“I needed you, and you weren’t there,” Wren said. “But now your people need you. It’s not too late for them. Revenge won’t bring prosperity. It won’t bring back their families. It won’t bring you their love or acceptance, and it won’t make our ancestors proud. They’re all dead. But no one else has to die for their war.”

“Enough of this,” Lowry growled. “Isabel—”

“Don’t listen to another word he says! He’s manipulating you. Exploiting your hatred for Vesria. As soon as you give into it, he will wrest your power away from you. Una and I—even Hal—we’re trying to do right by Danu. And I know you are, too. Together, I believe we can make it better. We can create a new legacy. So please…”

Her voice broke off as Isabel lowered her gaze to Una, crumpled and bleeding on the floor, and sagged. Her hair enfolded her, closing around her like a waterfall. Isabel had always been thin, but now she looked gaunt. Exhausted and drowning in fabric.

“How touching.” Lowry retrieved the knife from the pool of blood. He lurched toward Una. “Now out of my way—”

“Don’t take another step toward her.” Isabel thrust her palm forward, silver light glimmering at the center of her palm.

The Healing Touch.

All her life, Wren had assumed her magic was her father’s gift. But it was from her mother. As the queen laid her hands over Una’s neck, Wren realized there was something beyond their resentments that bound them.

Una squeezed her eyes shut with relief as the wound sealed. A solid, angry purple line cut across her throat. It was patchy and amateurish, but it didn’t matter. With the bleeding stopped, she had a chance to survive.

The silvery light still illuminated Isabel. When she spoke, her voice was deathly quiet. She did not deign to look up. “It’s over, Alistair.”

Lowry’s face crumpled from fury, to bitterness, to—finally—fear. For once in his miserable life, he had no leverage over anyone in the room.

He ran.

Wren swore, struggling against the rope at her ankles. At last, she managed to slip the bloody scalpel underneath the knot and saw until the restraints came free. “We have to stop him.”

Una propped herself up on her elbow. “I’ll go.”

“No!” Wren and Isabel said in unison. Their eyes locked for a moment before they both awkwardly glanced away. Wren cleared her throat. Had they ever been in agreement before?

“Absolutely not,” she continued. “You’re far too injured.”

Below her, Hal groaned softly. Thank the Goddess, he was alive and whole and—

And he had a speculum wedged in his eye.