“We have a mutual acquaintance.” It was a risk, revealing anything, but if she really was Nine, then someone needed to take the first step. “He goes by Seven.”

A quick, indrawn breath: that was the only hint she gave that she knew him, but it was enough.

“He sent us here to find you,” I said.

“Who are you?” Her tone was all caution.

I glanced at Aaru, and he gave a faint, encouraging nod. ::Her heart is pounding. She’s nervous, but I don’t think she means harm.:: His tap came against the small of my back, hidden from Nine’s view.

I turned back to her. “You know who I am. I am Mira Minkoba. Hopebearer. Dragonhearted.”

She gave only a soft grunt. “Where is Seven?”

I hesitated. “Dead.”

Her eyebrows drew inward as she let out an unfamiliar curse. “How?” She held up a hand. “Wait, not now. I need to get back, and you need to get out. Paorah already has the false Hopebearer; he can’t get his hands on you, too.”

I’d known it, but the confirmation hit me in the chest. Still, I was glad she’d changed her mind about discussing Seven. I wasn’t ready to admit that his death was my fault. “Wait, before we go, do you have a way into the summit tomorrow?”

She gestured at her uniform. “Obviously.”

“We need to get in, too.” Not to mention I had a thousand questions for her. What about the dragon bones?

Her lip curled in annoyance. “I’m not your friend, Hopebearer. I’m not your ally. And I’m certainly not your servant. Find your own way in.”

“Seven said you would help.”

“He’s dead, and you could be lying.” She shouldered past me toward the door, but as her hand curled around the knob, I drew a breath of noorestone fire into me. It twined around my fingers like smoke. Nine stared at me. “What are you?”

“I already told you.” The blue-white light shone brighter, dancing down my hand and wrist and arm. “Now, please, I want your help.”

Nine looked me over again, reevaluating. “That was you in the ballroom.”

With a flick of my fingers, I made the light vanish—back to the noorestones. “That was me.”

“All right, Hopebearer.” She shifted her weight to one leg. “You want to get into the summit in the morning.”

I nodded.

“Both of us,” Aaru said.

I raised an eyebrow his way. He’d come to this for the memorial. That was his right. He didn’t need to go to the summit.

“Both of us,” he said to me. ::Please. I should have been helping you since we got here. Let me do this now.::

“All right.” I turned back to Nine. “Both of us.”

She studied us for a few moments, then nodded and produced a piece of paper and pencil. Quickly, she scribbled an address. “Very well. Meet me here at dawn. The summit begins three hours after that. I won’t wait for you.”