"Yes," she agrees. She is speaking so quietly only Skellig will hear here. "In much worse shape than both of our homes thanks to war."

"His residence is this way," Xenophon explains. "I think he is the king's son, but not by the queen," Xenophon whispers. "There's a strong family resemblance and he..." Xenophon frowns, trying to put a feeling into words. "He hates the princes too personally for them to be strangers."