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No.

Wait.

I’d seen that thought before.

And at once the mist cleared, at once the storm quieted – because Iknewthis path, had followed it into insanity once before already, and what was I doing, listening to those gods-damned phantom voices again as if I’d never grown into more than a scared, unwanted village girl?

Not perfection, Creon’s voice echoed through my mind, even as he stood tense and quiet beside me, unmoving in this moment of deadlock.Just stubbornness.

Yes.

Yes.

Icouldbe stubborn.

The bitch wanted me to choose between victory and family? Then damn her; I’d get both. I was my mother’s daughter, after all, and my father knew where I got my brains – so what was I born for if not this, bargains and trickery, games of wits on the most uneven of battlefields? Achlys and Melinoë might hold the best cards between us, the most powerful magic, the most vicious plans … but no matter how many eyes they stole, they would never see my thoughts. They would never know my heart.

And my heart …

Hell, it was ready to play.

‘So what do you want?’ Gone was the hoarseness, the barely suppressed tremble. I sounded like myself again. Soundedbetterthan myself. ‘Am I supposed to hand myself over to you in return for mercy? To surrender my own life in order to save theirs?’

‘Oh,please, little dove,’ she purred, twirling a long strand of snow-white hair around an equally pale finger. ‘You’re not fooling us again with your pretend silliness. No sensible soul would kill herself that way, family or no – we’re not wasting time offering you a bargain you’re guaranteed to reject.’

What?

It took a fraction of a second for that to land – she’d never even expected me to consider her original demand to surrender in order to save the city?

Then what had it been? Nothing but a nudge for us to attack fast and unprepared, an ultimatum so outrageous no one with a grain of sense would ever accept it? Wasthatwhat she believed me to be – powerful like her and clever like her, and therefore, by necessary extension, also heartless like her?

But then … then she didn’t understandanything.

I had not used my smooth magic. I had not chosen the easy way out.

I wasnotthe evil I was fighting.

‘So what are you offering me?’ It took all I had to keep the elation from my voice, the urge to burst out in hysterical laughter. No cheering until the game was won … but I’d scored a point here, and best of all, she didn’t even have the faintest clue. ‘I don’t suppose you’ll let them walk away if I just smile a little more prettily.’

The Mother cocked her head, the sunlight glinting off the smooth surfaces of her new, inhuman eyes. ‘We would like to offer you an opportunity.’

Even better.

‘I’m all ears,’ I said, crossing my arms.

‘Peace.’ The word rolled off her tongue with flawless theatrical timing, right in the beat of silence between one thump of her heart and the next. ‘A way out of this hopeless race you’re running – that’s the bargain we’ll give you for your people’s lives. You’ll leave now and never look for us again. You’ll never try to hurt us again. In return, we will not harm or bother you either, and within the limitations set, you’re free to do as your heart desires for the rest of eternity. How does that sound, little dove?’

Like a lie.

I didn’t speak the words out loud.

But ithadto be a trap, hadn’t it? Even Alyra was looking violently sceptical in the corner of my eye. It was far too good to be true, coming from the High Lady who wanted me dead above anything else … An open door to freedom. Away from the war, away from the hounds and the blood marks and the mutilated children …

Ridiculous. But shewasproposing a bargain.

‘Why?’ I slowly said.

‘Because you remind us of ourselves, Emelin.’ As if it was a compliment. As if I’d pleaded for her approval like a beggar for bread. ‘You’re hungry. You’re bold. We do respect that, even if you made the mistake of using those powers against us.’