“You have possession of all four elements. You are an excellent dragon rider. The dragons love you. And you have… your visions,” she added simply. “Any tribe—every tribe—should be clamoring to get your attention, but they aren’t.”“Because I’m half-Fae,” she whispered.“No,” Helly said sharply with a shake of her head. “No, that’s not why. Don’t ever think that. Because you’ve done such a good job at hiding how accomplished you are, everyone underestimates you. It’s a very safe position to be in.”“It’s not safe; it’s suicide,” she croaked. “If I’m not a member of a tribe, then I don’t become a citizen, Helly. I don’t get my own life. I don’t get to escape what my father did to me!”And there it was. Her entire life and fears laid out before them like a raw, bleeding wound.Helly reached forward and pressed her hands to her trembling fingertips. “What Kivrin did to you was wrong, Maya,” she murmured. “I am certain he deeply regrets what happened. If you wish to return to Bryonica, the

With a wistful sigh, Amaya strode up to the attendant beside the master of ceremonies. The attendant nodded gratefully and handed the slip of paper to his master.Maya backed out of the room as the master of ceremonies wove an elaborate speech about where the teams and contestants had finished on the first day of the tournament. She wanted to escape before the crowds. But just as she exited the cool beauty of the top box, another person darted out of it.“Maya!”She turned back and found Amber waiting there on the top step. “Amber, what are you doing?”But her eyes were wide with concern. “I couldn’t find you after you left to speak with Helly. I didn’t know what had happened to you.”“I’m fine, Amber,” she said as her friend flung herself into her arms. “I’m right here. I’m working with the tournament.”Amber pulled back and swallowed. “Good. I’m glad you’re safe. Have you seen Marc? Was he with you?”“Amber? No, why would he be? Wasn’t he packing to go with Kenris?”“That’s what I t

Someone had arranged him with his arms wrapped over his chest. His eyes closed, his face serene, his body limp and ready to return to the earth. It didn’t even look like Marc.Though maybe a touch more than when she had snuck into the depths of the mountain to where they kept him in a cold place to prevent rot. The very thought shuddered through her as her teeth chattered, the deeper she crept. She was glad that she hadn’t asked Amber or Aurora to come with her. They’d never have made it this far. She hoped to find a clue, to find anything to tell her why this had happened.But when she got there, she looked down at the body—his skin waxy, his lips blue, the puncture wound deep—and she realized her folly. There was nothing here. Nothing but a wave of grief. She’d fallen to the floor and cried for hours. Marc was gone. He was really gone.Amber squeezed her hand, bringing her back to reality. Maya blinked back the weight of that grief. She had heard nothing that the man said, who was t

You’re late,” the man said.Isa plopped down onto one of the couches. She poured herself a glass of amber liquid out of a crystal decanter and then propped her feet up. “I’m not a dog. I don’t come when I’m called.”“You are in my employ.”“And I did what you’d told me. So, where’s my money?” She took a sip of the bourbon and sighed. At least he’d forked out for the good stuff.The man never turned to face her, but she could feel his anger emanating off him. “You killed the wrong person and made the mistake of leaving the body for the Guard to locate. You failed miserably. You will get nothing.”Isa dropped her feet onto the intricately woven rug. She sure hoped that she’d crushed dirt into the delicate fabric. “No one is going to have any idea that I killed him. I am talented at my profession. They will think that it was an accident. I made it look like a robbery.”“But you didn’t get the girl!” he cried, finally whirling around to face her.“One thing at a time, boss,” she crooned.

Fordham lashed out with a rope of flame this time, a tendril of red that slashed around the girl’s leg and dragged her back to the ground. Beneath the mask, her eyes widened in alarm and a flash of pain. But she didn’t even cry out. As if fire was no match for her. She easily maneuvered away, and as soon as she was free, she wrenched open the balcony doors and slipped outside.Fordham flung himself after her. But in the span of a few heartbeats, the girl had already scaled the far wall and disappeared out the back.He came back inside, cursing vividly. “Who the hell was that?”“Marc’s killer,” Maya croaked as she tried to get to herThen, the memory of all her pain came crashing back down around her and she fell back in a heap on the floor once more.“Gods, you’re injured,” he said, crouching before her.“She stabbed me… in the shoulder,” Maya said, pulling back her cloak to reveal the wound beyond.Fordham inspected it, thoroughly and efficiently with little compassion. She winced th