“But I’m Marked,” Lena said. “I’m a cryptling. You’re not supposed to touch me or see my face.”

“Marked?” He shook his head, lowering his hand from her wrist. The way he said the word, it was empty, devoid of its usual weight. “So? What does that mean?”

Lena stared at his scars and felt like she’d stepped into another world entirely—and, she realized, that’s exactly what had happened. She remembered the masked lady’s words: There are those in the world that do not come from Duke’s Forest, nor believe in its superstitions. Of course she had known the world beyond the city was different … but Emris had no idea what she meant by “Marked.” The weight of the realization hit her in the stomach like a fist. “In Duke’s Forest,” she explained a little breathlessly, “those who are Marked as babies or children are dedicated to the service of the Ancestors. They become cryptlings. ‘Marked’ could mean something like this…” She raised her hand to her birthmark. “Or maybe deafness. Or blindness. Or it could be the loss of a limb.” Like Vigo. She hurried on, unable to bear the thought of him, the sharp pain in her heart. “Or some of the cryptlings are Marked on the inside. They think differently from other people.”

Emris shook his head, distaste painted on his expression. “It is not for me to judge … but, Lena, you are not in Duke’s Forest anymore. You can lower your hood.”

Hesitantly, she dropped her cowl. He was right: she wasn’t in Duke’s Forest anymore. The woodland air felt cool against her skin.

“How did you get out?” Emris asked, his voice softer. “What of the quarantine? And the forest … even I couldn’t get through the storm cloud. Every navigation spell I know goes haywire.”

“My … my master told me a way out of the city, under the wall,” she said. “And then I met someone going the opposite way. A mage.” She remembered the intense purple glow of the bulb on the lady’s cane. “She told me to follow her footsteps out, so that’s what I did.”

“A lady wearing a mask?” Emris said, his expression hardening. “She helped you?”

Lena nodded, suddenly remembering her instructions. “And she has a message for you. She said … she said I should tell you that you are mistaken and that she is innocent.”

Emris frowned, running his fingers gently over his cropped, fuzzy hair—and then shook his head. “I have more questions, and I’m sure you do too. But we shall have plenty of time on our journey.”

Lena blinked. “What journey?”

“It’s my duty as a huntsman to bring untrained mages like you to the City of Kings to start your training.” He watched her carefully.