“No,” said Thisbe impatiently. “What does that have to do with you making a grand decision to endanger our lives without telling me?”

“I’m getting to that,” Fifer explained. “Anyway, you felt it the other day like I did, right? First on the beach, then when the Revinir was carrying us away. We spoke to each other in our minds.”

“True,” Thisbe admitted. “I still don’t get—”

“Just give me two seconds,” Fifer said, getting angry now too.

Thisbe crossed her arms over her chest and shot Fifer an annoyed look.

Fifer glared back. “I think the things are connected.”

“What things?”

“Will you please just—”

“Fine! Go on! Say words already!”

Fifer stood up and stomped over to the south window, staring blindly out it as she seethed. She took a moment to collect herself. “Simber told me that I had good instincts and I needed to learn to rely on them. But for a long time I didn’t know what that felt like. I learned slowly over time, and my biggest moment, where I felt like I needed to make a life-altering move, was when I killed Frieda Stubbs. I felt it deep down, and I knew it was right a split second before I acted. Part of that came from you.”

Thisbe pointedly kept her mouth shut.

Fifer glanced over her shoulder to see that her sister was still paying attention, and then she continued. “The connection between you and me has grown since that moment when you first told me I needed to do away with Frieda. We hashed out our differences, and we grew closer again after being distant for a while. Only things aren’t like before, when we were kids—not exactly. Our relationship grew deeper in a different way. On a different level.” She paused and turned around to face Thisbe. “And as we spent more time together, talking as leaders rather than just as twins, we began to… connect, I guess. So much that I felt that little electric jolt when we touched hands on the shore. Is that how it felt to you?”

“I… yes. I just thought it was a static shock, but then later…” Thisbe’s anger had lessened. “I heard you in my head when the Revinir had us in her clutches.”

“Exactly.”

“But, if I may emphasize once more,” said Thisbe dryly, “I still don’t understand the connection.”

“This is going to sound weird,” said Fifer. “But I think I’ve developed my gut sense that everyone kept telling me I should have.” She paused to let the words sink in. Thisbe narrowed her eyes but didn’t challenge it, so Fifer continued. “Simber and Florence repeatedly told me to search for it and trust it. And I think I’ve finally found it. It led to our tighter connection, as well as other things.”

Thisbe frowned. “And the other things are…?” she asked suspiciously.