With a frown, Kaine edged back into the room. “Light of my heart, I’ve only met your sister once, but she definitely didn’t look much like the Blood Duchess. Are you, uh, certain? I know you have your little problem with faces. Can I speak to you alone for a moment?”
Given that my sister was born unable to see people’s faces, and often failed to recognize her own family, his conclusion made sense. Also, his hand was touching his hammer. I inched away.
Ysabel pinched the bridge of her nose. “Kaine, evenIcan tell this isn’t my sister’s body. It’s way too tall. But that’s definitely Bora inside of it. I don’t know how this happened.” She turned to me. “Do you have a disguise gift like Calum? You told me that you could bounce.” Her tone held a slight note of accusation.
“It’s not a gift. Or rather, notmygift.” I shrugged. “It’s a long story.” My voice broke a little, and I massaged my throat.
Ysabel’s shoulders sagged. “I’m very sorry. I could heal you, but I’m not sure the damage is worth a day of your life. And I don’t have any left of mine. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, what does that mean?” My voice rose with concern.
“The only reason Ysabel can live is because of a regeneration ability. She has none of her own days left to give.” Despite the calmness of Kaine’s explanation, his gaze burned. Every muscle in his body tensed. I had the prickly sensation of facing down a wolf ready to lunge.
Then we were absolutelynotgoing to let my sister heal me—or anyone—with her own life. I met his gaze with an equally fierce one of my own. He looked surprised.
“This silly little injury isn’t worth the price. I’m feeling better already.” I exaggerated a bit to make her feel better. Honestly, I felt glad my sister wasn’t spending her life so recklessly any longer. If Kaine had been behind this change, then I approved of him. “I’m thirstier than a cow in heat, though.”
“Here.” Kaine spun his hand twice, first making a cup appear, then filling it with water.
What a useful ability. I chugged the water. “Thank you. Huh, I feel way better.”
“I added rejuvenating properties to the water.” He watched me closely, then nodded. Turning to my sister, he said, “I don’t know Bora well enough to tell if it’s her, but she’s no duchess. Nobility doesn’t know anything about cows.”
“Idoknow my own sister.” Ysabel’s shoulders sagged. “Or at least, I ought to. I really am very sorry.” She hung her head.
“Aw, Yzzy, you couldn’t have known. You were only threatening the duchess because you wanted to save me. It means a lot to me that you’d come all the way out here to rescue me. Although you shouldn’t torture people.” I rubbed my neck. It didn’t even feel bruised.
Ysabel put her nose up in the air. “I’m not a torturer. I was going to stop them before they actually broke a finger—I figured the threat would be enough to make a spoiled duchess talk.”
“I wasn’t bluffing,” Kaine said.
“I know you weren’t—that’s what made you so convincing.” Ysabel laughed.
I wondered if I believed her. Ysabel was always good at putting on a façade of being an innocent little angel, but she generally did whatever she felt she had to in order to protect her own. No matter. I didn’t blame her for trying to save me. I’d let her put on a good face in front of her little sister. “I told you, I’m not angry. Except why didn’t you tell me that you’re pregnant? I’m a bit angry about that.”
Ysabel frowned. “Ididtell you. Then you passed along the information to our mother, who started nagging me to reconcile with her because she wanted to be a grandmother, so I stopped telling you things I didn’t want Mom to know.”
“I never got that letter! I had no idea!” I paled. “Mom must have been going through my mail. Please, Yzzy, you’ve got to believe me. I’m not a child any longer—I don’t tattle. I know you have valid reasons to be upset with both our parents.”
Ysabel smiled, a mixture of relief and joy. She pulled me into a hug. “I believe you.”
It felt nice to get a hug from someone after everything I’d been through over the last couple of days. Even though my sister smelled sweaty and slightly dirty, I still melted into her embrace. I sniffled. The tears snuck up on me, because after so much stress, someone was finally comforting me.
“There, there.” Ysabel patted my shoulder. “It’s okay. You can cry.”
Even after spending so long apart, it amazed me how easily I drew comfort from her. We’d fallen back into the old pattern of how she used to comfort me after another kid insulted me. I hid my face in her shoulder, a little embarrassed to show my tears with two other people present. “It’s just been … it’s been so hard … ever since I accidentally got stuck in the duchess’s body.”
Ysabel made a sympathetic noise in the back of her throat. “What a dreadful thing to happen to you. Where’s your real body?”
“I … I don’t even know.” I sniffled again. “The Blood Duchess ran off in it. For all I know, she’s already gotten me killed.” I started crying in earnest.
Ysabel hugged me tighter. “We’ll find a way to get your body back. Then I’ll take you on a lovely relaxing vacation back to Conollia. You might consider moving there. I don’t know why you’d want to live with Mom when she goes through your mail. Did she guilt you into looking after her?”
I chuckled nervously, still unwilling to admit to my sister how Falael had scammed me out of her money (purchased dearly with her own lifespan). “Enough about me! I’m fine.” I took her by theshoulders, stepping slightly away. “Let’s talk about you. I’m so excited about my new niece or nephew. Do you have baby names picked out?”
Ysabel frowned. “No, we’re still going to talk aboutyou. How you ended up body-swapped is way more urgent.”
“Oh, right.” I bit my lip, trying to figure out where to even begin. “You know about the Blood Duchess declaring herself regent, right?”
