Without meaning to, she let the iron grip on her thoughts slip. The current of her own fears was both swift and strong, and her mind flooded with thoughts of her sisters. In Slipmark. Where they would receive no mercy. Where, very soon, they would meet with terrible punishments for defying the Father. Why, why, why had she assumed they were safe?

“I need your help,” she said simply.

“Seems like that’s all we’ve been doing, seagirl.” Pine pushed to the front of the crowd, planting himself before her. “We got you this ship so you could return the favor and help us.”

“And I will, but—”

“But you want us to put everything at risk and sail into a place none of us should ever set foot again? Do you have any idea what you’re asking us to do?” Anger pinched at Pine’s eyes, but it was overwhelmed by fear. Even he was afraid of this place.

Each of them had been taken from their families, forced into the belly of a ship just like this one, and taken to Slipmark, where children were whittled into soldiers. Except, they hadn’t been taken, had they? They’d been offered up. Traded or tithed. Given away by the people who should have held on to them the tightest.

It was the way things were. She’d known this her entire life, but with Pine’s defensive gaze fixed on her, a sudden clarity swept through her mind. The true power of Aric Athair was rooted in mistrust. He’d succeeded in making every person under his thumb feel completely and utterly alone. Even her.

“Caledonia.” Sledge was on her opposite side, placing her in the center of a growing cluster of very nervous Blades. “I understand your impulse, but this simply isn’t possible.”

“I don’t believe that,” she answered.

“It isn’t that we don’t want to help, Caledonia. Slipmark is a fortress. Even if we could get inside, the chances of us making it out again are . . . well, they aren’t good.” Triple was speaking now.

“And what about Sister?” Shale spoke in a thin voice, hands clasped before her.

“Who is Sister?” Caledonia asked.

Shale slipped back into the crowd, unwilling to say more. It was Pine who finally answered. “She runs Slipmark. She’s the first face recruits see when we arrive. And the last before we leave. If we were unlucky or stupid, we’d see her in between those two times. She—” Pine stopped suddenly, choosing his next words carefully. “She makes sure we choose the Father’s family over any other.”

His horror was so palpable, it sent the echo of a shiver across Caledonia’s skin.

“It isn’t possible.” Pine spat the words, angry and bleak.