter now? What would their father, for that matter? Myron didn't have an answer. And the way things were going, there might never be an answer. But they still ought to try to get one.

"Regardless of that, I do think you'd like to know where Lord Hallowscroft stands on this matter. And since you were going to rescue him, anyway, well..." Hamond shrugged.

Myron wondered when he had become so easy to read. No, that wasn't it. Hamond had been looking at Edeline, not him.

"I suppose this does not change much," Edeline admitted, "We can figure out how to arrange a private conversation with him, after we rescue him."

"I'd rather we negotiate if we can, but I doubt we're in a position for it. But if it comes to a fight and word gets out, it would only make things worse." Of course, they would need to gather the coin, and Myron wasn't certain they had the time. The men wouldn't wait for any more delays in getting their pay.

"While we do owe them their coin, we cannot afford to let them to go unpunished."

Edeline had a point, but Myron felt like he had to at least defend them. They were men under his command, his responsibility. He likely knew them, if only in passing. "We can at least try to talk them out of rebellion. They deserve better than to be cut down because of the schemes of someone they likely never met."

"Pray in Aether's name that you are right," Edeline said, "I think you can understand when I say I am not feeling very patient at this moment."

"That's all I could ask for." Myron hoped it would be enough. "But now, you really ought to get some rest."

"I intend to, once I have eaten." Edeline glanced back at the door she had came through. Myron couldn't help but chuckle. Scarred ear or not, royal blood or not, his sister or not, Edeline was still Edeline.

"I suppose I ought to go see how it's going with Nela." Hamond said with a snort, rising to his feet.