Ana cut her attention to Griffin. There was an unearthly amount of suffering that she leveled into a single gaze.
“I am known as Nightingale.” She flipped the paper over in her hand, a ghostly smile gracing her features.
“You’re not from Luscinia,” he countered.
Ana’s eyes lit in amusement. “No, but I have been abused and used by their inhabitants for years. And Harold has a big mouth—he likes to talk and I like to listen. So what if I established myself as a spearhead for the people of Violencia, what if I named myself Nightingale? What if I made the peopleof Luscinia think I was one of their own? Would it earn me respect? Be my demise?”
“What do you want?” Griffin asked, his curiosity was outweighing anything else.
“Luckily for you, most of Violencia doesn’t know much of anything about Grypheem.” Ana threw her head back, a scratchy noise leaving her, reminiscent of metal on metal. “Not even the name of their prince. Isn’t that right, Prince Griffin?”
Griffin felt the cool cement of the wall as he pressed back into it, the urge to get as far away from this woman as possible rode him hard, but he couldn’t determine why.
“Even so, you’re not like your brother.” She whipped her attention to him with an edged glint. “Not like him at all, I would say.”
“My brother?” Griffin was shocked, but attempted to keep it from his voice. His brother hadn’t spoken to him since their father died. He had tried to get in contact. Over and over again, until eventually he had given up. Instead, focusing his energy on the task at hand. “He hasn’t been here in years.”
Griffin did not like the pity that she showed him. “Hasn’t he? Or perhaps he left you here to die and has no interest in reconnecting with the man who is making no attempt to hide his transgressions.” Ana set the paper down. “My sister makes no attempts to hide her feelings. She writes them down and leaves them for the world to see. Formeto see. Another slap to the face.”
“What do you want?” Griffin pressed. “I didn’t come here to play games. I didn’t come here to be lied to.”
Ana whipped around, marching until she was in his face. She spit in it as she spoke. “I want to kill every man who seeks to abuse the weak! Who came here to destroy our country! Who brought their infection!” She panted, stepping back from him.
He watched her, and it was clear—the trauma that filled this woman, the endless cruelties he was sure she endured.
“I will never have children,” Ana continued. “And that is because of your country. You come here, you spread your disease, and you leave us infertile.”
“What?” The shock was plain and crisp as his eyes widened.
“Of course you don’t know. You are too fucking—” She appeared to take a few beats to calm herself.
But Griffin wanted to shake her to demand answers, except he recognized that wouldn’t get him anywhere.
“I am going to tell you a story.” Ana took a seat on the pallet, but Griffin made no move to join her, choosing to maintain distance.
It was clear this shouldnotbe the leader of a Faction. It was clear she was intent on revenge.
Griffin didn’t blame her, but he wasn’t sure how well that would go. He wanted to gather an army and storm Luscinia, free his mother from the king, and get revenge for his father’s death. But how? He had been steadily growing the Griffin gang, but it wasn’t enough. And would they even fight for him if they knew he was one of the enemies?
“Two girls were born to the same parents. They were nearly identical. But one was older. She was the chosen one. The sacrifice. Given to monsters as a ticket of safety. Even the boy she loved chose her little sister. She was swallowed whole, spit out, and chewed up. Over and over for years. But then something happened, her body began to break down, to not work quite right. She asked questions. First it was the wrong questions to the wrong people. But then she realized those same monsters might have the right answers.” Ana traced lines on her pants, not looking up at Griffin. Little figure eights over and over again. “And she realized that not only had they stolen her innocence, they had destroyed her future too.”
This conversation felt oddly familiar. “Do you know Illiyana?”
Ana laughed softly. “I knoweveryone, Griffin. I have been everywhere. Endured a lifetime of suffering. And in it, I have found my stride. Soon a girl will become pregnant. She will gain the interest of the Creators; it will lure them here, because I will make it so. And then, when the time is right, you will need to rescue her.”
“Why?”
“Because a Cherished woman is the only hope we have for changing anything. It is the only way your countries, the Sacred Trinity,” she spat the words, “may step in.”
“But they won’t care or know about it. And it is clear none of the occupants here are concerned.”
Ana got to her feet, turning to leave.
He stepped forward grabbing her wrists. “Ana—”
She pulled her hand free, her eyes alight in rage. “My name isAnadil!”Her lips flattened into a line before speaking again. “Or you can call me Nightingale. Save the pregnant girl. I will figure out the rest, and when the time is right, I will come for you. Trust me, this will be the change that is needed to usurp the leaders.”
“Wait! How will I know who she is?”
