“Ines says we’re all to get dressed.” A deep furrow dug its way down the center of her forehead. “The Superior has ordered his Graces to observe the execution at dawn. We must dress and be ready to go.”

Nomi muffled a scream with both hands. There was no time. No time to kill Asa, no time to search for Serina. But she couldn’t just let her sister die.

What was she going to do?

“I don’t want to watch anyone die,” Ria said as Angeline helped her into a soft pink dress with ribbon accents. Her voice choked on unshed tears. “Why do we have to go?”

“The Superior demands it,” Angeline said in a broken whisper.

Cassia left to go to her own room to dress, but Maris stayed. She sat at the dressing table and stared at her reflection with the vacant, hopeless look of someone who has lost everything. Nomi had seen that look on her face before, after Malachi had chosen them as Graces. All her time in the palazzo, Maris had been locked in the grief of not knowing what had happened to Helena.

Today, the woman she loved would die.

“I’m going too. There may be something—something I can do,” Nomi murmured. “If I can get close to Asa… if I can just…” The words caught like sand in her throat. She’d come so far. It couldn’t end this way.

“But someone will see you—” Angeline started.

“I’ll be careful. I need… I need…” I need to kill him. I need to save Serina. “I need a dress. Please, Angeline.”

Angeline found Nomi a dress. Nomi took the soft gray gown and went to the washroom to change. The skirt was long enough to mostly hide her boots. She wouldn’t have minded a different pair of shoes, one that fit better, but these provided a good hiding place for her knife, and she wasn’t about to give that up. She drew it out and stared at the thin jagged blade.

This is yours, Asa, she thought. You deserve it.

TWENTY-NINE

SERINA

EMBER WAS WAITING by the door when the soldiers came for her.

“Let’s go,” one of them said, yanking on her arm. She stood, immovable as a mountain, until he released her. Before he could hit her or shove her into submission, she moved forward steadily, her chin held high.

Serina prayed that when it was her turn, she could face it with Ember’s brave serenity, but she was fairly certain she’d be screaming.

“You all are coming too,” the guard growled. “And don’t try anything. We’ll kill you if you do, Superior’s orders.”

Serina followed Ember out of the room, Val beside her. He moved stiffly, his face bruised and swollen.