Fifer leaned in. “Remember what she said when she abducted us? She wants all of our people to come to her so she can fight them at home. I’m saying we give her exactly that and beat her at her own game. She’ll never know what hit her.”

The three were silent as their thoughts whirred crazily.

“It’s not a bad plan,” Dev admitted.

Fifer shot him a grateful look. Then she turned back to Thisbe and reiterated, “We have to convince everyone that you’ve entered this agreement willingly because you are more evil than good. So that if they ever get captured, they won’t give it away.”

“Even Rohan?” Thisbe whispered. Something wretched pounded behind her eyes.

The fire crackled sharply, and sparks shimmered and settled.

“All of the humans, for sure,” said Fifer. “Since they are all vulnerable to the broth. It’ll take some work to convince them. But I have ideas for how to do that, too.”

Dev glanced at Fifer with renewed respect, but he could see why Thisbe would be so against this plan. It seemed difficult, yet what a gloriously smart way to beat the Revinir.

Agitated, Thisbe got up and limped over to the fireplace. “How do you get Florence and everybody here?”

“Sometime after you’re gone,” said Fifer, “I’ll call them in with a send component. I can feed them the lies.”

“So now you’re not going with me?” asked Thisbe. “I have to do this alone?” New fears struck her—fears she’d been able to tamp down until now. One in particular left her incredibly unsettled. She didn’t want to entertain it and tried to smother it.

Fifer frowned, thinking hard. “I want to go,” she admitted. “But it’ll be more realistic without me—she’s not going to believe that I’ve changed my mind. In fact…” She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined how things would play out. “In fact,” she said again. “Yes. It’s better this way. We’ll have you sneak off. I’ll send for Florence, and I’ll be devastated and furious that you are doing this. I’ll say that I tried to talk you out of it, but you were embracing your evil side. Everyone will believe it if I’m the one to say you betrayed us. Because they think I never lie.”

“I know that’s not true,” Thisbe retorted.

“Yes, but they don’t.” Fifer smiled sweetly, then got up and went to Thisbe and placed her hand on her sister’s arm. “Just think about it,” Fifer said. “I know it’s a lot to process.”

Thisbe shook her head slowly. “I don’t know,” she muttered. She looked at Fifer, and something electric passed between them again, restoring their connection that had been lost during their massive argument. It gave Thisbe a moment of relief from her fears.