Page 227 of Eternal Ruin

It had worked.

Absorption.

Kidan had inherited her mother’s culture and law. The house would bend to her will. And if she wanted the mask artifact, she only needed to change this law by breaking it.

June held her upright, quickly leading her outside. Kidan dragged herself across the threshold and sucked in a lungful of air.

“Just rest,” June said, her eyes full of hidden emotion.

But Kidan couldn’t rest. Refused to. Her mother had passed down her will, her culture, contradictory, hopeful, kind yet lettered in revenge. She was good and evil, there was no distinction, no line. To exist, she became whatever was necessary.

I am my mother. I am her daughter.

Kidan was going to murder Dean Faris.

UXLAY’SHOUSE VOTE

UMIL HOUSE

10 DRANAICS

UMIL HOUSE HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CAST A VOTE THIS WEEK. THE MOT ZEBEYA COURTS SEND THEIR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE GRIEVING MEMBERS OF UMIL HOUSE AND ALL THOSE WHO MOURN.

78.

KIDAN

I want her dead. I want to kill hermyself.” Kidan paced the Philosophy Tower, pressing on each of her fingers and popping all the air bubbles in her bones.

Slen was quiet, seated, her eyes dark. “Tell me what happened.”

“It was the dean,” Kidan hurled. “She ordered their murder!”

Slen’s eyes stretched a little, and the act of saying it aloud broke Kidan all over again.

“She found out about the Dirt Diggers.” Her voice shattered but she forced herself to keep going. “She was my mother’s friend, and she had her killed. All this time… I thought the dean saved me from prison. Wanted to help me.”

Furious tears rushed down her cheeks and dripped into her mouth, sour and salty.

“I’m going to kill her, Slen. I swear I am.”

“Think about what you’re saying.” Slen seized her hand painfully, gripping tight. “Killing the dean will collapse Uxlay. It will make the Sicions hunt you down. You’re not thinking clearly.”

“I don’t care. Let me go.”

Kidan tugged but Slen was surprisingly strong, and the two crashed into the stack of books on the table, letting them clatter to the floor.

“Who do you think planned for us to be at Grand Andromeda Hall?” Kidantried to make her understand. “The dean wanted usallto die with Yusef, Slen. Get rid of the 13th and the Dirt Diggers. That’s what she always does. Removes all threat against Uxlay.”

Slen’s eyes worked back and forth, bridging the pieces, thinking. Her fingers still dug into Kidan’s arm.

“If you’re not going to help, I’ll do it myself.”

Kidan wrenched free and marched to the door.

“You’ll die before you even reach her!” Slen shouted, making her go still.

Slen had lost control of her voice only two days ago, screaming over Yusef’s crushed body. Kidan turned slowly. The crack in Slen’s mask was just enough to glimpse the flood of pain waiting to be unleashed.