He was right. Her band couldn’t be home until she came here of her own free will. Until she finished what she’d set out to do in Kolonya—changed this world for the better.

She couldn’t stay here and pretend nothing was wrong, let the heir triumph. Zofi would never forgive herself. She’d spend the rest of her life without any home, either with her band or back in Kolonya, because she’d been unwilling to decide her own fate.

Vidal ran a hand over his close-cropped hair. “I just hope you don’t fall right into a trap alongside your sisters, that’s all.”

She’d thought about that. The heir would be focused on cornering Akeylah and Ren. Zofi? They thought they’d gotten rid of her. They wouldn’t see her coming.

Her hand drifted to the longknife at her waist. The same blade she’d driven into Nicolen’s heart. She killed her half brother to save Elex. If it came to it, she could do that again to save her sisters. Just like Elex, Akeylah and Ren were the family she chose. And like Elex, she’d do anything to protect them.

“What did you tell me? Crown or no crown, I can make the Reaches better.”

Mother strode into the makeshift horse paddy, arms crossed. “How will you getting arrested for breaking your banishment make anything better?”

“I know how to blend into a crowd, Mother. There’s nowhere more crowded than the merchants’ road.”

“And what about beyond the merchants’ road, when you have to fool your way into Kolonya City?” Mother’s eyes narrowed.

“She’ll be with me for that,” Vidal pointed out. “With a bit of a disguise, I can bring her through as a merchant, or even just claim I’ve arrested her for pickpocketing.”

“We’ve got two days on the road to plan. We’ll figure it out.” Zofi reached for a waterskin and began to fill it at the nearby well pump.

“So you’re just going to charge off with no supplies—”

“I have supplies.” She gestured to her saddlebags.

In response, Mother held up a leather sack. It clinked faintly. “From your old emergency stash. I kept held of it while you were away.”

Zofi crossed back to her side and peeled the leather open, just far enough to glimpse the round glass balls inside. Boosts.

“What’s that?” Vidal asked, curious. They both ignored him.

“Mother…”

“I won’t stop you, Zofi. You’re grown enough to make your own decisions. But don’t ride into this headstrong the way you normally do. Be smart. Learn everything you can in advance of this fight.” With that, she tossed something in Zofi’s direction.

Zofi caught it one-handed, the other still gripping her boosts. When she turned it over, she found a small leather-bound book, unlabeled.