“You’re a household name, you know. Even the nurses won’t shut up about you. It’s been worse since the shoot-out.”

I cringed and shifted slightly on the infirmary mattress. I’d spent the last two days staying near Owen and being treated for my shoulder wound. The medics had acted professionally around me, but it had been easy to hear their whispers as they turned the corner.

“I don’t see why you won’t just expose the elders,” Owen added. “As long as they have any power, they’ll try to get rid of you.”

“There would be war between their supporters and the faction that wants to unseat Keon. And when they fell, who would fill the power vacuum? Not me, I’m going to Amberasta with the assassination force. There is no guarantee that the new leader would be more favorable.”

“Okay, fine, so what’s the plan now?”

“We’ll train and wait to see how things develop in Amberasta. Keon’s doing everything he can to stop the news from spreading, but he will have to release an official statement soon. When the time is right, we’ll track him down.”

Owen shook his head. “You’ll wait and see? It seems like a flimsy plan to me. Besides, Keon will be heavily guarded. You’ll never be able to get close.”

“It will be months before we’re ready. There will be time to find a way around the guards.”

Owen grimaced. “It may be ironic for me to say this, but do you realize how unprepared you are for a mission of this caliber? Why not use a team of professional assassins?”

“I did ask Nico, but he said that there’s few left, and none we could trust not to flip under the pressure of death.”

“I don’t know, Glace. Still, I have to hand it to you—it sounds like you put the elders in their place.”

“I couldn’t have done it without Nico.”

Owen’s eyes narrowed. “What’s your relationship with him, exactly?” Before I could open my mouth to speak, a blush rose to my cheeks, betraying me. “You’ve slept with him?”

“I did not ask for your opinion.”

“Fine, never mind that. How much have you told him about…” he gestured vaguely, “about the night of the robbery?”

I swallowed uncomfortably. “I… I’ve told him everything.”

“He knows about me?”

I nodded. “I didn't even know if you were alive, and he was there that night.”

Owen cursed. “Glace, you’re a fool.”

“I wouldn’t be in this position if not for you,” I snapped. “You decided to run off with Katrina sneak into the Fortress. So much of what I’ve been through in the past three years is because of you.”

His expression grew dark at the mention of Katrina’s name. “Maybe so, but that doesn’t change the fact that I think you’re making a mistake by trusting Nico. Who is he, really? What’s his real name? And don’t you think it’s a little odd that he just happened to be inside of the Fortress compound at the same time we were?”

My hands tightened around the sheets. “He saved my life.”

“That means nothing if his loyalties lie with the king. You’ve told him everything, but he hasn’t returned the favor.”

“Nico would never work with Keon,” I hissed. “Never.”

Owen shrugged. “All I ask is that you think about it.” He reached under the sheets, pulled out a little glass bottle, and then tilted it to his lips and drank deeply.

“You’re still drinking,” I observed, “who the hell is giving you alcohol?”

Owen laughed. “Someone who takes pity on me.”

“You shouldn’t-” I was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Medic,” a male voice called. Owen capped the bottle and slipped it back under the sheets just the medic let himself in and closed the door. The moment his gaze settled on me, his eyes grew wide, and I knew that I had been recognized.

“Mr. Hayes,” he said, “I’d like to have a word with you.”

“I’ll leave,” I said, standing up.

Owen waved his hand. “It’s fine, stay.”

I settled on a wicker chair by the door, giving the medic space to talk to Owen. “I’ll need to do an examination,” he said, giving me a pointed look. Owen shrugged, bending over to roll up the pant leg of his loose jeans. The medic unwrapped the gauze at the tip of the limb and palpated the stump, asking Owen about his pain levels. My eyes traced over the flesh, as if looking for the shin and foot that were no longer there. Owen looked up, meeting my eyes, and his message was clear: the last three years hadn’t been easy for him, either.

“Well, I have some good news,” the medic said. “It appears that the infection has been successfully treated. Your residual limb is in very good condition, and much stronger than when you first came in. I think we can have you fitted for a prosthesis soon.”

I found myself smiling. Finally, some good news.

“What kind of prosthesis?” Owen asked.

“We’ll have it specially made. There are metalworkers here at Bellgate that work with the infirmary on occasion. We will make it as comfortable and functional as possible. Still, it will be a long road of therapy and practice before you will be accustomed to it.”

I titled my head, waiting for Owen’s answer. In the past, he’d been hesitant to receive treatment, writing himself off as useless because of his injury. A moment passed as he looked down at his stump. “All right,” he finally said, “I’ll try.”

***

I unlocked the door to my bedroom and took a deep breath. It was dim inside, so I lit the kitchen lantern and poured myself a glass of water. Near my feet, a large bloodstain stretched across the rock floor. No matter where I looked, it always seemed to materialize in my peripherals.

There was a noise behind me, and I whipped around so fast that the water splashed on the floor. To my surprise, Muriel had just emerged from her side of the room in her military fatigues. It had been days since I’d seen her—she had been absent each time I’d left the infirmary to check the state of the dwelling.

“Glace,” she acknowledged, inclining her head. Even though my real name was common knowledge, her usage of it put my teeth on edge. “How are you? I heard you were injured by an exposed wire.”

My gaze drifted over to the bloodstain as I considered the elders’ lie. “Yes… I was working in Bushnell, and it was dark. I went to the infirmary straight after. They stitched up the wound, so I’m doing well.”

“Glad to hear it. Well, I’m on patrol duty again tonight. They’ve doubled security for the next month.”

I nodded, and she turned and walked across the room. As she was about to open the door, I raised my voice. “Muriel, aren’t you going to ask about the bloodstain?”

She froze with her hand hovering over the doorknob. “What do you mean? It’s from your injury.”

“No. Like I told you, I went to the infirmary right after I got injured in Bushnell. And I think you know that this much blood loss would be fatal.”

I could see Muriel fighting to come up with an answer, and my fears were confirmed. “You know what I think?” I said. “I think you didn’t ask about the stain because you know that it was from the assassin’s body.”

“Assassin?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Drop the damn act. You weren’t here when he broke in. Why? Because you’d be in the way, and I would ask questions if the assassin failed and you had not intervened. Now you’re back to spy on the elders’ behalf.”

“Glace…”

“Get out,” I hissed. “Get the fuck out.”

“I cannot.”

I took a few steps forward, halving the distance between us. “The elders don’t want to cross me, do they?” I asked, my voice low with warning.

Muriel’s mouth fell to a thin line. “Okay. I’ll… I’ll gather my things.”

“No. Leave now.”

“Fine,” she said, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace. With one last look, she turned around, pulled open the door, and disappeared onto the ledge. I waited until her footsteps had faded and then collapsed onto my bed. My breathing sped up, and I felt a tightness work its way into my chest. I can’t stay here, I realized. I’ll pack my things and go to Nico’s.

I sat up, but stopped dead as Owen’s words appeared in my head: ‘Who is he, really? What’s his real name?’ I bent over, head in my hands. Owen was right—back in Historical Amberasta, Nico had claimed that he was nothing more than a bystander in the crowd of protestors, but his story had never made sense. Even back then, I had known that it was a lie; Nico had detailed knowledge of the Fortress compound, and he’d recognized the APF officer who had found us in the forest.

A sickening feeling formed in my stomach. Why did I ignore it for so long? Why was I content to tolerate his lies? Living with Sarah was the only other option, but she was related to Muriel and my presence might put her in danger if the elders put out another hit on me.

I need to find out the truth about Nico, I finally decided. Until then, I am alone again.