Sel knows exactly where the cabin is, and lets loose a stream of curses as he reverses in the driveway, tiles squealing on gravel. “The goddamn cabin,” he finishes. He whips out onto the main road, foot heavy on the gas.

“What is the cabin?” I ask. I’m in the back seat, looking through the collection of weapons we brought from the safehouse.

“Exactly what it sounds like, Briana,” he snaps. “A house in the woods.”

I swear I see red without any magic at all. “I know you are not being rude to me right now, Selwyn Kane. Because I have plenty of rude for you.”

His jaw clenches, but he keeps his eye on the road.

I take a deep breath. “Let’s put our issues aside for the moment. We’re going to rescue Nick; that’s the priority.”

He nods. “Agreed.”

I start over. “Where is the cabin? And why are they there?”

“Sapphire Valley, near Gorges State Park.” He presses the pedal again. We must be going at least eighty. “And my guess is they’re there because it’s the only Davis property the Regents wouldn’t know to search. The other seven were raided weeks ago.”

“Seven?” I gasp.

“Focus.”

I scowl at him in the rearview. “Why don’t the Regents know about it?”

“Because technically, it won’t be a Davis property until Nick’s eighteenth birthday. Anna left it to him.” His smile is grim. “The Regents would never suspect they’d take refuge in a Rheon-owned house. It’s smart.”

Cold slips down my spine at the hard look on Sel’s face. “Anna is his mother.”

“Yes.”

“His mother was mesmered,” I say. “Nick was totally wiped from her memory, why would—”

“Anna’s family, the Rheons, kept in touch with Nick, occasionally.” Sel rubs a hand over his face. “Called. Sent cards.”

“How?”

“They disowned her, but still wanted to remain connected to Nick because he was a Davis.”

“What?” I cry. “But she’d lost her memory. Her son and husband were gone. How could they—”

“Anna broke Order law.” Sel sighs. “But the Rheons are an old Vassal family. One of the oldest.” He changes lanes, gets us onto an on-ramp, following the GPS built into the car. “They sided with the Order because it meant remaining in the Regents’ favor. No Rheon would ever harbor a fugitive from the Order, so it wouldn’t seem like a good option, but it is. The house has sat empty since…”

“Since Anna was mesmered.” My fingers curl into fists on my knees. I never thought I’d feel connected to Nick’s mother. I felt for her, yes, but now… now I’m just angry for her. “Who did it?”

Sel’s jaw works back and forth. “Tacitus.”

“Of course,” I mutter. I climb into the front seat with my pile of knives and snap my seatbelt in place.