After delaying things for about three days so Rowan could meet River and Paul, Zalyric finally allowed him to spend some time with them and gave him a few days to rest. River and Paul, who had been whipped and starved as punishment, stayed a few more days and were left alone, but they were also treated by the physician.
Still, because their bruises and wounds hadn't fully healed yet, Rowan asked them what really happened. When they tried to avoid the question, Rowan threatened that if they didn't tell him the truth, as they usually would—he would never talk to them again. Left with no choice, River and Paul confessed that Zalyric had punished them for deceiving the crown.
Even though River and Paul said they were fine and just needed a few days of rest and that they were lucky not to have been executed, Rowan couldn't shake off his guilt. He believed everything happened because of him and that people were hurt because of his actions.
