“Akeylah.” Rozalind panted behind her. Only then did Akeylah realize she’d been practically sprinting, her feet guiding her toward Ren’s chambers on autopilot. Ren, the put-together sister. Ren, the one who had the most experience with the vipers that infested this Keep. She’d know what to do. “If you don’t want to tell me what’s happening, at least tell me how I can help,” Rozalind said through labored breaths.

Akeylah paused halfway up the ash tower steps to consider. “Can you go to Zofi’s chambers and fetch her? Ask her to meet me in Ren’s rooms. We need to talk.”

Rozalind climbed close enough to reach for Akeylah’s hand, and Akeylah caught the queen’s, with only the barest glance at the empty stairwell around them. Rozalind squeezed her fingertips gently. “Are you certain you’re all right?” the queen asked, voice pitched low. “One moment you were on the floor convulsing, the next you’re sprinting out of the library, yelling that you need to find your sisters. I’m worried about you, Akeylah. You won’t tell me what’s going on.” Roz’s gaze bored into hers, a gaze that would be so easy, so simple to get lost in.

Akeylah’s heart wilted. She moved down a stair, onto the same step as Rozalind. With the queen in heels, she stood a few inches taller than Akeylah. But it was Rozalind who seemed smaller now, shrunken with worry. Akeylah cupped her cheek. Leaned in to press a single, lingering kiss to her mouth. “I promise I’ll explain everything soon,” she whispered. Then, conscious of the open halls around them, she disentangled her hand from Rozalind’s.

Akeylah resumed her climb, hurrying toward Ren’s rooms. It wasn’t until she reached the top step and turned down a side corridor that she heard the answering clack of Rozalind’s heels beginning to descend the stairs in the other direction.

Unease churned in her stomach. She wanted to reassure the queen that everything would be all right. But how could she say that, when she didn’t believe it herself?

Understand what I do to my enemies. You’re one of them now. The blackmailer had sounded different this time. Angry enough to kill, perhaps the same way they’d felt when they murdered Yasmin…

She drew up outside of Florencia’s door and banged on it. “Ren!” She pressed an ear to the wood. Listened for sounds of life inside. She heard a rustling, a soft inhalation, like a gasp. Worried, Akeylah grasped the doorknob. It turned easily in her hand, and she threw the door open, just as a figure sat straight up in bed, hair a mess.