A low fire burned in the fireplace below the picture of Rabanna Ravenwood, who seemed to look over the room with an air of condescension. Amara glared back at her ancestor before crossing the room and warming her hands near the fire. Her mother removed her cloak and hung it over the changing screens in the corner before disappearing behind the colorful canvas to change.

She wondered what Mother had to speak about this time. The last time she had invited Amara to her bedchambers, it was to reveal their secret connection to the Dominia Empire, not that it came as a surprise. When that stranger had visited her mother days after the assembly, he had planted the suspicions in Amara’s mind. House Ravenwood were traitors, but she found she didn’t care. As long as she was able to retain Rook Castle and become the grand lady of House Ravenwood, she could care less about the other houses or the empire’s desires. She had her own plans. She just needed to be strong enough with her gift to carry them out. And she was becoming stronger. Perhaps not as strong as Selene, but strong enough.

Her mother emerged from behind the screens, dressed in a dark gown. Her hair was still in a single braid, but Hagatha, her maidservant, would be along soon to finish Mother’s attire.

“First, I have news from the north. It would appear your sister has married Lord Damien Maris.”

Amara felt like she had been dropped from the battlements and was falling toward the rocks below. “Married? To Lord Damien?”

“Yes. Which means Lord Damien now knows about our gift.”

Amara was still stuck on the idea that Selene had married Lord Damien. Selene . . . married? How? Why?

“I tell you this since it could impact your upcoming mission.”

She looked up, her thoughts still hazy from her mother’s news.

“As you know, we will be helping Commander Orion move his forces across the wall near the border between House Friere and House Vivek. However, we must wait until spring. In the meantime, I have a mission for you. Ever since your sister disappeared into the lands of House Maris, I’ve had the border between our lands watched. Lord Damien continues to keep his water-wall up, preventing us from crossing over into the Northern Shores. But eventually he will desire to meet with those houses who oppose the Dominia Empire, which means he will either need to leave his lands or bring the wall down so the other houses can cross. That is when your first mission will start.”

Amara narrowed her eyes. “And what mission is that?”

Her mother crossed the room and placed her long fingers along the back of one of the chairs near the fireplace. “You will finish what your sister did not: the assassination of House Maris. Shortly before the Assembly of the Great Houses began, the Dark Lady sent a message to me that there was a threat to our house from the north and if it was not dealt with then it would mean the end of House Ravenwood.”