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“He’s inside the breach?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything,” Gen said quickly. “I was well clear of the breach before he could get to me. I figured your sentinels were the far lesser evil. Didn’t know your chief minister had them in his pocket.”

I flinched. “I don’t think Father knew, either. I’m sorry, Gen. I shouldn’t have asked you to go.”

“Better I face Bandur than one of your brothers,” he said. “Besides, I know exactly where the amulet is now. You got the mirror back, didn’t you?”

“Your hawk delivered it,” I replied, fishing the shard out of my satchel. I’d been in such a hurry to save Gen I hadn’t even taken the time to wipe the blood off the glass. Now I saw it wasn’t blood at all, but a strange coppery dust that glowed faintly on my fingers as I rubbed it.

“There’s a small puncture in the breach that’s different from the rest,” explained Gen tiredly. “The rock there’s darker, almost crimson. It looks like the pupil of an eye. According to the mirror, Bandur’s amulet is wedged under the layer of rock.”

No mere rocks could stop me from defeating Bandur. “I’ll find it.”

“You shouldn’t be the one to do it,” Gen said. “That’s what he’ll want. He’ll lure you into the mountains and take your pearl.”

Takkan had been silent this entire time, but the moment he opened his mouth, I knew exactly what he was going to say. “What if I—” He stopped abruptly when he caught sight of my face.

You aren’t getting anywhere near the amulet, my glare informed him. You aren’t even to think about it.

Takkan withdrew, but his lips were pressed into a thin, unyielding line. This wasn’t the end of our dispute.

“Whoever takes the amulet needs to be careful,” continued Gen, his eyelids drooping with exhaustion. “Being so close to Bandur will be a terrible burden. It will chew on your soul and weigh you down.”

“Thank you, Gen,” I said, starting to tow Takkan out of the room. “My brothers and I will discuss this tomorrow. You get some rest.”

Before the young sorcerer could protest, I closed the door on him. Takkan and I settled in the adjacent room. I sighed. “This must be how my father feels when he worries about me.”

“I’ll watch him,” said Takkan. “I fear the princes’ guards cannot be trusted. Nor yours.”

“Thank you.” My shoulders dropped, as if I’d been bearing the weight of the world, and I peeked inside at Gen. He was sound asleep, chest shuddering as he breathed in and out.

“It’s not safe for him here anymore,” I said to Takkan. “I’m going to send him home. First thing tomorrow.”

“He won’t like it.”

“I don’t care,” I said. My decision was made. “I’ll ask Andahai to charter him a ship. It’ll leave from the Sacred Lake. Quietly.” An idea came to me. “I’ll tell Father that I’m on the ship too, en route to Iro for my exile.”

“In reality, we’ll head to the Holy Mountains,” Takkan said, understanding my plan.

“The timing is perfect.”

He agreed. “Two birds, one stone. Clever, Shiori.”

It was clever. But cleverness didn’t used to make me feel so guilty. I wished I didn’t have to lie to Gen, or to my father.

I shrugged off my conscience. “We should talk about the amulet,” I said, sensing it was still on Takkan’s mind.

Takkan perked up, naively assuming I’d changed my decision. “I should be the one to get it.”

“Absolutely not,” I said in a tone that brooked no disagreement. “I told you what I saw in the waters, and you promised you wouldn’t be recklessly brave.”

“This has nothing to do with being reckless or brave. I’m the only one who can do it.”

“I have six brothers,” I said firmly. “If I can’t go, one of them will.”

“They’ll be cranes,” Takkan argued. “How can they guard Bandur’s amulet?”

“They have experience with magic. You don’t.”