Gabriel’s mouth quirks. “The High Council of Regents is responsible for making decisions that protect—or put at risk—millions of lives around the globe. I’m sure you’ll forgive us our precautions. As the Regent who oversees the boundaries between our secret order and the Onceborn world, and who adjudicates potential violations of the Code of Secrecy, I have specific inquiries for you on these topics.” He opens a tablet in front of him and spreads open a folder of hard-copy documents. “Why don’t you tell me about your father, Edwin Matthews, and what you’ve told him of our Order?”

My heart thumps hard in my chest. “What have you done to him?”

Gabriel blinks. “Done to him? We have not ‘done’ anything to your father. He is under Liege supervision, unbeknownst to him.” Gabriel spreads his hands wide. “We have no reason to harm your family, Crown Scion. We just need to understand how far information has spread. To that end, please tell me what you’ve told your father about the Order of the Round Table.”

“My father knows nothing,” I say quickly. Patricia’s face flashes behind my eyes. Mariah’s. Alice’s. I shove their very existences down, down, so that nothing will show on my expression. No other names, no other people for the Regents to hunt.

“Consistent with what we’ve observed,” Tacitus murmurs.

“Wonderful.” Gabriel moves another folder across the table—with documents that I recognize immediately. “Your mother, Faye Ayeola Matthews, née Carter, witnessed fully corporeal Shadowborn murdering Unanedig twenty-five years ago. And she was mesmered to forget.” He pauses, waiting.

My eyelids flutter. His words are simple statements, but they are also prompts. He doesn’t know that I know the truth. No one except Alice and Sel knows about my mother’s involvement with the Order or our shared history of resisting mesmer—an unheard-of ability too dangerous to expose. Even William doesn’t know that my mother faked her mesmer for decades or that I can break them myself if I wish.

“What are you talking about?” I say slowly, fighting to keep my breath even. “No, she didn’t.”

“Her heart is racing.” Tacitus narrows his eyes. “She could be lying.”

“Or it’s the serum’s side effects.” Gabriel’s mouth thins briefly. “We will ask her again. Briana, are you saying you did not know about your mother’s history with the Order prior to joining the chapter?”

I don’t have to fake the effort to pull my focus together. “I’m sorry, I…”

Gabriel repeats his question. “Were you aware of your mother’s history when you became a Page to the chapter?”

I shake my head. “No… no.”

Something in Gabriel’s politician smile ticks up. He is pleased. “Excellent.”

I think I’m in the clear, until Tacitus speaks. “Then why and how would her daughter find her way to the chapter twenty-five years later?”