A Court This Cruel and Lovely

After parting with Lorian, Prisca and Tibris pass through the capital city and are struck by the contrast between the wealthy citizens and the impoverished slums. They witness the upper class’s abundant use of magic, including magical horseless carriages, and this sight enrages Prisca because the villagers back home are left with almost nothing. Tibris leads Prisca to Vicer and the rebels. They talk, and it is revealed that the current conflicts over magic began with King Regner generations ago; he was jealous of the fae and started the war with them. Prisca asks Vicer to help her rescue Asinia. He agrees, but in exchange, Prisca must free a rebel leader named Demos, who is also imprisoned in the dungeon. He tells her about a secret tunnel in the dungeon that could be a likely avenue of escape.

Vicer arranges for Prisca and Tibris to obtain false work papers so that they can infiltrate the castle. Prisca is also taken to visit a narminoi named Ivene, who gives her cryptic clues about her past. Ivene reveals that Prisca’s birth parents had been involved in something dangerous and that her adopted father erased some of her memories.