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Pain brought me back to the world of the living.

As I opened my eyes, a throbbing headache assaulted me. I was sitting against the wall of the tent, its shimmery folds rustling

around me. The left side of my face above my eye felt hot and swollen, like someone had jabbed it with a needle.

I tried to probe it... and couldn’t. My arms wouldn’t move—because my hands were bound behind my back, wrists lashed together

with rough cord. Which, given everything that had happened, didn’t surprise me. Tentatively, I wiggled my fingers and found

that my right hand was wrapped in cloth and bandages. They throbbed, but dully, as if the pain had been numbed or suppressed.

“Sparrow.”

My stomach contracted. It was his voice above me, Raithe’s voice, though I could suddenly feel all three of their gazes. Thankfully, my hood was raised, and

I ducked my head even farther, afraid of what I would see in his eyes if I looked up.

“Can you hear me?” Raithe asked. His voice was neutral, carefully guarded, and my throat closed even as I nodded. If he despised

me now, I wouldn’t blame him.

“Yes.”

“Come on.” Halek’s voice broke the stillness, sounding pained and impatient. “She’s awake. Cut her loose, already.”

“We don’t know if this is Sparrow or not.” Kysa’s tone was calm but wary. “It sounds like her, but the ma’jhet leader knows her. He knows exactly how to lower our guard, and one of us almost lost his life because of it. How are we to

be sure this is Sparrow and not the imposter?”

There was a moment of silence, and I closed my eyes. I could tell them I was me again, but why should they believe anything

I said? Besides, I couldn’t muster any defense through the suffocating cloud of shame and guilt. I had almost killed Raithe.

And yes, it had been Vahn acting through me, but that didn’t ease the horror any less. If Raithe had died...

He stepped forward, sinking to a knee in front of me. And though I was terrified of what I would see in his eyes, I dragged

my gaze up to meet his. His expression was carefully neutral, giving nothing away—the featureless mask of the kahjai.

“Tell me something only Sparrow would know,” he murmured.

I swallowed. My mind spun as I tried to think of the words that would convince him. Raithe waited calmly, no change in his

expression, though I could sense Halek holding his breath behind him. Kysa hovered at Halek’s back, casually gripping her

spear. If I didn’t come up with a satisfactory answer, that spearhead might find itself in my heart.

Raithe still knelt before me, silent. Wetting my lips, I whispered, “On the sand strider, you told me some of the workers thought there was a ghost haunting the lower machinery decks, and I said it was just mice under the floorboards, but we both knew it was me.” No change in Raithe’s expression, and I dropped my gaze even as I went on.

“And in the temple of Damassi, you said you missed home, that walking into Irrikah was like walking into another world. I remember thinking that I really wanted to see it, even though I’d forget everything about it when I left. ”

Raithe watched me in silence for another moment, before he rose and stepped smoothly to my side. I heard the rasp of a knife

leaving its sheath, and a moment later the cord around my wrist dropped away.

Halek let out a sigh of relief. “Damn you three,” he breathed, and raked both hands through his hair, making it stand on end.

“I think my heart is about to explode from stress, and Fatechasers are famous for not worrying about anything. Sparrow, you

okay?” His blue eyes met mine, and the genuine concern in them made my throat close up. I dropped my gaze, unable to answer.

Kysa stepped back. “Come,” she told Halek, tapping his shoulder. “The dragons need saddling, Fatechaser. We’ve lingered here

too long, and the twins wait for no one.”

“Yeah, but—ow. Hey, watch the spear, ow! Okay, I’m going, I’m going.”

The two of them shuffled out, the tent folds swishing shut behind them. I stared at my hands, still feeling Raithe’s eyes

on me, still uncertain of what I could say. I noticed that whoever had bandaged my hand had done so thoroughly; I remembered

the moment the knife edge bit into my fingers, slicing them open as I grabbed the blade. I’d barely even felt the pain. I

hadn’t had much of a plan—my whole focus had been to hang on to the knife long enough that Raithe and the others could get

to Vahn.

It chilled me now, how far Vahn was willing to go to bring me back. And how easily he could manipulate us all.

Raithe stepped in front of me again. Peeking up, I saw his open hand reaching down to me, a silent offer of support. It nearly

made my eyes fill with tears, but I reached out and tentatively grasped the proffered fingers.

“I’m sorry—” I began. But my voice was lost as Raithe pulled me to my feet and into his arms, crushing me to him.

The tears and relief finally spilled over. Closing my eyes, I clung to him, hearing his breath, feeling the rapid beat of

his heart against mine. I’d almost lost him. Vahn really would have killed him right in front of me, just like he killed Jeran.

“I’m so sorry, Raithe,” I whispered into his shirt. My hands curled into fists against his back. “What I almost made you do...”

Raithe gently pulled back, looking me in the eye. “I’m still here,” he said, cupping my cheek with one hand. “Still alive.

And that wasn’t you, Sparrow.” His knuckles brushed my skin, catching the tears crawling down my face. “I don’t blame you

for anything,” he murmured. “The ma’jhet’s blood magic has always been insidious. I should have known...” He paused, a

shadow going through his eyes as he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been able to shield you from any of this.”

“Stop,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t even be alive if it wasn’t for you, Halek, and Kysa. I’d be buried under Kovass, or the Dust

Sea, or...” Or dead on an altar with Vahn standing over me.

“Raithe, you’re the reason I’m here,” I said, not quite able to meet his gaze.

“The reason I’m going to Irrikah to talk to a queen about what being Fateless really means.

My whole life, I’ve been nothing but a thief.

I ran from trouble and hid in the shadows when things got too dangerous.

I didn’t stick my neck out for anyone, because I knew they wouldn’t do the same.

“But then,” I went on, breathing deeply to hide the tremor in my voice, “I met you. And Halek, and Kysa. And for the first

time, I want to be something more than just a thief. The thought of being Fateless...” My breath caught, and I shook my

head. “I’m terrified. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, what anyone expects I can do. But I know I can’t run away and hide from this. All of you showed me that. And now...” I finally peeked up at Raithe

and found him studying me, pale eyes intense. “I have people I want to protect. I can’t lose anyone else.”

“You were never just a thief, Sparrow,” Raithe said. “You were always something more—you just had to believe it yourself.”

One hand rose and gently traced my cheek, making my insides dance. “I never expected to find you in Kovass,” he went on in

a near whisper. “And I never expected...” He paused, his gaze dropping, as if the final words were hard to say. With a

sigh, he closed his eyes, his brow furrowing slightly. “I never expected to feel this way,” he finished, making my breath

catch and my stomach curl in on itself. “Whatever you decide,” he went on, “whatever Fate has in store for us, I’ll be with

you. No one can know their destiny, especially with the Fateless, but if you do have a thread in the Tapestry of the World,

I think our stories are pretty well entangled.”

My throat closed up. Suddenly, I didn’t care about blame, or loss, or guarding my heart.

I didn’t care about the warnings Kysa had given, that I might or might not be the Fateless, that Raithe knew more than he was letting on.

Right now, all that seemed insignificant.

Doubt and fear still plagued me, the cynical street thief within me warning me not to trust or get close to anyone ever again.

I ignored her. Raithe had been with me every step of the way since Kovass.

And earlier, facing down the leader of the ma’jhet, he had been willing to trade his life for mine.

For a Fateless whom he knew very little about, with only the slightest hope that she might be enough to change the world.

I reached out and trailed a hand down his jaw, and he shivered. He had gone very still, as if fearing I might pull back if

he made any movement at all. Those pale eyes were open and gazing down at me, the longing in them clear. But he didn’t move.

This time, I would have to make the choice.

Be brave, Sparrow. For once, take a chance on something that matters .

The sound of someone clearing their throat made me freeze. Kysa stood just outside the tent, gazing in at us. Her spear was

in her hand, but the look on her face was one of faint amusement.

“I am sorry,” she said, without a hint of embarrassment, for herself or for us. “But Rhyne and the dragons have been saddled

and we are nearly ready to go.” She tilted her head, a slight, almost apologetic smile crossing her lips. “I do need to pack

up the tent before we can depart.”

Raithe slumped. I caught flashes of wry disappointment and resignation on his face as he pulled back with a sigh. “Of course,”

he murmured, glancing toward the insect rider. I set my jaw with a flare of defiance as he turned away. “I’ll help you take

it down—”

Reaching out, I caught his wrist, making him pause. As he glanced back, I stepped forward, snaked an arm around his neck, and pressed my lips to his.

He stiffened, breathing in sharply, and his hands came up to grip my waist. But only a moment passed before he relaxed and

leaned in, his arms sliding up to hold me close. My pulse roared in my ears. I was really doing this, completely lowering