“But then that flying nuisance ruined it for us!” Sena said with a pointed glare, directed toward somewhere above Claire’s head. Claire followed her gaze. Perched on the top of a tall, empty shelf, the chimera looked down at her with interest. It had the head and wings of a magpie and the body, tail, and hefty paws of a lion cub.

“What is that?” Thorn asked in Anvil’s voice.

“Gryphin!” Nett piped up proudly as he rushed in to give Claire a hug. “Sena and I crafted him following the directions in some of the journals we found in Sena’s parents’ workshop. He’s part lion and part magpie. He’s meant to help us locate the unicorn, since magpies are good at finding shiny things, but he’s been a bit … distractible.”

Sena snorted. “That’s an understatement. No, no, no, Gryphin!”

But it was too late. The little chimera had already launched himself off the shelf and was diving straight for Sena’s hair. A second later, the copper creature careened into Sena’s shoulder and promptly wrapped the Forger’s long red braid around himself before closing his eyes. Gryphin appeared to be settling in for a nap.

Sophie’s lips twitched while Sena scowled.

“He likes Sena best,” Sophie explained. “Sena saved his life.”

Claire’s head whirled. Just a minute ago, she’d thought Scythe was going to kill her but now, incredibly, she was with her sister again, and Nett, and Sena, and she’d received the miraculous, wonderful news that the last unicorn, the unicorn she’d called from rock, the unicorn that had started a change in her sister, was alive.

Which meant there was still a chance Sophie could be just Sophie again.

Claire studied her sister. Sophie was wearing a black leather vest over a sweater of a purple so light it was almost gray—clothes appropriate for a Forger working near soot and hot flames. A disguise, then. A streak of white still gleamed in Sophie’s dark hair, but other than that, nothing seemed to have changed since Claire last saw her. There was no telltale bump on her forehead, though if there had been, it might be hidden under her bangs.

As though Sophie could read her thoughts, she brushed away her fringe to reveal smooth skin.

“I’m fine, Claire,” she said softly. “Seriously. And I feel good, better than good.”

Claire reached out and hugged her sister again.

“I’m sorry for yelling,” she mumbled into Sophie’s shoulder. “I just missed you.”

“Obviously.” Sophie squeezed back. “But even though I know you can take care of yourself, don’t do that again. You can’t just leave.”

A weak chuckle escaped Claire, and she let go. “I learned from the best.”