Thisbe’s heart flew to her throat. Rohan was emotionless, which was somehow even worse than seeing his face filled with pain.

“I… don’t know for sure,” Rohan said. “I believe she does.”

The Revinir lifted her chin. “Has she recently indicated that she wants to trick me?”

“No,” said Rohan.

“Has she talked about me lately?”

“Yes.”

Thisbe froze. What was coming next?

“Has she ever talked about overthrowing me?”

“Yes.”

Thisbe didn’t know if she should speak. If she jumped in to protest, would that only make her seem guilty? If she stayed silent, would that mean she wasn’t shocked to be accused? She knew that Rohan would tell the truth as he knew it—that’s all he could do under the Revinir’s mind control. She stayed silent and kept her eyes on Rohan’s face.

“When did she talk about that?”

“In the catacombs.”

The Revinir eyed Thisbe and snorted. “Well, who down there didn’t wish that? Am I right?”

Thisbe grinned uneasily. “Pretty much everybody cursed your name regularly.”

“That’s what makes a ruler become great,” said the dragon-woman. She waved the conversation off as if it were beginning to get tiresome. “Look, Thisbe. I expected you to want to overthrow me at some point. You wouldn’t be human if you hadn’t expressed that. And that’s the kind of fire I find so appealing in a partner. I saw it in you long ago.”

“So you keep saying,” Thisbe reminded her. She was sick to death of hearing it, but she didn’t add that part.

“I saw the pain on Rohan’s face when he spoke your name,” the Revinir continued, softer now, sounding almost… compassionate. If that were possible.

Thisbe looked up, surprised at the change in tone, and found the Revinir gazing out through the balcony doors at the night sky.

The dragon-woman continued. “I even dare say I felt some sort of reminiscent pain when he looked at you. He was feeling so betrayed.” She hesitated, then opened her jaws and threw back the contents of her teacup.

“Reminiscent pain?” Thisbe knew immediately what the Revinir was talking about, and she knew she had another chance to play a card right here. “You mean, back when you were Emma?”

The Revinir’s expression flickered, and she turned to give Thisbe a warning look. “I told you to stop calling me that.”

Thisbe conceded with a nod. “Back when Marcus and Justine betrayed you?”

The Revinir closed her eyes and sighed. “So you know about that. I suppose everyone has read my diaries by now—I didn’t hide them. Is that how you found out?”

“Yes. But… I’m the only one who has read them. I’ve kept them private.”

“You have? Why?” The Revinir opened her eyes and studied Thisbe.