“I’m not here to torture you,” she croaks out. “I’m not—I don’t—I don’t even know why I’m here,” she admits, and I study her closely. Dark circles line her eyes, just like how I left her. But there’s also a lightness to her I’ve never seen before. She practically floats as she paces, wringing her hands. I wonder whether she and the Prince have discovered the mating bond yet. Would they even know what it is? “Nemesia, how could you?” she asks, mask cracking to show the vulnerable female beneath.

“I don’t even know what you think I’ve done, I swear that to you. I’m your friend—your sister. That hasn’t changed,” I tell her, my voice losing some of its edge. “There’s so much I need to tell you, Laurel. I—the books. I had books with me, but they were taken. You must get them to Admon, he’ll know how to read them.” Regardless of what she thinks I’ve done, those books cannot fall into the wrong hands. She only studies me closely.

“Admon has had the books since the day you arrived,” she acknowledges curtly, and some of the tension I’d been holding releases. Admon will be able to gently explain the mating bond to her, of that I’m sure. “The letter—we found the letter you wrote to the rebels, telling them that the thayar flower once existed in Velmara before disappearing,” she continues, accusation back in her voice. “You told them of your research in the archives.” Bright green eyes bore into me. I furrow my brows.

“I didn’t write any letter to the rebels, but that information is accurate. There’s so much more to it than that…” I say, wondering whether this letter was forged with early discoveries I made. I walk through my early time in Velmara, before Mazus gave me his books. Realization dawns on me. I quickly stand and stalk toward her, pressing my body against the bars of the cell. “Laurel, that letter, did it mention the Floating Market at sunset?” I ask, frantic. She nods. “I wrote that letter for you but decided not to send it. I’d completely forgotten about it until now. Mazus must have found it and gotten it into Thayaria somehow.” My voice is pleading as pieces click together in my mind. My anger is gone, replaced with worry for her. Mazus clearly has a contact in Thayaria. It would be so easy for Prince Hawthorne to gain her trust, then give her this letter that Mazus sent him.

Now her brows furrow. I can see her mind racing, eyes darting back and forth as she considers my words. I also see the moment she decides she’s not ready to believe me. She shakes her head, backing away.