“You may not be under my command, but you’re in contempt of the queen’s orders.” Una was nose to nose with her now. “If you take one more step down this road, I will arrest you.”

The snowflakes seemed to hang suspended in the air, as if the whole world held its breath. Wren clutched the handle of her bag as if her grip could hold her together. “You’re not serious.”

“Of course I’m serious. If I have to choose between keeping you safe in jail or hunting you down as a criminal, I’ll make the same decision every time.” Una’s eyes shone, as hard and black as jet in the dark. “Why are you doing this?”

“This is my last resort.”

“No, it’s not. How can I make you understand that this isn’t an option at all? It’s a death sentence.”

So is going to the mines. So is losing you.

“If you ever cared about me, let me go and get out of my way.”

“No. If you do this—if you desert—the queen will send me after you.” Una was more undone than Wren had ever seen her. Her voice was raw, almost pleading. “That’s my job. Do you think that’s going to be easy for me?”

Wren couldn’t do this. She couldn’t do this if Una was breaking because of her. But if she pushed her away, maybe it would make this cleaner, easier. Wren squeezed her eyes shut and gave voice to those old, insidious fears inside her.

If you slip up, if you’re not useful to her anymore, she’ll abandon you just like Isabel did.

She doesn’t love you because you’re a burden.

“Honestly?” Wren asked. “Yes. I bet it’ll be a relief for you.”

It might have been a trick of the light or Wren’s own helpless imagination. But for a moment, in her knee-high boots and black, war-decorated coat, Una looked less like a soldier in uniform and more like a child in costume. Then, like cooling steel, her expression hardened. “I see there’s no reasoning with you like this.”

No pleading, no appeal to her emotions, would move Una now. “Likewise.”

Una rested her hand on the pommel of her saber. The metal guard flashed, and in it, Wren saw the reflection of the white emptiness around them. Wren’s heart thrummed wildly with fear.

She’s actually going to fight me.

“Wait. You’re right. I haven’t thought this through enough.”