“Enough,” she says with force. “We most assuredly do not have time for this.” They both open their mouths to respond, but Ines cuts them off. “I don’t care how right you both think you are. All I care about at present is not dying in the labyrinth before we even get to take a shot at Jag.” She gives them a warning look. “Aarya, Ash has every right to question you, because you know as well as all of us that your behavior at times has been suspicious. I’m not saying you need to justify your actions, but you can at least not fan the fire.”

Aarya stares at her, shocked, and so do I.

“And, Ash,” Ines continues, “you know Aarya never played by the rules, so why on earth do you expect her to now? Just because she isn’t straightforward like Layla doesn’t mean you should attack her character.” She pauses and no one even tries to speak. “So go ahead, Ash, ask what you really want to know, and then both of you get over yourselves and get back to work.”

A stunned silence falls over the room.

And after a few moments of considering her offer, Ash says, “Why are you two really here?”

Ines sighs, like she knew this was coming. “I can only answer for myself—”

“Ines, you don’t have to—” Aarya starts, clearly feeling guilty that Ines is revealing something personal because of her.

“I do,” Ines says to Aarya, before turning to me and Ash. “My parents had a high standing in the Fox Family; they did a great deal of advising for the head family and helped them govern. And they hated Jag—they believed he was single-handedly dishonoring the legacy of Strategia, tarnishing the good we had done over the centuries. For years they spoke out against him, trying to get the Foxes to take a stand like the Bears had.” She nods in my direction. “But their warnings were ignored. Then the Lions began targeting talented members of other Families, and my parents fought harder; they had foresight—they argued that the Lions’ actions would eventually spill over onto the children, and onto the Academy.” She takes a breath. “But as you all know, Jag seeks vengeance on those who speak against him, and my family, even with their high standing, were no exception.”

My chest tightens with worry at this all-too-familiar story.

“I was seven years old at the time,” Ines continues, “and they drugged me with Angels’ Dream.” She glances at me for a brief second. “When I woke up in the morning, my parents and older sister had been murdered in their beds. The Lions kept me alive as a reminder to my Family of what happens when you speak out against Jag.”