Page 156 of House of Marionne

I can mention the tracing tether—that gossip will spread soon enough—but I have no idea how he’ll react to knowing about my toushana. If Abby insists on his being here, then I can’t tell her everything.

“Sure, fine.” I explain what I found on Grandmom’s bookshelves, the Perl girls, Nore Ambrose, how Grandmom has fixed Third Rite, what happened at Cotillion. But not about my toushana. Once I’m done, Abby clings to Mynick in shock.

“So I’m . . . tethered?” Fear wells in her eyes.

“You are.”

Octos’s expression glints.

Mynick paces.

Abby nudges him. “I told her she could trust you.”

“She can. I was just thinking. It would be good to tell Headmistress Ambrose.”

“My grandmother told me that she lied about Nore being on sabbatical because she was asked to. Any idea who would ask her to do that?” My pulse ticks faster at still no sign of Mom.

I glance at Octos, who still hasn’t said anything, and I realize that gleam in his eye is ambition. Opportunity.

“So what are we going to do?” Abby asks, pulling at her sweater.

I crane for a view of some indication someone’s coming but see only darkness. “First I need to find my mom. Octos, I was hoping you could help with that.” My gaze falls to his sleeves, which are rolled all the way down today.

“She will expect that,” he says.

“Who?”

“Darragh Marionne. She can influence any of those she’s tethered to her House, whether they want to be or not. Including those who have gone on to become Draguns. I would wager she will circumvent the Dragunhead and have her Dragun graduates hunting you after what you’ve done.” His posture shifts with knowing, and he glances at my still-veiled diadem. “Outing the tethering secret, I mean,” he clarifies to a perplexed Abby. “I imagine they’ll expect you to try to find your mom.”

“He’s right. It’s what I would do.” Mynick pulls back his jacket, revealing a talon stitched at his throat, like the one Jordan wears.

“You were invited to be a Dragun of your House!” Abby slaps his arm. “When were you going to tell me?”

“I wasn’t. Until I was sure. I haven’t finished yet.”

Abby’s eyes well with tears. “How could you?”

They argue, and Octos steps closer to me, whispering under his breath.

“What you need to spend your time doing is focusing on getting control.” He holds up my bruised fingers. “Before you lose yourself completely. I can teach you.”

I trust my toushana, but I don’t know how to wield it with control. I need to in order to protect myself and Mom. He’s right.

“Abby, can you and Mynick look for my mom?”

She side-eyes him. “I will, but he can’t.”

“Abby, please,” he says. “I’m sorry. I’ll turn it down, okay? I—I’ll fail the exam or, I don’t know.”

“So you’ll do it, then?” I ask.

“Yes,” Mynick says emphatically. “If that gets my Abs talking to me again.”

“What about you?” she asks. “What are you going to do?”

“Octos is going to help me strengthen my magic.”

Abby’s brow dents.