They’re flanked by two hulking magicians who give off Secret Service vibes, except for their flashy gold suits.

“Who’s the woman?” I ask Xander.

“His consort.”

As she sits, I finally notice who sits beside her. The twins. She looks at them, and a glimmer of happiness lights her wide eyes. She reaches out a hand toward them, and they each clasp it.

“Are the twins… are they…”

“They’re her sisters,” Xander says. “Her name’s Annalise. She was an apprentice almost nineteen years ago—maybe the most powerful one there’s ever been. Lucius fell in love with her and canceled the whole tournament just because he wanted to make sure she joined us. She only agreed to be with him if he’d make her sisters immortal too.”

“Then why are the twins in your troupe?”

“Because I trained Annalise,” Aristelle says softly. “And I trained her well. Lucius didn’t want the kids to be here all the time, so Annalise asked them to be placed with me, and I’ve kept them safe ever since.”

Something else is nagging at me. If she got to keep her sisters, then that meant there were three cuffs given out at the same time. “I thought there weren’t usually that many cuffs?”

Xander’s face is dark. “A lot had died that year.”

“How many people died this year?”

“We don’t know yet.”

I must look as queasy as I feel because Xander reaches out and squeezes my arm. “We’ll find out soon enough. Lucius will announce whether there will be a competition or not.”

I look at Lucius just as he turns his head, and I see his profile for the first time. My blood freezes. Gripping the table, I lean forward and stare. I know his profile well. I’ve stared at it for hours—his face tilted just like that, gazing hungrily at my mom. Which means…

Mom wasn’t just a magician.

She knew their leader.

From the photo, it looked like they performed together. Maybe they were in the same troupe. Although she talked about her former troupe all the time. Why did she never mention Lucius’s name?

“Ava?” Xander says.

I’m breathing a little too heavily.

“I know him,” I whisper.

“What?” Xander puts a hand on my arm, trying to pull me back in my seat.

Aristelle’s head whips toward me.

“I have a picture of him with my mom. I need to talk to him. He knew her.”

I’m staring at Lucius, not at them, but I know Xander and Aristelle are sharing a look behind me.

“You didn’t mention you had pictures,” Xander says softly. “You didn’t mention your mom did real magic.”

“She didn’t,” I snap. “I wasn’t sure she was one of you until just now.” I push my chair back and start to stand. “I need to talk to him.”