She explained how during her vision, Rozalind watched her thrash and knock a book off the shelf. Inside it, Akeylah had found a note written by the acolyte who helped Yasmin work the Vulgar Arts. Acolyte Casca, who later met a grisly end—murder via a poisoned bloodletter.

“The note explained what Yasmin did. It wasn’t a curse against a relative. And she didn’t work it alone either.” Akeylah drew a deep breath. “Yasmin and Andros worked the Vulgar Arts together. This curse—or tithe, whatever you want to call it—it bound their minds. Permanently.”

Ren blinked in surprise. A permanent bond?

“What, like… mind reading?” Zofi’s eyebrows rose. From her expression, Ren guessed even her best-traveled sister hadn’t heard of this before.

“I didn’t know that was possible,” Ren said. And even if it were, why would the heir show them this book? Unless they wanted to taunt the girls. Prove just how wrong they’d been about their aunt…

“Neither did the acolyte, from the tone of this note,” Akeylah replied. “He called this tithe as much a curse as a blessing, since it can’t be undone. You work it, you’re stuck splitting your mind with someone else forever.”

“Every single thought?” Zofi frowned. “Then when we confronted Yasmin about blackmailing us…”

“Andros would’ve heard, too,” Ren finished.

Akeylah released the plait she’d curled around her finger. “Maybe. I don’t know how it works precisely, whether you choose what thoughts to share, but…”

“Either way, whether our father knows we’re hiding secrets or not, this heir person could reveal them at any moment. Or worse, attack one of us again.” Zofi straightened to attention, almost like a Talon. “We can’t be alone, especially not somewhere vulnerable like the baths. We need trusted people with us at all times.”

“So basically just each other,” Ren drawled.

“Or your mother,” Akeylah pointed out. “Rozalind, Danton perhaps.” She ignored Ren’s grimace. “Your friend Audrina, she called the menders for you. Seas, even Sarella helped.”

“Sarella?” Ren’s jaw dropped.

“She’s the one who found you.” Akeylah half smiled, though she also rolled her eyes. “She spent half the time I was rescuscitating you complaining about her private baths, but she did single-handedly drag you from the water before Audrina and I arrived. If not for her, I shudder to think…”

Ren did, too. She grimaced and studied her hands. She didn’t know how to feel about bitter-spirited Lady Sarella suddenly acting generous, but she’d dwell on that later. “We can’t tell anyone else what’s going on,” Ren said. “It’s bad enough the heir knows our secrets. Plus, helping us may put our friends in danger. Look what happened to Yasmin.”

“We can’t do this alone,” Akeylah protested.