“Jensen understood the risk he was taking, and he decided Boe was worth it.” Her eyes are soft. “He was an adult. He was willing to face the consequences for his child. But imagine how unfair it would be to let him go just because you understand his choices, when others have been punished for the same crime. And their motives might have been equally understandable if we knew the full story. Jensen was a good father, Saskia. His fate was in his own hands, not yours. All you can do is honor his sacrifice.”

Her words pierce me to the core. I think of my mother offering to train me as a Bone Charmer to protect me from Declan. Teaching you would violate my code of ethics—I could get in a lot of trouble if anyone finds out—but you still should be able to learn.

All this time, I’ve been thinking Jensen and I are the same, when really, he has more in common with my mother. She was willing to die to keep me safe. Jensen’s words float through my mind. The law is the law. And I’d do it again to spare my boy.

I have no doubt that my mother would die again to protect me. She’d choose that path over and over again if she had to. And I will accept whatever consequences come from making sure Latham pays for her death.

Master Kyra’s hand closes gently around my forearm. “I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but it doesn’t. Leadership is full of difficult choices.”

Somehow her honesty, her acknowledgment that this is hard—and will always be hard—is what I needed to hear. She’s the first person who hasn’t tried to talk me out of my sadness. I blink back tears. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, shall we try again?”

This time, when I close my eyes and touch the bones, I hear it. The distant, plaintive howl of a single wolf separated from his pack.

He sounds as lonely as I feel.

I arrive early to our seminar in the workshop the next afternoon. Norah is scheduled to give a lecture called Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy and Magical Applications, so I’m poring over my spell book while I wait. Unlike the sea of Healers and Watchers at Ivory Hall, if Norah has a question related to charming, her choices are limited to either me or Ingrid. I need to be prepared.

“Saskia!”

I turn to see Tessa rushing toward me. Her cheeks are flushed, and I can’t tell if it’s from panic or excitement.

I stand up and close the distance between us. “What is it?”