Lord Ivulf spoke up, his voice rumbling. “Lady Bryren, are you saying that there are traitors here in this room?”

Lord Haruk looked up. “That is a grave accusation, Lady Bryren.”

All heads turned toward Lord Haruk in surprise. Amara took it to mean the lord of the House of Healing rarely spoke. He seemed more attuned to listening and waiting.

“Yes, it is. But we must consider all possibilities.”

“Yes, we should,” Lady Ragna said. “And with House Maris gone, I can’t help but wonder what Lord Damien’s part is in all of this.”

“Are you saying House Maris is a traitor? I find that hard to believe,” Lady Bryren scoffed. “Perhaps he is dead as well and we haven’t found his body yet.”

“That is a possibility. But if he left, leaving in the middle of the night is suspicious.”

“Maybe he had a good reason. Like running for his life.”

Lady Ragna arched an eyebrow. “Or escaping before he was caught.”

Amara listened as the conversation between the lords and ladies became more heated. What a fractious group. The assembly was to bring unity, but it seemed to be doing the opposite. Was that Mother’s intention? Amara narrowed her eyes as the stranger’s words rang in her ears. “Commander Orion is counting on you.”

Amara stared at her mother as angry voices echoed across the chamber, everything falling into place. Yes, the empire was behind the assassinations. Yes, there was a traitor in their midst.

It was their house.

And her mother was pulling all the strings.

But who killed Lord Rune and Lady Runa Vivek? Her mother or Selene? Was that why Selene ran? So she wouldn’t be caught? But Mother would have covered for her, much how she was covering their house now and diverting suspicions elsewhere. And what about House Maris? What part did they play in this? She couldn’t imagine Lord Damien was in league with her mother. Perhaps he found out and Mother threatened him, so he ran? But he didn’t seem like the kind to run. Lord Damien wasn’t her type, but Amara had admired his strength of character.

No, there was something else in play.

Amara watched with morbid fascination as the room erupted into shouts and accusations. Yes, her mother was like a black widow, tugging at the strands of a web she had woven around the Assembly of the Great Houses. Every time Lady Bryren brought up a point, her mother or Lord Ivulf would counter.

Amara leaned against the wall. She would have to be careful. In some ways, she was a naïve fly who, if she wasn’t wary, could get caught in the middle along with everyone else.

Better to watch and wait. The answers would come. And if she played this right—showed she could be trusted, unlike Selene, and grew into her own gifting—she could become the very person she longed to be: heir of House Ravenwood.

That’s all she cared about.

4

Selene guided her horse behind Taegis and Karl as they left the small village of Riveram. Cohen followed nearby, alongside Damien, with Sten bringing up the rear. Wispy clouds spread across the sky overhead, and a cool breeze blew between the colorful autumn trees that lined Trader’s Road. Insects chirruped within the forest, and here and there a bird would let out a song. The air smelled sweet and earthy, so different than the cool mountain scent she was used to.