I shift my gaze from the dancing flames to Layla’s bedroom door, which adjoins the common area of our suite. She generously retreated earlier to give me an opportunity to talk to Ash, her twin brother. “The thing is, I’m unbelievably grateful that you want to come with me to find my dad. But think about the cost, Ash. First, you’re leaving Layla. If something happens to your sister while you’re away, you’ll never forgive yourself—or me. And vice versa with Layla, if something happens to you.”

“Then we had both better come back in one piece,” he says, looking at me curiously.

“Second,” I say without acknowledging Ash’s flippant response, “what is your Family going to say?” Given the power Brendan and the Lions have, I hate to think what backlash there will be for Ash’s Family if he moves against them. “Won’t you be putting yourself in a vulnerable position?”

Ash smiles, but I can tell by his eyes that he’s concerned about this, too. “None of which is a problem if we succeed.”

“I’m serious,” I say. “You just finished telling me how risky this all is and that we could die. We have no idea what we’re going to find out there. We have no idea if the other Strategia even know that I exist—”

“I suspect more know about you than you might think,” he says quietly.

I stare at him, hoping he’s joking.

“Some of the students here—Matteo, for example—recognized you the moment you set foot on campus. We have to be prepared that others may do the same,” he says, answering my unspoken fear. “Then there’s the fact that Aarya told the entire school who your parents are, and even though communication to and from the Academy is monitored and often delayed, it’s possible it’ll get out before we find your father. Not to mention, suspicions will run high after you and I disappear tomorrow. People might assume Blackwood gave us leave to see our Families after what’s happened, but it’s just as likely that they will suspect we’re out for retaliation after how aggressively the Lion Family tried to kill you. So as I said earlier, we don’t want anyone to have information a moment before they absolutely need to.”

“See,” I say with emphasis. “There is no way you won’t be affected by helping me.”

“I’ve already helped you,” he says.

“In here, yes. But we’re insulated, more protected. Out there, you’ll be a member of the Wolf Family, actively attempting to thwart the Lions. You’ve worked your whole life to prove yourself as a potential leader; this crazy mission I’m about to embark on could erode that in a flash,” I reply.