I blinked, momentarily thrown. “I can assure you I don’t.”
She didn’t hesitate.
“You’re a seer.”
The words landed like a slap—sharp, undeniable, and dangerous. She didn’t phrase it as a question—she said it as fact, one with no room for argument. My throat tightened. I had never dared to say the word aloud.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied. Poorly.
Renata’s lips curled, unimpressed. “Stop playing coy. Rowan told me everything. I know about the visions.”
My pulse spiked, and my anger renewed. My nails bit into my palms as I ground my teeth together. I was going to cut him the next time I saw him.Slowly.The knife I won—myknife—was tucked away in my top dresser drawer, where I kept it safe from prying eyes. I wasn’t foolish enough to carry it on me. Not in a place like this.
“For goddess’ sake, I’m not going to tell anyone,” Renata said, exasperation lacing her voice. “I’m only here because I want to make sureyoudon’t either.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Why do you care?”
Renata exhaled sharply, then tilted her head, watching me the way a predator watches prey just before deciding if it’s worth the effort. “You’re not quite the leech I pegged you for upon our first encounter.”
“How lovely,” I mocked.
“The moment I saw your blood get swallowed by the Ground, I knew you were different. Do you know how many times I’ve seen that happen?”
I hesitated. “No.”
“Once. You.”
A cold weight settled on my chest. “What do you mean?”
Renata’s expression remained unreadable, but there was something in the way her jaw tensed, like she was considering how much to say.
“I thought it suspicious that someone supposedly blessed by Our Lady would find themselves in such a predicament.” She studied me, gaze calculating. “But I saw the evidence of your blessing right before my own eyes. I couldn’t dispute it—nor could I turn you away. We had to take you.”
“Hadto?” I echoed.
“The whole thing felt like a ruse—a setup.” Her voice was edged, sharp as steel. “I watched as you wormed your way closer to our commanding officer, and I thought—this girl is a threat. I truly believed you were infiltrating our ranks to stab us in the back.” She let the words settle, let them sink in before she added, “Until I saw Balor’s blood on your hands.”
My breath caught at the memory.
“That’s when I learned,” she said, voice almost bored, “that you don’t have nearly as much fight in you as some people seem to think.”
Anger crawled up my spine once more. My muscles went taut, heat burning behind my ribs.
I bit out, “Yeah? Well, I saved your life with the rebels.”
“Maybe,” she said carelessly.
“Is there a point in this conversation?” I snapped.
Her expression darkened.
“Yes.” She stepped closer until I could see the shadows flickering in her green eyes. “Do you know how rare you are? There hasn’t been a known seer in Ravaryn for over a hundred years, not since the Prophet King himself. You must tell no one about your abilities. If the Guild learns what you can do, they will strap you to every monitor and bleed you dry in search of how to recreate you.”
My breath stilled.
I swallowed, forcing down the rising panic. “Since when do you care about what happens to me?”
Renata scoffed, but there was something else in her expression.
