His words came to her as if from a distance, and her vision blurred. She fell forward, briefly catching herself on the table before her hands slipped and she thudded to the floor, her legs collapsing from beneath.

“Drink, drink.” Tabor loomed over her, proffering the teacup. “The tea will make things right.”

She tried to push him away, but he forced the cup to her mouth. The bitter brew wet her lips before she gathered the strength to knock his hand away. The cup went flying. She heard it shatter somewhere far away. She tried to climb to her feet and failed. She shook her head violently, trying to clear the haziness, but it was useless.

“Now, now,” Tabor said, his hand coming down heavy on her shoulder. “No need to rush. You’ve just had a spell of some sort. Best to wait it out.”

She again tried to stand, but his hand pressed her down. A sliver of panic shot up her spine, momentarily clearing her head. He was staring at her, his eyes distorted through his lenses, waiting.

A sharp pain lanced through her gut, and she bent over, a hiss on her lips.

“Hmm… there, there.” He moved away. “I think it’s working.”

“Wh-what?” She could barely get the word out around the cramps racking her insides.

“I do wish this wasn’t necessary. Daniel’s murder was a setback, but the plan is almost completed, you see. Because either you’re one of Daniel’s whores or you’re a spy for Ibrahim. Either way, you are a liability.”

A spy? But she’d shown him Ibrahim’s pin. Surely the Virtue wouldn’t have sent her up here to a madman knowing he would suspect her of chicanery. Oh, fool, she chided herself. Of course he would. She should have known. He had been too kind, too generous, siding with her over that blond Virtue, doing just enough to gain her trust, making this visit to Tabor seem like her idea.

“Not—” she protested, but that was as far as she managed before she vomited.

She heard Tabor moving around, making clicking noises with his tongue as if unhappy. Her head felt heavy, but she lifted her gaze long enough to meet his eyes.

“Did you… poison me? But you said—!”

“I did nothing of the sort. You only believed I did, but in fact I’ve built up an immunity to a small quantity of the brew. Foolish girl, not to trust your gut.” He paced back and forth. “I’ll have to come up with some excuse for your death, or”—his eyes flickered towards the door—“perhaps not. That contraption you came in. Pity you lost control and it went off the side of the mountain. It’s a long way down some of these ravines, and the ash is so thick. They won’t find your body for weeks, if at all.”