“In response, she orders the Drychta to occupy the Hollows, knowing it will bring me out in the open, knowing I will not stand by and allow Kance and the others to come to harm. She knew that when I came to Mithra’s Wall, to aid the Odalians and risk discovery when I could have chosen prudence and kept myself away.” Her lip curled. “She knows my weaknesses, and she knows that I am aware of her ploys—and that I have no choice but to rise to her bait. But there is no turning back. She will be waiting for me now at the Ring of Worship, where she believes the runic wards will give her the upper hand.”

“But if she shares your goals of completing shadowglass…”

The Dark asha laughed. “Did you believe her? Druj rages against the elder asha for usurping their powers, but Druj has known the Dark longer than they and wants it more. Should I complete shadowglass, she will find some new way to wrest it from me. I will see that monster dead before anything else.”

“And how will you defeat Druj?” Lord Fox was hoarse.

The Dark asha offered her hand to her brother. “You can come with me and see for yourself.” There was a quiver in her voice. “I could not tell you all this before, Fox. You testified against me in my own trial. You told them about my black heartsglass. You would not have believed me had I told you the truth about Altaecia, and you would have told her about your suspicions. That you didn’t kept you safe from her. Do you understand now, Fox? Why I refused to contact you all this time?

“She thought me a powerless vagabond, and I needed her to think that. Your trust in her would have prepared her sooner for my rebirth. I could not have asked you to choose between Inessa and me any more than you would ask me to choose between you and Kalen. But everything is out in the open now, and as I told you in Daanoris, there will be no more secrets. Please trust me one final time. Give me a good burial. I never gave you one, Fox…but oh, please give me this.”

He stared at Lady Tea for the longest time before he silently took her hand.

I sprang to my feet. “Let me go with you.”

“It is one thing to summon a bard to write my song. It is another thing entirely to bring a Drychta royal noble as vanguard to a fight I may not win.”

Kance looked stunned. Zoya’s eyes went wide.

“So you know.” I understood then why she had been adamant about sending me away—not to break her promise, but to preserve a bloodline.