My grandfather’s coin spins, glinting under the lights. In this sterile room, it’s magic. I reach for it, but Roth pulls back, and the coin thuds against his chest. A surge of anger rushes through me, that he possesses something so important to me. That he would dare hold it that close to his heart.

“If truth be told, you have nothing to fear from the Order. They think you should be trained, and I agree. You are more useful once you reach your potential. It is likely you’ll leave here tonight having lost nothing of real value—with the exception of this.”

I watch my coin, not Roth.

“You can’t keep that. I won’t let you,” I say through gritted teeth.

“You won’t let me?” He laughs, raising his brows, and then glances at my hand. “What are you going to do? Steal my soul?”

Instinctively, I curl my fingers into fists, but the metal claw digs into my skin, making me flinch.

“You can hardly blame me, Eurydice. I can’t chance you running off again. And while the Order’s under the impression they can appoint a shadow knight to patrol, we know you’re not above killing one of us.”

Roth stands and starts toward the door with my poppa’s coin. I want to attack him, and I might have had I not been in Valryn custody. Chances are, assaulting the person in charge won’t lead to my freedom, and then I will be stuck here and still not have my coin back.

Roth pauses at the door. “Just remember, Eurydice, the Order may grant you freedom, but you are under my control.”

As soon as he’s gone, I search my cell for a weapon. The bed is bolted to the ground and solid metal. There is nothing on the walls, and even the small bathroom is empty. The shower doesn’t even have a curtain, and there are no towels. I’m still looking when the door to my cell opens, and a shadow knight steps through.

It’s Shy’s father.

“My name is Bastian,” he says. “I’ve come to collect you for the Order.”

I stiffen.

“I want my mom,” I say.

“You will see her soon enough,” he replies. “We do not plan to keep you here.”

“How can I trust you?”

“You don’t have to trust us now,” Bastian says. “You can trust us later, when you’re home safe.”

I know I’m not getting out of here without going before the Order, so I relent and leave with Bastian. He walks a step or two behind me. Now and then, he’ll call out an order—left, turn right here, and then stop when we arrive at a stainless-steel elevator. We ride to the fourteenth floor.

“Where am I?”

“You are at the Compound.” Bastian doesn’t look at me as he speaks. “The fortress of the Valryn.”