Flick finally returned after the evening meal. He had a neatly dressed girl on his arm—the wool merchant’s daughter.

“Flick!” It was such a relief to see him.

“Kyra.” He gestured to the girl, who was looking around the tavern with wide eyes. “This is Gabrielle. You were looking for me?”

Kyra took a quick glance toward her watchers. One of them met her eyes and shook his head. Kyra swallowed hard. “I just had a question,” she lied. “I’ve figured it out.”

Flick cocked his head, watching Kyra carefully. “You sure?”

“Aye.”

A flash of confusion crossed his face, and he took a step closer. “Look Kyra, I know we—”

“I’m fine,” she interrupted. “Headache, that’s all.”

She grabbed what was left of her dinner and fled upstairs. In the silence of her room, Kyra urged herself to think. Even if she was able to escape with Bella and the girls, where would they go? The Guild had eyes all over Forge. Would they have to run to another city? Live in the woods? Maybe James was right. What had Malikel or anyone in the Palace ever done for her? Why was she risking so much to spare a nobleman who wouldn’t give her a second thought?

There was a sharp rap on her door. Kyra drew a breath and wrapped her fingers around the hilt of her dagger, holding it ready at her side as she inched the door open. The hooded man, the one who had winked at her, stood in her doorway. His eyes flickered to her weapon.

“Be across the Palace wall in an hour,” he said, and walked away.

Kyra closed the door again and buried her face in her hands, the weight in her chest threatening to choke her. It was no longer safe to stay at the inn. Fingers shaking, she changed into dark clothes. To her belt, she tied the bottle of clearberry juice. After a moment’s thought, she grabbed a mask and stuffed it into her pocket. She would feel safer tonight with her face covered.

She left through the dining room, walking by the hooded men and meeting their eyes briefly as she passed. As she opened the door, they gathered their things to follow. The assassins trailed her by half a block on her way to the Palace, though they didn’t follow her over the wall. When she was far enough in, Kyra climbed onto a high ledge. She sat down and hugged her knees, digging her nails into her forearms as she willed herself to think out her options.