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Demos paced the tent. “Nothing. I don’t think we’re going to find what we need here. I need to go search in Eprotha.”

The thought made my lungs constrict as sweat broke out on the back of my neck. “It’s not safe,” I croaked.

Tibris sent me a sympathetic look. “We always knew we couldn’t stay here, Prisca. You’re about to tell us that you’re not staying here either, so don’t expect the same of us.”

“Us? You want to go too?”

Demos didn’t look pleased at the thought. “I work best alone.”

“And I’m a healer,” Tibris said mildly. “Knowing you, you’ll need one of those.”

Despite my fear, my lips quirked.

“I need to visit the hybrid kingdom,” I said quietly, looking at Demos. “I thought you’d want to come too.”

He looked tortured, but he shook his head. “My skills mean that I’m of better use searching for the hourglass. As soon as we know where it is, we’ll send a message to you.”

Vicer cleared his throat, his gray gaze on my face. “We have enough hybrids willing to help with the search that we can split them into several groups.”

“Isn’t that too dangerous?” Asinia asked. “The iron guards are looking for hybrids.”

“All of us have the blue marks, thanks to the fae prince,” Vicer said. “That will give us some level of protection. Either we act soon, or war will eventually come to this camp. And to the children living here.”

“I need to travel across the fae lands and through the Asric Pass. And we need a ship to make it across the Sleeping Sea,” I said.

Demos shook his head. “If you’re judged worthy, you’ll be taken across the sea.”

“And if I’m not?”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “You will be.”

Asinia glanced at me. “I’m going with you.”

Demos looked like he’d argue, but I shook my head at him before studying Asinia. “Are you sure?”

“You know I am.”

“Fine,” I said. “We need to keep this from Lorian. If he finds out, he’ll come with me. And Conreth has made it clear that can’t happen.”

Demos gave me a hard stare. “I don’t care what repercussions he faces for it. I want him there.”

Because Demos knew Lorian was rabid when it came to my safety and would thrust his body directly between me and any danger that came my way. I narrowed my eyes back at my brother.

“I care. It’s not happening.”

Demos raised one eyebrow. “Your Bloodthirsty Prince will make you pay for trying to protect him like this,” he said.

“Don’t call him that,” I said. “He’s not responsible for what happened in Crawyth.”

Demos looked unconvinced.

“He was set up,” I said, and then I explained the bare minimum about what had really happened. Lorian could fill in the details in the future if he chose to.

When I was finally finished speaking, there was a long silence.

“I believe him,” Asinia said. “The fae had no reason to attack Crawyth. And Regner had every reason to.”

“He may not be responsible for Crawyth, but he’s done other things,” Vicer said. “Reprehensible things.”