Jacey looks at the handkerchief and then up at Rasmus. She cringes. “You keep it.”

“Fine,” he says, shoving it into his pocket.

I didn’t think Rasmus had any weaknesses, but Jacey seemed to instinctively know how to find the chink in his armor. His pride. He doesn’t want to be seen as a fool. Which makes me feel even worse about what we’re doing.

But as we start down the path to Kastelia City, Rasmus seems to relax. All the tension leaves his shoulders. He catches my gaze. Gives me a wide smile. With a start, I realize I’ve never seen his teeth before.

We pass a bakery, and Rasmus stops, planting his nose against the glass. “My gramps was a baker. Did I ever tell you that?”

“No,” I say, “you didn’t.”

“He made the best pie crust. Buttery. Flaky. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.” His expression gets dreamy and faraway. “I should eat more pie. Do you eat much pie, Saskia?”

Tessa turns to Jacey and widens her eyes. “You gave him too much.”

Rasmus starts humming softly and Jacey laughs. “I gave him the perfect amount. And I think it’s a huge improvement over his usual personality.”

Rasmus is still gazing fondly at the pastries. I touch his upper arm. “Should we keep going?”

“Yes,” he says, “you go and I’ll follow.” He lowers his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “It’s my job to make sure no one kills you.”

Somehow the casual honesty of the statement lends it weight. I press my lips together.

Bram slaps Rasmus on the shoulder. “And you’re doing great. Let’s keep moving.”

We get to the shop, and Rasmus watches with interest as Bram picks the lock. “Are you breaking in?”

“Kind of,” Bram says.

“Norah isn’t going to like this.”

“I suspect you’re right,” Bram says.

Niklas rifles through his satchel and produces a small bone flute. “I’ll wait out here with Talon. This place gives me the creeps.”

Talon presses the bone flute to his lips as the rest of us file into the shop. When we open the door to the hidden room, Rasmus gives a low whistle. “What is all this?”

“Practice for the bone games,” Jacey says without missing a beat. She’s a better liar than the rest of us combined.

His brow furrows. “Norah didn’t mention—”

“Just like at the Fortress?” Jacey gives a sympathetic shake of her head. “You’re always the last to know, right?”