“I’m a Rae. I’m supposed to protect the Lands, my people—”
“Honey isn’t one of your people.”
“If I can’t protect an innocent nymph in my company, then who can I protect? I’m not even sure—”
“What?”
“I’m not sure I can protect myself,” she finished, sagging. “If I fight Lavana, there’s a very good chance I’ll lose.”
His grip tightened on her thigh. “Mag—”
“If I do, please help Damion and Honey escape the Spire. And Hero, watch out for him, all right?”
“You’re not going to die,” he said, breath hot on her ear. “Why are we talking about this?”
“Because I need to say it. Because I might not be here to say it later.”
“No wonder you’re so anxious,” he said. “Have you no confidence—?”
“It’s not about confidence,” she said. “I have the Enneahedron, I have you; therefore, I have a good chance. But I have no control over the judgment of the Crown or the rest of the family. There’s also a real possibility I could be dead before the week is out.” Her energy ebbed away. “And to be honest, I won’t risk speaking freely to you or anyone so long as we are in the city. You’re not the only one who will have to put on a different face for the court.”
“And what face will that be?”
“One that will make no one doubt my confidence,” she said. “The face of a Rae. There’s one more thing,” she said, holding up her left hand and the ironwood sheath. “If I die, find a way to return this to my mother’s tomb.”
“What is it?”
She lowered her hand, fingers curling in the coarse fur of Gur’s mane. “Something I hope not to have to use.”
“Why are you telling me this? Why not Damion?”
“I know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, but... I trust you to take my words to heart, or at least give them some thought. Damion will only try to get himself killed if I die. Just as he did for Alanna. He won’t think about anything.”
The silence that followed left her drifting, fending off the pull of sleep.
“Magda,” he said softly.
“Hm?”
“I need to tell you something . . .”
She roused, squinting against the fierce blue span of sky and the wind that tore tears from her eyes. “Yes?”
More silence.
“What is it?”
“I asked Damion to train me . . .”
“I know.”
“So I can kill my father... and my brother.”
Her heart sank. “Kaelan . . .”
“I know you love him—”
“No, I don’t,” she said. “Why don’t you believe me?”
