s in t

nya'

poke in hushed tones. Guards stood a little straighter. Even the birds in the garden s

d in some cold, polished hall. That had already embedded itself into the pit of my spine like a needle I couldn't

centered ar

cut through silences with precision, and her gaze still pinned me to place like a dissecting knife. But lately, I had noticed something s

sed me, clothed me, schooled me in the art of survival in a palace that s

life, I had ignored things I shouldn't have. Paid for that with more than blood. Maybe

orning when

tory of the Pre-Banishment Court-dry as bone, but it mentioned an ancestor with the

s, I paused. The door stood slig

only one v

mur

ned c

voice, like she was reciting something, over and o

readin

lled at me like a hook through my ri

ans

pped

ands. It looked old, edges frayed and yellowed. The moment sh

. The letter disappeared into her sleeve

ked. "

wait for p

Not anger-no, not just that. S

ft a

on't need to be barging in

d I'm

re careful

ide the letter, hovered protectiv

gaze. "Is ever

rfectly

of her eyes in the reflection of the glass-cloude

as if to busy her hands. Her grip on t

g with the steward this mo

spond for a b

esche

hated was

idn't want to accuse her of anything. I

on weight. She knew I'd seen the le

re are some matters I must attend to-ones that don't concern

more than that-I felt the cold ten

fo

r

-

d with m

flicker in her eyes, the way she clutched the parchme

aunt who did not flinch befor

ne threat

why hadn't

-

stablehands had a cousin who knew a man-Tyren, a whisper-runner with quick eyes and a faster mouth. If t

to do it. But

just after dusk, in the empty greenho

elbows and grins that di

hire my sort," he said, crouching

changes peopl

d. "Who's

au

rched. "Th

"At least, I don't think so. But she's

Discretion costs more

ll

I might find things yo

to know them," I said.

-

later, h

a scrap of parchment, hastily scrawled.

ce like he expected someone to be listening. "No escort. Disguised. She rode har

w Woods?"

They spoke-ten, fifteen minutes. She was... tense. Angry, maybe. He

red a

e w

urned the whole thing. Whatever it wa

"And you're su

r chambers. Watched her sneak in throu

oat ti

" I breathed. "What

ands. "That, my lady, is what

was left clutching that parchment like it m

it d

quest

a long while, I wasn't s

eared f