When I returned to the castle that evening, I had a letter for Caliza telling her Res was strong enough to move. The letter would take two days to arrive in Rhodaire, then a day for her to contact the ship in Elair, and two days for them to sail here. We only had to make it five more days.

I fell asleep to the knowledge that it was time to find a way out of Sordell.

A soft touch at my shoulder woke me. I opened my eyes, expecting sunlight and Kiva’s face. Instead, I found night and the shadowed form of Auma a foot away, nearly enveloped in darkness.

I bolted upright. “What is it? Is something wrong?”

“I have something for you,” she said, holding out a small envelope.

I took it, expecting more of an explanation, but she only waited. Pushing myself back against the headboard, I opened the envelope and withdrew a letter, finding a fake message from Caliza.

“Where did you get this?” I asked.

“It was intercepted by the queen.” Auma’s eyes were pools of shadows in the faint moonlight.

“And you…stole it?” My half-awake mind struggled to parse what was happening. “Why?”

“It did not belong to her,” Auma stated simply, as if that were the only reason that could possibly matter.

I wasn’t going to argue with her. “Razel’s going to notice this is gone.”

“I will take the blame if she does.”

I studied her. “I don’t understand you. You’d risk your safety to bring me this, but when you’re around Razel, you pretend to be weak. Why? I know you’re not afraid of her.”

“Strength comes in many forms,” she said. “The lion fears only the fox.”

A Trendellan proverb. There was no greater advantage than being underestimated for what you lacked in physical strength. It was the quick, quiet predators you never saw coming.

“Thank you,” I said.

Auma inclined her head. “I have another message as well: Myzae.”

I went stiff. Myzae. The Jin used the same word for both art and magic, and it was the password we’d decided on for news related to Jindae.

“The Jin princess will hear out your proposition in Trendell.”

“What? How? Auma!” I hissed, but she was already gliding from the room on silent feet. By the time I untangled myself from my covers and dashed across the room, the common room door was swinging shut.

My heart fluttered, my breath thinning as my mind raced to catch up. Somehow, Auma was connected to the Jin rebels. She knew what we were doing. I looked to Kiva’s closed door. Was that why she’d stayed close to Kiva? Was she a spy?

Whoever she was, it seemed she was on our side. As were the Jin, for now. They would listen, like Diah would listen, but would they truly pledge their people’s lives to this alliance?