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Dante’s sigh was so heavy with regret she felt it in her toes.

The final days sped past in a dizzying blur of preparations as the Fortezza prepared to become a hospital and the army readied their battle stations, while the ragged militia practiced with their ugly but effective-looking homemade weaponry in the piazza.

Alessa and the Fontes trained unceasingly.

They worked out a system, a rotation of sorts, to be sure everyone had a chance to breathe and restore their strength, while ensuring no one was left alone to bear the brunt of her power. Even now, the few times their timing was off left the Fontes in agony.

With every day, her power grew, as though it, too, could sense the looming darkness on the horizon.

Dante loomed, too, his face appearing in her mind at all times, no matter how inopportune, and every time, her power ran away with her.

Kaleb didn’t participate in the training, though he’d offered, but they let him sit in a chair, covered with blankets, despite his irritated protests that he looked like a sad, old man.

Three days before Divorando, their training was interrupted by a kitchen maid nervously twisting her hands in a flour-covered apron.

Apparently, a certain delivery boy had barricaded himself inside the pantry, refusing to leave unless Alessa spoke with him. The girl would have called the guards to knock down the door and drag him out, but it seemed the kitchen staff was rather fond of the charming boy from the bakery, and they were hoping Alessa wouldn’t insist on that option.

“Traitors,” Alessa muttered. After sending the girl to relay a carefully worded message laden with swear words, Alessa gave a terse summary of her last run-in with her brainwashed brother, before leading Saida, Josef, and Kamaria downstairs.

Kaleb stayed behind, sulking at missing out on the fun.

The kitchen staff cleared out when Alessa arrived.

“Go home, Adrick,” she said, glaring through the cracked pantry door.

“Not until you listen to me.”

“The last time I listened to you, you tried to get me to kill myself.”

Josef stepped toward the pantry. “Would you like us to make him leave, Finestra? I’m happy to freeze him out, or Kamaria could light the door on fire.”

Kamaria cracked her knuckles loudly. Adrick’s hair blew around his face as Saida joined in.

“I was an ass and I’m sorry,” Adrick said. “If you’d rather light me on fire than listen, so be it, but I’m not leaving.”

Alessa groaned. “Give us a minute, but if I shout, come running.”

Kamaria, Josef, and Saida retreated to the far side of the kitchen wearing matching glares as Adrick slunk out of the pantry.

“I’m sorry,” Adrick said, his shoulders hunched. “I’ve felt terrible ever since—well, you know. But I really thought I was doing the right thing. How could I have known you were being sabotaged? I didn’t even think ghiotte still existed!”

Alessa flexed her fingers. This was the point, wasn’t it? To let Dante take the fall so she was absolved from blame? Still, it was infuriating to hear it from Adrick’s lips.

“I got so stinking drunk that night, because I was all torn up, and the brother I was drinking with kept rambling on about this kid he’d tried to save from damnation, swore he was a ghiotte, and he’d tracked him down to the city where the kid was fighting for money—anyway, it took me a few days to figure out why the name sounded familiar, but eventually it clicked.”

Alessa cursed.

“I told Ivini as soon as I found out,” Adrick went on, oblivious. “And he saved you, so we’re even, right?”

Alessa’s hands itched to wrap around her brother’s neck. “Youtold Ivini? Because you thought it would make meforgiveyou? If you weren’t my brother, I’d kill you.”

Adrick’s mouth moved in silent confusion. “I—I thought—Alessa, he’s a ghiotte!”

“I’m aware,” she said. “A ghiotte who saved my life more than once, including the time my own brother tried to convince me tokill myself.So, that’s why you’re here? To claim credit for saving me from the ghiotte? Dantehelpedme. Hebelievedin me.Henever betrayed me. Sorry to break it to you, Adrick, but you can’t lay the blame on him. Still wish I’d taken that poison?”

Adrick exhaled shakily. “No. No, I’m really glad you didn’t. You’re my sister. I love you.”

She rolled her eyes.