I cracked open the book and passed it to Anouk. “There’s a page written in a different language and I wondered if you could translate it.”

Anouk laughed softly under her breath. “I know a portion of the Verstad language, and it’s been a long time since I studied it.” She scanned the page all the same, brows pinched in concentration. She pointed to one word. “This means Well. Like the Well of Talents. And here is another word—cleanse.” She read on, muttering the words she recognized. “Water will teach. Talent.”

“What about the parts with the notes from other Wishtresses?” Where others claimed heresy against the Well and that certain statements had not been proven.

Anouk’s gaze skipped down. “The only words I recognize are tear, Well, and Talent.” She scanned the rest of the page. “I think that’s all I have for you. But I can send a militair to search the schloss library for a translation volume or perhaps ask a Verstad scholar to read it.”

“I wouldn’t trust sharing this with anyone else just yet.”

She nodded. It was enough to get started. Well. Water will teach. Talent. Cleanse. If nothing else, it led me to believe I needed to go to the Well of Talents. I’d suspected as much, but now I knew. I had a vision for my future.

Anouk thumbed the rest of the pages. “Is there a map to the Well of Talents?”

I shook my head. “No. I’ve turned every page.” Though I’d yet to read them all. “And there’s no map in the schloss?”

“Not that I’ve seen or heard since that commoner burned them all when we were children.”

“I’d hoped the king might have one.”

“I’ve never seen it.”

I knew one person who’d made it to the Well. I needed to find Sven. “Thank you for your help, Anouk.”

“Of course.” She fidgeted with the lacy cuff of her sleeve. Nervous about my leaving, perhaps? I couldn’t imagine how lonely it must be to live in the schloss with no family, married to a murderous tyrant. How could I leave her here like this?

I took Anouk’s hand. “Do you . . . like being married to Mattias? Is he kind?” I couldn’t imagine so, but perhaps I could channel my inner Anouk and try to think generous thoughts toward him.

Anouk gave a half smile. “He’s kind enough as a husband. Admittedly I hardly ever see him. I’m content with that. But he’s a very paranoid king.”

“How can you say he’s kind when he forced you to marry him?” So much for being like Anouk. “You should leave the schloss. Come with me.”

She shook her head. “I wasn’t forced.”

“But you swore you’d never marry.”

“I changed my mind.”