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A mantis.

I exhaled in understanding. According to witnesses, Briar had been seen near the residence of the amber woman. But that mysterious woman had not been called Amber as I’d assumed. She must have been wearing amber—a calling card of sorts.

Because that woman had been Lady Nelle.

“We tracked down Cyrus at his dullroot farm,” Mara continued, “and discovered information in his journals, suggesting we might find answers here in Ansora. I’d been scoping out the Coal Quarter when I learned about the settlement and started following a different lead. A Verenian woman—Imogen something.”

My heart wrenched at the memory of the fire. “What did you do to her?” I snarled.

Mara’s laughter turned into another cough. “Nothing. Just as I went to tap her for information, the fire started. I don’t think it was a coincidence, do you?”

Dread snaked inside me. Erik must have somehow discovered Mara’s plans in Ansora—must even have caught wind of the settlement, containing refugees who might still carry his secret. So he’d tried to take out every threat to his power in one swoop.

But how had he known?

“It’s been such a treat,” Mara said softly, interrupting my train of thought, “discovering exactly what kind of creature we were dealing with in Erik. We’d initially planned to dethrone him as a Wholeborn bastard. Now Briar will have the pleasure of cutting into him as a Wielder.” Her dry lips split around a grin. “Just like she cut into your weakhearted father—”

Her last word crackled as I increased the pin’s pressure on her throat.

“If that is all you can offer me—”

“It isn’t!” she blurted with fresh panic. “I know where to find the evidence. I know how to get Erik off the throne.”

“Then tell me.”

Mara shook her head, frantic. “You wouldn’t have gotten yourself into this prison if you didn’t have a way out. I know about the royals and their Law of Sanctuary.”

“You want sanctuary? From the woman you tortured?” I huffed a laugh. “No deal.”

Her eyes dipped, her blood-tipped lashes fanning over her cheeks. “Then I suggest using that fancy hairpin after all. You’ll need to get an answer out of me before I die.”

“I think I can manage that.” I dragged the prongs up toward her jaw. “We still have a while until your execution.”

“No, cousin.” She chuckled breathily, her expression glazed with pain. “We have far less time than that.”

She used her knee to open one side of her tattered leather jacket. And I startled.

Darkness stained the bandage around her abdomen. Blood, steadily seeping from a wound that Stian had not been allowed to treat properly. A wound that would most certainly kill her before her scheduled execution.

I swore under my breath. “When were you going to tell me you’re bleeding out?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” A smirk ghosted over her lips. “Get me to your prince’s estate, and I’ll tell you everything.” Seeming to gain strength from her leverage, she added, “Including what happened to Garret.”

My breath hitched, the image of Garret twisting through me like a blade.

“I’ll bet it hurts, doesn’t it?” she crooned over the new whooshing in my ears. “Not knowing if he’s dead or alive. Not knowing whether to mourn him or hate him. I can put you out of your misery one way or the other.”

I drew a deep breath, squeezing the hairpin so tightly that its ruby-studded key imprinted my palm. Even if she hadn’t sweetened the deal with information about Garret, I’d known when I’d entered this prison that Mara was my last hope of stopping Erik before he got the Unbreakable Blade to work. And if she truly could get the evidence that would ensure his defeat . . .

I had to set this Hunter free.

So, resentful yet resolute, I slipped Keil’s hairpin through my belt and yanked Mara up by the armpit. She hissed, but I didn’t falter as I hauled her from the cell.

I pinned my eyes on the floor as I navigated us out. Because Osana had been carrying a small glass vial of oil—had even twirled it between her fingers in reassurance before leaving me to my cell. And as she’d headed toward the guards’ exit, she’d trickled behind her this glistening trail for me to follow—one that would dry clear, leaving no evidence of how I’d escaped.

Mara was breathless as we reached the end of the oil spill, where Osana had left the hatch unlocked as promised.

The moment I pushed us through, the scent of honeysuckle enveloped me. We’d emerged from under the dais in Rheya’s throne room. Sunset now blazed beyond the dayglass walls and ceiling, lending the rainbow shimmer a blood-orange hue.