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At nineteen turns, Thantrel was younger and knew Rhistel and I had a strained relationship, but nothing more. To most, we could pretend to be cordial—sometimes even felt it. Luccan and Duran, however, knew mebetter.

“But Father doesn’t think so. Hence why he’s sending me away.”

“What did you fight about, anyway?” Thantrel asked.

“Rhistel is displeased that he’ll have to marry a Balik. Apparently, I was supposed to.”

“Your brother would marry no one if he could help it. He’d continue to put coin into our father’s pockets and frequent upstairs.” Thantrel gestured to the staircase in the tavern that led up to the high-end pleasure house owned by Lord Riis.

“He comes here that often?”

“At least three times a week.” Luccan raised an eyebrow.

Was Rhistel in love with a whore? I doubted I’d ever know. My brother would never speak to me again.

“Who does he visit?” I asked.

“Mistress Rambi is a favorite,” Luccan said. “But there are others. I can look at the ledger, if you wish?”

“Do.”

Luccan took a drink of ale. “Your wife did well today, Vale. After you left, it was like she could concentrate again.”

“Would you like to tell us what’s happening on that score?” Thantrel leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table.

“Not particularly.”

“Maybe we can help,” Luccan pressed. “You shouldn’t be having marital issues this soon.”

Duran watched me closely. Of all those at the table, heknew Neve was hiding something and that she needed to lie for some reason. I trusted him not to say anything, though, especially seeing as Thantrel was present. Thantrel was a turn too young to be a member of the cabal.

“We’re adjusting,” I said because if that wasn’t the truth, I didn’t know what was. “Did she learn anything new today?”

“She threw axes well enough. And Sian showed her a few tricks,” Luccan replied. “Told her not to show them to you, though.” He winked, and I rolled my eyes. “And I have to say that her flying is getting better and better.”

“We were thinking she should switch to magic soon.” Thantrel paused. “Actually, what is her magic? I’ve never seen her use her powers.”

To buy time, I drank a few more slugs of ale, finishing the first horn. The ale warmed my belly.

“I don’t know,” I said. “Neither does she.”

Thantrel gaped. “But she’s . . . What? Twenty-two turns? That’s old enough to have had her power—even for late bloomers.”

“Twenty-three,” I corrected him. “And she has never trained with her magic, but we’ve seen it a few times. It’s something we’re planning on working on trying to tease out.”

Tomorrow, her powers would be freed. I didn’t know how they’d materialize. As an explosion? Or would the grip of the Liar’s Salvation potion over her magic loosen gently?

“I’ve read that those from small villages put less of an emphasis on training their magic than those at court,”Duran said. “And Neve is from a small village in the west, so that makes sense.”

I wondered what Duran believed a commonfae from the west would need to lie about?

“Perhaps we start small then,” Thantrel mused. “This will be fascinating to watch someone learn magic as an adult.”

“How about we focus on weapons for a while longer?” I said. “When she’s ready to use her magic, she’ll bring it up.”

Thantrel leaned back in his chair and swung his leg up to cross at his knee. “So protective.”

“What?”