::I said no, but I think they knew I was lying.::

The imperials didn’t have all the answers—how could they when I didn’t even understand?—but it was still far more information than I’d wanted them to have.

::They heard us talking about the first dragon that first day,:: I tapped. ::By the fountain.::

Ilina nodded. ::They already knew we were interested. Now they think they know why.::

::Because of me. What I am.::

My wingsister just squeezed my shoulder. “Can you sit?”

“Maybe.” I pushed myself up, letting Ilina help steady me. My whole body ached, like I’d been taken apart and put back together, but there was no more time for resting. If anyone even thought they knew what I could do, what I was—I couldn’t trust anyone with that kind of information. No one outside my friends. I had to take care of this. “What happened after—” My voice cracked.

Ilina stood and went to a small table to pour a glass of water.

The drink helped soothe my raw throat, and I asked again, “What happened after I fainted?”

“Aaru held the silence as long as he could; no one was sure what would happen when he let it go. Gerel and Chenda have been out there helping every day, sending Chenda’s shadow to look for survivors. It’s hard, she said, because lots of the light sigils are broken, but usually there’s enough for her to look around. When they find someone, Gerel digs them out. And, if you can believe it, Zara has been helping in the medical tents, mostly talking to people to distract them from the pain. They really like her.”

“Of course they do. She’s like Mother.” I frowned as the rest of what she said caught up with me. “How long have I been asleep?”

“Four days,” Ilina said.

“Four days?” We didn’t have four days to waste with pointless sleep. I drained my water and stood, the coral-orange nightgown slipping straight across my body. Someone had changed my clothes while I’d been unconscious. “You let me sleep four days?”

“We tried to wake you.” Ilina stood, too. “The empress’s personal healers and doctors have been in and out. We’ve all taken turns sitting with you, hoping you’d wake up. But whatever you did must have cost you. Even Crystal and LaLa came to sleep next to you at night. And before you ask, they’re with Hristo right now. They’re fine.”

“Good.” I wrenched open the wardrobe door and tapped the interior light sigil. “What’s happened? Was the high magistrate arrested? Is my mother here? What about the people in the city?”

Ilina blew out a long breath. “A lot happened. First, the death toll would have been much higher without your and Aaru’s intervention. As it was . . .”

A chill poured through me as I faced her. “How many?”

“At least three thousand.” Shadows muted the grief in her eyes, but the tightness in her voice made her feelings clear. “It’s difficult to say for sure, because there aren’t”—she swallowed hard—“remains around the impact area. There’s nothing to count. Just ash.”