Page 67 of First Offense

“Is it? Or is it the ultimate sin?” He flashed me an indulgent smile. “Isn’t it interesting how killing a Noir isn’t a sin, yet countering a direct order is?”

“Some Noir are irredeemable.”

“Yet, I could have sworn that causing the death of another was an immoral act,” he replied. “Surely the gods frown upon us snuffing out the lives of others.”

“Says the man responsible for several dozens of lives in this prison system, and that’s only this week,” I countered.

Something in his gaze darkened. “I’ve already said today’s episode wasn’t authorized.”

“What about the culling in the yard before?” I retorted. “Or the beast I ran into while waiting for one of your guards?”

“Unfortunate situations, I assure you,” he replied smoothly.

“Were they authorized?”

“I think we’re losing focus, Auric. This is about Layla, yes?” He stretched out his long legs to cross them at the ankles. “She needs to consider any and all acts, including thoughts, that might have led to her Fall. Such as, I don’t know, being against a certain edict from her father. Sefid is, after all, the one who creates our laws. I think a reflection of her opinions may shed light on how she can repent.”

I stared at him. “Are you saying she Fell because she disagreed with King Sefid on something?” Because that was insane.

“I’m saying he makes up the rules, and an attempt to break those rules could lead to a Fall.” He smiled then. “Figure out the cause, repent, and be reborn as Nora. Isn’t that a beautiful story?”

“Whatrulecould she have broken?” I demanded.

“Ah, now you sound like you don’t believe she’s Fallen. How fascinating.”

“Stop fucking with me and speak plainly, Sayir. How did she Fall, and how do we fix it?”

He sighed loudly. “And here I thought we were finally having a productive conversation.”

“It would be more productive without your penchant for riddles.”

“Are they riddles orplainwords that you are failing to understand?” he countered, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “I can’t tell you how to fix this with steps, Auric. Although, I daresay I did provide several suggestions already. Perhaps you need to consider if she should be reformed. Maybe being a Noir was her destiny all along.”

My eyebrows flew upward. “Are you suggesting that the heir to your brother’s throne should be a Noir?”

“I would never suggest that,” he replied, his lips curling. “But there are other suggestions to consider.”

“Which are?”

“Are you always this obtuse?” Sayir wondered aloud, arching a brow.

I opened my mouth to ask him if he was always this fucking cryptic, when movement along the wall caught my eye.Clyde. The little mouse demon thing—Blaze—crawled over the window, its beady eyes catching and holding mine for a brief moment.

Sayir glanced upward, following my distracted stare, only for the little demon to blend right in with the wall. My lips parted at the display of power. He’d either gone invisible or taken on a masterful chameleonlike ability.

When Sayir lowered his gaze, the Blaze appeared again and made a show of tapping on the glass. Or rather, gesturing to it. He didn’t make a sound.

“I’m not obtuse,” I said slowly, trying to engage in the conversation while also attempting to follow whatever Clyde wanted me to see. “I’m just trying to discern what Layla has done and how to fix her.” I clenched my jaw, thinking what I really wanted to ask:I’d also like to know how all this violence is meant to help Noir reform.

“True reformation can only happen in the face of death,” he said after a beat.

I arched a brow. “Meaning?” I really hoped he wasn’t implying that Layla had to nearly die to qualify for his version of reform. Granted, she’d already faced death at least two times in his reformatory, so maybe that was what he meant.

In which case, he was insane.

“Why reform one who isn’t worthy?” he countered.

“Are you saying Layla isn’t worthy?” I asked, my skin prickling with the words. She was absolutely worthy of so much more, and if he said otherwise, my entire calm façade would burn to ash.