“Simone!” Sebastian’s warm hand on my back steadies me. The Lady’s words still ring in my ears. You’ll regret it…

Regret what? And why?

I shiver and someone puts a blanket over my shoulders. The buzz of confusion from other minds rings in my ears, and I squeeze my eyes shut. My hold on my talent is not as tight as it once was. Someone leads me out of the suffocating stone prison—Sebastian, I think—and when I feel the warm air on my face, I open my eyes and breathe in deeply.

Sebastian stands next to me shifting from foot to foot, Jemma behind him with a steady hand on his shoulders. “What did she say?” he asks.

“Nothing good.” I clench and unclench my hands. “She wouldn’t say anything about my family and village—or even the body walker—only that I’ll regret it if I find out more about them.”

“That sounds like a threat,” Jemma says, nervously glancing back at the prison. “We should go. There’s an inn and tavern not far from here where we can have a bite for lunch. Food would do you both good, I think.”

She ushers us back to the carriage, her expression growing more determined with every step. “I’ve been thinking, Simone,” she says. “We can’t let Lady Aisling win. There must be some trace of your village somewhere.” She halts in front of the carriage and faces us both. “What do you think about going to the Parillan Archives ourselves? I know those librarians yesterday were unbearable, but if we plead our case to the head librarian to let us do our own research there, I don’t know how they could turn us away.”

A small spark of hope lights in my chest, but I’m almost afraid to give it air. “Do you really think they’ll let us?”

“Simone, you’re the last of Lady Aisling’s captives. Everyone else found their homes, but your past is still a mystery. At the very least, they should be intrigued. And if we do the work ourselves, all they have to do is give us access. We can even offer to do dishes or other labor around the library to earn our keep, if necessary.”

Sebastian’s eyes are bright. “It’s worth a try.”

I nod. “All right. Let’s go to the Archives.”

We get into the carriage, Jemma and Sebastian buoyed up by the new plan. But I’m too afraid to let myself hope. I look back once more at the prison and shudder as we drive away. Lady Aisling is hiding something. Something important about my past. That can’t spell anything good for us.

* * *

When we reach the inn, Jemma settles us at one end of a long wooden table in the tavern with steaming bowls of beef stew.

“I’m just going to settle with the innkeeper and check on our horse. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She hurries off.

There are all sorts of curious minds here. Men and women from across the three territories, every one with a story to tell. Once, I would have let them all flood in—that’s what the Lady preferred in order to spy as thoroughly as possible—but now I do my best to hold back the torrent.