She understood. Ren felt guilty staining her friend’s name any more than it already had been. But what else could they do? Akeylah was right—none of them could change the past. The only way to fix things was to move forward. To work toward a better future.

“Audrina was a troubled girl.” Ren took up the thread. “She hated our father for a number of reasons—some understandable, I must admit.”

Understatement of the year, Zofi thought with a grimace.

“But Audrina reacted with violence, by sabotaging our family and this country. That we cannot forgive.” Ren locked eyes with Lord Rueno. “Her plots included those documents your daughter found, which she planted in a room she brought Lady Lexana to. Audrina forged the letters. You’ll find that if you look at Aud’s handwriting in Madam Oruna’s record books, it matches my supposed rebel correspondent’s exactly.”

“As I brought up to you privately, Lord Rueno,” Danton interrupted. “The seal on those messages you found, when compared to a legitimate rebellion seal the Talons located, is not an exact match. Rather, a convincing copy.”

Rueno gritted his teeth and shifted his glare to Zofi. “That still doesn’t explain her return.”

“My father banished Lady Zofi based on more lies Audrina fed him,” Akeylah said. That much, at least, was entirely true. “She is back at court with my knowledge and blessing.”

“Don’t worry.” Zofi grinned at Rueno. “You’ll be seeing plenty more of me soon.”

Akeylah cleared her throat. “In good time, sister. Right now, the menders are investigating evidence of Audrina’s behavior—”

“With all due respect, Your Highness, what could menders ascertain about her behavior?” Ambassador Ghoush frowned.

“The menders discovered evidence that Audrina used the Vulgar Arts,” Akeylah said. “In the form of several marks on her body.”

A few nobles sucked in sharp breaths.

Unconsciously, Zofi’s fingertips drifted toward the bracelet she wore on her wrist. A copper cuff, wide enough to conceal her new scar. It matched the gold cuff on Ren’s arm and the silver on Akeylah’s. Jewelry Rozalind had scrounged up earlier for them from her personal collection.

“When you say marks…” Ambassador Ghoush seemed a little slow on the uptake today.

“We mean Audrina has more scars than a professional curseworker,” Zofi replied. I should know.

“She used the Vulgar Arts against all three of us,” Ren spoke up. “As well as against my father and our aunt Yasmin. We suspected it was her, but now, well… the scars are proof.”

“But why?” Ambassador Perry leaned forward in his seat. “Do you have any idea why your sister went to such lengths, what her aim was?”

“She wanted the throne,” Zofi said.

“We were in her way.” Akeylah pressed her lips into a thin line.