He took a deep breath and nodded. “And if I don’t make it to Assata’s for some reason, go through Gala’s gate and I’ll meet you in Laraak.”

“You’ll be fine. I promise. Just hunch over a bit. You’re too tall.” My words were brave, but my heart was hammering. There was so much risk. So much to lose.

“Just remember to leave immediately if anything feels off.” He jerked his chin at Iltani. “All of you.”

“We will. Now go. Get on with it. We’re wasting time.” Iltani waved him away, fully embracing her character.

Dagan smiled at me softly, then shuffled away, hunching to make himself smaller.

I resisted the urge to call after him. Tell him I loved him with everything inside me. For if something went wrong, this might be the last time I ever saw him.

“Are you ready?” Nanaea raised her eyebrows. Her black lashes were thick and full, luminous eyes radiating her health.

A storm cloud of foreboding hanging over me, I swallowed the lump in my throat. Maybe our disguises weren’t good enough. Maybe someone would recognize her as the Sacred Maiden who’d graced their Palace not so many moons ago. Maybe Dagan would never come back to me, and I would always wonder what it would have been like to be his wife.

Setting my sights on the Libbu pulsing with merchants in the distance, I blew out a shaky breath, unease working through my neck and shoulders.

“I don’t know. But there is only one way to find out.”

THE STENCH OF rotting meat greeted us as we joined the throngs headed into the bustling trading center of the Libbu.

And as we were jostled in the crowd through the archway, I understood why. Atop the wall, where once grew climbing vines of lavender and gold, men’s heads were impaled on spikes. At least fifteen of them. Their cheeks were bloated, flesh partially decayed. Eye sockets cleaned out by birds. Nearly unrecognizable as men.

Save for one, however, who wore a big black beard that was unmistakable.

Irra.

The three of us gasped.

“Sister.” Nanaea rapidly blinked away her tears. “That’s Assata’s husband!”

“I know. I know. Don’t stare. We have to blend in.”

Why had he been killed? He was a good man! Had he defied Uruku in some way?

At once, the air around me grew cold, and my questions were replaced with the familiar sound of rushing water. Irra’s head swiveled toward me, his jaw opening and snapping closed, the stench of rot rolling off his bloated tongue. All of the heads pivoted on their stakes, ghastly, empty eye sockets blinking in the sunlight. Their jaws opened wide, unhinging with sickening cracks, as they moaned in one decaying, synchronous chorus.

Vomit burbled in my belly, and I fought the urge to hurl my stomach’s contents onto the feet of wealthy Alu citizens going to trade. Some cast horrified looks at the heads as they walked by, but most ignored them. Covering my mouth with the back of my hand, I stumbled toward the merchants’ stalls. The tents were shades of melon and dandelion, and the cheery colors were a shocking contrast to the stench. Next to me, Nanaea coughed, eyes watering with nausea.