Ohhhh my heart 😭

I love the details of Essek first recognizing that it isn’t Caleb because Trent doesn’t know about the scar from the Diver’s Grave blood seal thing. I love the details of Jester’s smell being so particular, her mannerisms being so specific, that Essek knows Trent could never mimic them so perfectly. Jester is inimitable, she’s “absolute fucking chaos,” to quote her god/patron, which is why she tends to baffle even the smartest people like Ludinus Da’leth. I love the details of Essek knowing it’s not Ikithon, knowing it’s the real Caleb, recognizing the reactions that have been trained into him but being unable to do anything about it.

I love the moment where I could tell if he was going to stab Caleb or himself with the arrow because he was so desperate *not* to hurt Caleb and the others.

I love this story. Youre a fabulous writer.
And you are absolutely terrible to poor Essek. XD