“System protocol initiated. Subject Nadin recognized. Begin transmission.”

“Nadin,” Gitrin’s voice said in my ear.

I nearly screamed. I whirled around to look behind me, but there was no one else with me. No sounds apart from Isaak and Ceilos’ muffled voices in the other room. I turned back to the writing, running my fingers across the word elytherios again. At my touch, the voice was back in my ear. “Nadin, you must listen to me. There isn’t much time.”

My pulse throbbed in my temples. I knew it was Gitrin. And just like when I’d held the posternkey, only I could hear it.

“If you are receiving this message, I am no longer in Hope Renewed, and there is a very good chance that the city is in danger. I know you have come here with questions, but I’m afraid you will not find the answers here. You will have to search. Seek, and you will find. Begin where we began—the answer is in plain sight, if you know where to look. The three sisters will guide the way. Touch the highest peak, and you will find me in the place where freedom lies.”

She was talking in riddles. I clenched my fist against the wall, straining to understand.

“And Nadin,” the voice went on, “this is very important. You must not tell anyone what you’ve heard here. Not the geroi, not even Ceilos. This is crucial, Nadin. The future of Iamos is at stake. If you ever trusted me, alin, even for a moment… Please, trust me now. I will see you soon.”

I braced myself against the wall. Alin. It had been her pet name for me as a child. I hadn’t heard that word in a long time, and the sound of it now made my eyes burn, my vision swim. What did all of this mean?

“Nadin, what’s wrong?” Ceilos asked. I hadn’t even heard him and Isaak come out of the bedroom. He came up behind me now, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Are you all right?”

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “I’m fine. Did you find anything in there?”

“No. It looked much the same in there as—”

“Hang on a minute,” Isaak interrupted. “Do you hear something?”

We stood still, listening. Faintly, in the distance, I heard shouting.

“Outside. In the plaza,” said Ceilos.

The three of us hurried out of Gitrin’s apartment. I cast one last worried look at the engraving on the wall before pulling the glass door shut.