– Your candor does you credit, Sylvia, but I will not enter into a long discussion of morals and principles, I will simply continue my story. Perhaps the fact was that my father never loved his wife, but only pretended to. Their marriage was arranged for the good of the kingdom," Evans answered my barbs calmly and grinned enigmatically. – A marriage based on contract, without love, is not a strong marriage.

– There's some truth to what you say," I grinned, remembering how my marriage to Derek had started. There was no arrangement, though! I was just a spoils of war!

– I'm glad you agree with me. Once we moved into the palace, all the king's attention went to my mother and me. I was his favorite son, my mother his favorite woman, and his old family lost his favor. He loved his eldest son, Jakub, of course, and often played with him in the evenings, but it was not enough for his brother. He wanted more and so he often bullied me. At first I tried to establish relations with him, called him for a walk in the garden, shared sweets and toys with him, but he was disgusted by my actions. He didn't see us as equals. And his mother never missed a chance to put words in our mouths.

– I'm sorry, Evans. I'm sorry for you and your mother. But I'm sorry for the Queen and your brother, too. But why did you hide your origins from me? – I sat down beside him and took his hand. I needed to see his eyes, to know if he was telling the truth or lying again.

– It's in the past. You're my queen, so you're free to ask whatever you want. – He looked at me again, and only now did I notice that the color of his eyes had changed from blue to yellow.

– Your eyes…" I whispered.

– Yeah, it's bad," the healer grinned. – I drank the potion twenty-four hours before you did. The color of my eyes isn't as bad as yours, though. If your eyes return to their former color… You know how much they hate demons in Emmerlend. Well, if you're recognized as Princess of Flammehav, we'll have bigger problems than sitting in a royal prison.

– We need to get out of here and out of Emmerlend before that happens," I agreed. – But tell me, how did you, a prince, though illegitimate, end up as a physician in my husband's court?

– When my father died, my mother and I had to leave the palace. By that time, my father's consort had died of a rare disease, and a couple months after we were banished from the palace, my mother died of the same disease. The throne went to the rightful heir, and the first thing he did was banish me. My brother always saw me as a threat. He only gave me a few hours to leave the kingdom, or I would be publicly executed. But I loved Emmerlend too much to leave, and hid in the mountains for as long as I could. But my presence there became known to Jakub, and I was forced to flee to preserve my life.

– Does Derek know who you really are? – I asked the question that had been plaguing me.

– Derek Merkswerd is a man of honor, but he's on good terms with my brother, and if he knew who I was, he'd turn me over to him.

– You're so sure of that?

– I'm sure.

– Then the other question is, does anyone in Kaldwind know that you are the brother of the King of Emmerlend?

– Only one soul knows, but she would never betray me," Evans smiled broadly. – It was she who arranged my escape and, without your husband's consent, gave me a place as court physician.

– Andrada? – I said in surprise, not believing my ears.

– I see you're surprised," Evans said cheerfully and laughed softly. – Besides, it was Andrada who asked me to accompany you on this quest. I mean, you're not the first person to tell me about King Derek's illness.