“Don’t.” Ren drew her own blade from beneath her skirts. She’d shielded that morning, but Audrina might not know that. Besides, it never hurt to have a blade in her fist. A blade she could use for more than just bloodletting if the need arose.

She clenched the hilt tight and prayed Audrina wouldn’t be able to see the tremor in her fingertips.

“Going to curse me, sister?” Aud tilted her head. “I wouldn’t blame you. You must want revenge for what I’ve done. To you, to those bastards you chose over me, your supposed best friend. You preferred them, too, just like Father. You three are the acceptable daughters.”

“Let me help you, Audrina. You’re sick.” She dared a step forward.

“Sick?” Audrina flung back the covers and launched to her knees. Quick as a blink, she grabbed the bloodletter from her shelf, but she didn’t tithe. Not yet.

Ren held her breath, shaking inside.

“Yes, Ren, you’re right. I am sick. Sick to death of watching you be handed everything I deserve.”

Ren’s heart cracked. “Audrina, I didn’t know—”

“How are you any better than me? You’ve killed hundreds of Kolonyans. You committed treason, for Sun’s sake. Everything I’ve done, I did to protect Kolonya.” The bloodletter trembled in her fist. “My entire life, I’ve been a weapon. Forged by my parents so Yasmin could go hunt some Genalese. They used my brain like their playground, shared every plot, every dark thought, and they didn’t even care that I heard everything.”

“It’s not fair, Aud. You shouldn’t have been put through that,” Ren whispered.

To her surprise, her friend laughed. “Put through it? It made me who I am. They made me stronger, smarter. Willing to sacrifice anything for the throne. They created the perfect weapon, in the end.”

“Is that why you killed them?” Ren said it to remind herself who this was, what she’d done. Because right now, she was tempted to believe in the old Audrina. Her best friend, the girl who was always willing to help her. To lend a hand, be a shoulder to cry on, even a spy when Ren had needed one.

But Ren knew better now. She is my enemy. She always has been.

Audrina rolled her eyes. “You’re just like them. So shortsighted. I didn’t hate my parents for creating me; I hated them for not trusting what they made. Even after I was old enough to explain I’d heard everything they planned over the years, every council decision, every concern and triumph. They still didn’t understand. They were worried that blubbering Acolyte Casca might tell someone who I was, so I killed him. Did they thank me? No, they hated me more, feared me for it. I could hear it in their minds.”