After securing the satchel across her body, she checked the sword at her side, then pulled her cloak over her scabbard, hiding the blade. She might be disguised as a pilgrim, but there was no way she was going to travel without a weapon.

Now for the last act that would complete her disguise: she would have to cut her hair. She slipped out a small blade from the side of her satchel, held it in her hand, then began to cut away her dark auburn hair.

Reddish curls fell to the ground with each slash. Deep down, away from where anyone could see, she grieved. Her hair had been a source of pride. Now it littered the earth.

Why did the pilgrims have to cut their hair? As a sign of humility? Submission? Mutilation? Just another thing she didn’t understand about religion.

Once the ends of her hair graced her shoulders, she placed the knife back in her satchel. Her head felt light and her neck naked. She refused to look down. Instead, she moved toward the converging dirt road that would lead her to Lux Casta.

“Is there any message you would like me to take back to Lady Ragna?” Captain Stanton said behind her.

Amara stopped and looked back. There was a smirk on the older man’s face. For a moment she imagined wrapping her hand around the captain’s wrist and entering his dreams. It wouldn’t take much to wipe that sneer off of his face, only a fear or two. She savored the thought, allowing it to burn away the anguish of losing her hair before responding. “No. I will deliver my own message when I arrive back at Rook Castle.”

“So be it. May the Dark Lady be with you on your journey, Lady Amara.”

Amara rolled her eyes and turned around without repeating the farewell. She didn’t believe in the Dark Lady. If the dark one really existed, she had done little to help Amara. She did not believe in the Light either. Or any other being of higher power. If there really were gods, they had little to do with mortals. They did their own thing, and she did hers. Religion was a foolish pursuit.

Without a second glance back, Amara left the tree line and started along the King’s Highway that led through the hills to Lux Casta.

33

Selene stood on the prow of the Ros Marinus. The sea wind whipped through her hair and pulled back her heavy cloak. Pale blue sky covered the waters, and the sea . . . the sea was more magnificent than she had ever imagined. From the sound of the waves hitting the front and sides of the ship, to the occasional misty spray, to the salty scent in the air, it encompassed all of her senses. It was almost enough for her to forget the nightmares of the past few weeks, but not quite.

She took a step back and pulled her cloak around her body as if retreating back into herself. It had taken her a long time to adjust to the fact that she was now head of House Ravenwood. Even now, weeks later, her stomach churned at the thought. Other lords and ladies might desire the ultimate position of a Great House, along with the power that came with it, but she did not. But she couldn’t deny how useful the position was now. The other houses would soon know the truth of House Ravenwood, for better or for worse.