Gray trailed behind Killian through the gilded halls of the palace, shouldering his rucksack and his stomach clenched.

Codder had been right.

He'd been right about Killian wanting him as a soldier, and he'd been right about-

'All right,' said Killian, coming to an abrupt halt and dragging Gray to the side of the corridor. 'What's the problem?'

Gray stumbled, taken aback. Until now, they'd been walking in an awkward, preoccupied silence.

'It's me?' said Killian. 'I assure you, I did not ask Baldwin to have you staying with me. Not that it's a problem for me, but you seem to think there's a problem-'

'Nothing,' said Gray, 'nothing's the problem.'

'Something's the problem.'

Gray hesitated, fixing his gaze on the topmost eyelets on Killian's shirt. 'You're returning to your men? The treasure league?'

Killian was quiet for a beat. 'Yes.'

Gray shifted. 'Codder?' he asked with difficulty.

'I made you a promise,' said Killian. 'You don't need to worry about it.'

Gray wasn't entirely sure what that meant, and Killian may as well have told Gray not to breathe.

'Baldwin needs me here,' said Killian, his mouth hard. 'There were threats to the guild, and there are catacombs and tombs there. He knows me and my team will get results, is all. It's temporary.'

'Threats?' said Gray. 'Who?'

'I don't know, Baldwin rarely tells me everything. Baldwin might not even know.'

'Wilde?'

'Gods, if it was Wilde, Baldwin would be out the front of the guild himself, sword in hand. Cyril, too.' Killian's expression was guarded. 'Your heart's not beating a mile a minute because I'm returning to my old team. You,' Killian faltered, seemingly trying to grasp for words, which was so unusual for him that Gray couldn't help staring, 'don't need to be scared of me. You know that, right?'

Gray tossed Killian a look. 'I'm not scared of you.'

'OK,' said Killian, rubbing the back of his neck. 'So?'

'He'll,' said Gray, 'who will take me? He'll find someone?'

Killian ran a hand through his dark hair. 'I don't know. Yes.' Killian paused. 'No. He seems a little … attached. You'll likely end up in the consort palace.'

Killian's dark gaze narrowed. 'Consort palace,' he repeated.

Gray kept tight control of himself.

'Consort palace,' said Killian, getting a gleam in his eye.

'Killian,' said Gray.

'Consort palace.'

'OK,' said Gray, swiftly striding away.

Killian made a strangled sound somewhere between horrified and trying not to laugh. He trotted after Gray, easily catching up. 'He's not making you a consort.'

Gray sped up. 'I didn't think he was.'

'I don't know what you've heard about southerners, but it's not - Baldwin - he -'

Killian was speaking awkwardly enough that Gray glanced back at him in open disgust.

'I was raised in a tavern,' said Gray. 'Anything you think of, I've heard it. I've seen it. Don't censor yourself, now that I'm - you've said way worse in front of me.'

Killian put his hands up. 'Noted. I only wish to quash any fears. I can guess what Wynn would say to me, if he could see how scared you are right now.'

About a thousand things rushed through Gray, knotting his tongue. Thoughts whipped through him, angry, surprised, blindsided that Killian would so casually bring up Wynn Griffin. It had been hard enough with the king bringing up how each of the Griffins' wands had been destroyed.

'You don't need to believe what people say about the consort palace,' said Killian. 'I know Elona was one of his whores, and she probably didn't paint the best-'

'Killian,' said Gray, 'stop talking.'

'Consort,' corrected Killian. He rubbed his face. 'I didn't mean to say-'

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Gray stopped so suddenly that Killian bumped into him. 'You don't call her that.'

'Look,' Killian said heavily. 'This is a little awkward, hm? For you. You staying in my home. Yes? But, we are not going to start off with a misunderstanding, got it?'

Gray clenched his jaw.

'I don't mean to offend you, kid, by using those words. I'm not calling Elona anything. I mean to educate - you're upset because you don't understand that word isn't an insult here, the way it is in the north-'

Gray kept his gaze down, lengthening his stride, so that Killian was left in his wake. This was absolute bullshit.

Killian strolled beside him, his hands deep in his pockets. 'We're in the middle of a conversation. You don't walk away. Elona didn't teach you this? Most mothers do, and that's what she was to you, hm?'

Gray ground to a halt, his pulse thudding in his ears.

Killian's fingertips were on Gray's chest. 'Gray, I'm sorry,' he said, flatly. 'I won't call Elona that again. I'm sorry I messed up. I told you this already, I really messed up. There's nothing I can say to make up for how much I messed up. With you.'

He was talking so softly that Gray could barely hear him over the thud, thud, thud in his ears.

'When you get into a position in life where the work you do is …' Killian shifted, his face tightly controlled. 'The older I get, the more power I get, the mistakes I make get bigger. So far, you've been one of my biggest. I'm sorry,' said Killian, 'for how I treated you when I thought you were something else. And I assure you, that's not the sort of treatment to expect in my home.'

Gray stood with his back pressed against the wall of the long corridor. He kept himself still and began to think that maybe he did not want to hear this. Not here, in this corridor with people walking past.

'I'm not going to act like I can atone for what I did with words,' said Killian. 'But, you know, I don't want it to go unsaid, either.'

'It's fine,' said Gray, ducking his face as strangers walked by, 'you don't have to ...'

'I know what it's like,' said Killian, 'to come into this world and not know which way is up. You might be within the same kingdom, but the south is a completely different culture to the north.'

A group of people walked past, and they were staring. Killian pulled a face and gestured for Gray to keep walking.

'You don't need to be worried about going into the consort palace,' said Killian. 'I'm guessing Elona didn't give you the best impression of the place, considering the lengths she went to, to hide you from ...' Killian shifted his shoulders, somewhat stiffly. Cleared his throat. 'He's got about fifty children in there. For a man running the most powerful kingdom in the world, and being plagued by enemies, in the last ten years he's spent a lot of time and energy f…' Killian stuttered to a stop, 'making babies.'

Gray slowed a little, his heart beginning to return to normal. 'You've said fuck in front of me like a million times.'

'Don't say fuck,' said Killian.

'It's literally your favourite word,' said Gray.

'It's not my favourite word.' Killian paused. 'It's a pretty good word.'

'What would Wynn say?' said Gray.

'Wynn would say fuck,' said Killian immediatly, apparently missing the bite in Gray's tone, or perhaps not caring. 'Wynn was also in his late twenties when I met him, and had very secure standing with Baldwin, with the military, everything.' He lowered his voice. 'You're like a - puppy to Baldwin right now. You go around swearing like a forty-year-old man, he's going to treat you like one. You need to get out of the habit.'

Gray let out a disbelieving breath. 'He does not think of me as a puppy.'

'He does,' said Killian.

Gray shot him an exasperated look. 'You should've heard him today. I've never …'

'Never what?' said Killian. 'What did he say?'

'He …' said Gray.

'He tore you a new one? Over something stupid?'

'It wasn't over something stupid,' said Gray, frowning down at his hands. 'It ...'

'Yeah,' said Killian. 'It usually isn't.' He clapped a hand on Gray's shoulder. 'I'm serious. No cursing, not while we're anywhere near Baldwin. Got it?'

'Got it.'

They'd reached a junction. Killian led the way down the right.

'Most of his kids from consorts are normal,' said Killian, 'but there's some mages, too.'

'Sorena,' said Gray quietly.

'Yes. They all get the best of the best. You'll be very well cared for, if you go there,' said Killian. 'I mean to say, they know how to look after kids there. Especially mages. You guys have some different needs. You all got that whole clean-freak thing going on …' Killian side-eyed Gray. 'Not right now, obviously.'

Gray glanced down at his fighting blacks. 'It's been a long day.'

'Looks like.'

'He told you what was in the jar?' said Gray.

Killian glanced at Gray. 'I know what's in it.'

'And,' said Gray, 'you trust the king to-'

'I trust Baldwin,' said Killian firmly. He lowered his voice. 'Look, kid, the thing that's in the jar - it can only grant a wish if a life is sacrificed. Your child's, your brother's, your wife. Those closest to you. Regardless of what you, anyone, thinks of him, Baldwin will not pay that price. He won't damn his family. But others, like Wilde? He won't hesitate. He and Krupin's closest are on a rebirth loop. Blood of their closest, their dearest, is no cost to them.'

They were silent as Gray processed this.

'And,' said Gray, 'you know his plan?'

'I've been working with Jessica,' said Killian. 'Yeah, I know the plan.'

'It's insane,' muttered Gray.

Killian rolled back his shoulders, his expression guarded. 'Yeah, a little bit.'

After a pointed moment, Gray said, 'Why? Why wouldn't he just make a replica, and leave the original where it is, why not-?'

'The Othoans have detailed records of the jar. A repaired magic seal will probably fool them, kid, but a fake replica of the jar will not.'

Doubt must've shown in Gray's face, because Killian raised his eyebrows.

'Do you remember every crack,' said Killian, 'every flaw, every smear, every detail of the jar? Every dimension? Every chip, every faded flake of ancient paint?'

'No.'

'Aside from Longwark, only you and Emeric have sighted the jar. Making a perfect replica will take time,' said Killian, 'and it will take having the jar itself in front of us. Time that Baldwin doesn't have and will not risk.'

There was an edge in Killian's tone.

They continued their way in silence.

Then, 'Alistair lived there,' muttered Gray. 'In the consort palace.'

'Yeah,' said Killian. 'He would've. He would've just been a baby, though.'

'I know what the consort palace is like.'

Killian paused before a heavy set door. 'OK.'

He waited for Gray to talk.

'Yeah, it's a nest of snakes,' said Killian, as the silence stretched on. 'Look, kid, I don't know what to tell you. Forget its reputation; forget the politics and the drama. You don't need to be involved in any of that. It's got to beat the prison, doesn't it?'

'Yeah,' said Gray.

Killian shot Gray another glance out of the corner of his eye. 'Refresh my memory. Alistair wasn't … Baldwin's, was he?'

'No,' said Gray immediately. 'His father was from a marriage, before Elona went into the palace.'

Killian gave a very slight nod.

'Head down,' Killian said. 'Stay close.'

Killian shouldered open the door, and they stepped out into the night.

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