A look of alarm flits across Norah’s expression. “Was I wrong? Were you matched with another Sight?”

I swallow. There’s no good way to handle this. I wasn’t matched as a Bone Charmer, so Norah couldn’t have access to the results of a reading that gave me Second Sight when one doesn’t exist. But on my other path, my mother did match me with Second Sight. So what if Norah somehow knows that’s my fate?

“You weren’t wrong,” I say, finally. “I just wondered how you knew.”

She and Kyra share a look. “We have reason to believe Latham might have been targeting your family based on you having Second Sight.” She clears her throat. “It’s rather unusual to have three generations of Bone Charmers, and even more rare that they each have a different Sight.”

This time it’s me and Bram who share a significant glance. Back in Midwood, he promised to help me stop Latham, and his eyes spark with interest at Norah’s declaration.

But it’s reassuring that Norah knows some of what Latham was after. Maybe the Grand Council will be successful in finding and stopping him.

“Shall we get started?”

Norah goes to the small wooden table in the center of the room and places the basin on top. Inside is a collection of bones.

My palms begin to sweat as I think of what my mother told me about the binding ceremony. That it involves apprentices agreeing to confine their magic to one specific area. It’s like pruning a garden. The magic is directed and confined. And eventually the potential in other areas withers and dies. And the nurtured magic grows stronger.

But I don’t want to lose my ability to see into the past or the future.

My mastery tattoo isn’t the one I’m trying to lose.

Kyra takes out a piece of flint and a small sharp needle. She reaches for my hand and cradles it in hers.

“Saskia Holte, you have been chosen as a Bone Charmer with the Second Sight.” And the First and the Third, too, I say in my own mind. “Today you will bind yourself to this magic as it has bound itself to you.”

She reaches for my hand and pricks my index finger with the needle. “In front of you are the bones of Charmers who have come before. Do you witness with your blood that you will honor their legacy?”

“Yes,” I say, tipping my finger to allow a single drop to fall into the basin.

“Do you vow to use your gifts for the benefit of others and not for personal gain?”