Zofi’s mind raced, connecting the dots. She never lets anyone see her without a shirt on. Says the scars from the war are too disfiguring. But what if they weren’t from the war? What if the real reason she never let anybody see them was because some of those scars shone blue?

“Right, time’s up.” The Talons had made it past Ren, who shrugged helplessly behind them. “King’s orders. You’re to leave the city limits by nightfall.”

She went to those fairs. She always knew who to ask for and when and where. She was probably the most connected person in the Reaches. The one people turned to for illegal things, hidden things, things no law-abiding citizen ought to know.

But then, when had their band ever respected Kolonya’s unfair laws?

Akeylah watched her intently. “Do you know her?”

“I’ll say.” Zofi tugged her sister into another tight embrace. Whispered against her ear, where the Talons couldn’t see. “That’s my mother.”

7

Florencia

Ren and Akeylah spent most of the night after Zofi’s departure in the library, continuing the lineage research Zofi and Akeylah had begun. Every so often, Ren stole glances at her sister.

Akeylah cursed our father.

She’d always known there was more to her sister than Akeylah’s quiet demeanor suggested. Ren had studied Akeylah long enough to know her sister had a well-practiced hunting face; the sort of mask one would need if, say, they’d grown up in an abusive household.

But this… This was more than Ren had expected from Akeylah. Darker.

If Akeylah had been willing to curse their father, would she stoop to cursing anyone else? Maybe the heir had been lurking right beneath Ren’s nose all along.…

Akeylah said she’d suffered another vision from the heir, just before Ren’s. But Akeylah didn’t nearly die. In fact, the heir gave Akeylah more information. Handed her the key to Andros and Yasmin’s mental bond. It almost seemed like the heir might be helping Akeylah.

Or Akeylah herself is the heir…

Ren shook herself. She’d spent too much time with her mother lately. The heir wasn’t aiding Akeylah; they were gloating. Proving to the girls that they were wrong, that Yasmin had died for nothing.

Akeylah was her sister. Ren trusted her.

She needed to. Otherwise, she’d be in this alone. That Ren truly couldn’t face.

The morning after their late library night, Akeylah and Ren divvied up Father’s schedule. They left Rozalind to babysit the comatose king while Ren met with disgruntled minor nobles and Akeylah addressed the field hands about the crop blight. With a pang, Ren thought how proud Father would be to watch them handle these appointments, so similar to the training tasks he’d given them a few weeks ago. Before everything changed.