I don’t want a new hand. I want my hand. But the earnest expression on his face unravels me and I nod. “Thank you.”

They all look so bleak that guilt twists in my stomach. I never should have let them come with me to the Mandible District. Not when I knew it was a trap.

“I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I’m so very sorry.”

Niklas touches my knee. “No, I’m sorry. Saskia, I saw that bone flute the first time we were in Latham’s shop. I wasn’t sure it was human, but I suspected, and it sickened me. I should have mentioned it. If I’d had any idea …”

I think of how studiously Niklas avoided entering the shop after that first time. His haunted expression as his gaze swept across the room. But how was he to know? The shelves were full of horrors—broken bones suspended in nutrient solutions, strange weapons. He couldn’t have suspected the flute was carved to control me.

And the truth is, once I saw Gran’s broken bones, I didn’t explore the rest of the shop either. If I had, would things have turned out differently?

“You couldn’t have known,” I tell him. But he still looks unnerved. And I know how he feels. I will be haunted forever by the ghosts of paths not taken.

I climb to my feet and the world tilts to one side. I nearly topple over, but Bram catches me. Puts a steadying hand around my elbow.

“Don’t touch me,” I say. “Please.”

“Saskia.” Bram’s voice is raw, pleading. “Let’s talk about this.”

The others are looking back and forth between us, confused. But I don’t explain.

I pull in a deep breath and then I take a few shaky steps forward.

“What are you doing?” Talon asks.

“I have to go after Latham.”

Tessa’s eyes widen. I can see the reflection of flames in her pupils. “Saskia, no. You’re still weak. You’ve lost too much blood.”

“I don’t have a choice. He’s going to use the bones in my hand to change the past. I have to stop him.”

“You’re in no condition to go running after anyone.” She presses a palm to my brow. “We need to get you to a Disease Healer. I did what I could for pain control, but you’re warmer than you should be. I’m worried about infection.”

I shake her off. “None of that matters if Latham heals one of Gran’s bones.”

“We’ll go to the Grand Council,” Tessa says. “Tell them what we know. They’ll be better equipped to handle this than we are. And they’ll have more resources, too.”

“It would be pointless. One of them might be working with Latham and Norah. The only people in the world I can trust are right here.”