Idyne pulls out her little glow charm as the door closes behind us. It sings very faintly, in the same childlike voice as my bracelet.

Aster steps into the lead. "It's going to be a long walk out of the city and back in. We need to keep up our pace." With that, he starts off at a clip, and I lengthen my stride to keep up. When we eventually hit the tunnel end, he turns back to us. "Swear to me you won't reveal the location of this tunnel or the words I say to anyone, so long as you live."

Riszev salutes from her head to her heart. "I swear it."

Frowning, the priestess does the same, and Riszev turns to the three guards to translate. They make the gesture, murmuring in their home tongue. I already know the location and the words—I can hear them over and over, humming loud above my head—but I swear too.

Aster nods and climbs up.

"What about me?" Idyne whines.

"Your word doesn't mean anything, witch. Now, put your light away."

Pouting, she does. Aster reaches the top of the ladder and looks down. "Be ready. There might be a scout out here."

He mutters the words already pounding in my ears. "Abrï agantar a'mraê, escatiris." The trapdoor shudders open, and snow dust drifts down the hole. Aster pokes his head out, hand ready with powder. I finger my dagger.

He climbs out and gestures at us. We hurry up the ladder, and Aster closes the trapdoor. Its deep voice still booms at me, and I stick close behind Riszev, not trusting my ears to hear danger. A waning full moon filters through the treetops, and we twist through the forest's gloom. Branches tangle my hair, and I hurriedly pull it up. One of the guards trips over a root, and her companion rights her.

A branch cracks.

Aster holds up his hand, and we all freeze. Night birds call to each other. In the distance, the voice of the trapdoor still hums faintly. The wind rustles through the trees.

Aster shifts course, and we follow him through the forest. Eventually, the thrum of the trapdoor fades. We make it to the edge of the woods, hovering among its cover. I lean against a tree, looking out. The ground flattens from here to the outer wall, and the wind blows gently over the grass. A road runs from the gate, which hangs crooked and open. Beyond its maw, the city lies dark.

"What are we waiting for?" Idyne whispers.

"If a scout gives us up here, we're done for," Aster answers.

"It looks clear to me."

He shakes his head. "It's the perfect watchpoint. Even the Kadranians can't be that dumb." His finger taps the tree bark. "Give me your light charm."

"What? No."

His heavy stare bears its full weight on her. "Give me the charm, Idyne."

She bristles. "I'm not your slave."

I step in between the two. "Why do you need the charm?" I stop just short of actually saying Aster's name.

His jaw tightens. "As a signal. If I flash it, we're clear and you can all catch up to me."

I look back at Idyne. "Can he please borrow it?"

She frowns but pulls it out. Aster tucks it in his cloak and flicks his hood up. "Wait here." Then he's off over the ground, flitting from shadow to shadow. After about thirty feet, I lose track.

It's unnerving not being able to see him. My hand grasps my necklace. If this was meant to protect me, please let it protect him too. A bird caws. The Retran soldiers shift. Idyne kicks the dirt, whispering something to herself. The silence drags.

A light shines above the outer wall, then disappears. Riszev surges forward, and we follow, double-timing over the expanse to meet Aster descending a tower. Blood taints his silver sword black.

"There was only one," he tells Riszev.

"One?"

He nods, and I can't escape the feeling I'm missing something. "Should there have been more?"

Aster ignores me, but Riszev glances over. "For a standard guard, at least two."

"We're not the only ones who have taken hits." Aster turns, and determination straightens his shoulders. "Come. It's time to finish this."

He weaves us through back alleys until we hit the second wall. Buildings butt up against it, and he leads us as close to the open mouth as possible without revealing us. It's hard to tell in the uncertain light, but the hinges look broken, exposing the tower entrance on the other side. I wonder if the Kadranians did that breaking in or if the Morineause reinforcements did it so the Kadranians couldn't use the gates against anyone else.

Aster points at Idyne. "You're with me."

She tightens her grip on the wrapped end of her silverglass shard. "I don't remember that being part of the deal."

Aster's jaw tightens, and Riszev steps forward. "Take Priyva."

With a sour look, he nods, and Riszev speaks quickly in Retran. One of the women salutes and steps forward. Together, she and Aster slip close to the wall and into the tower. I imagine walking up those winding stairs, waiting to face some threat I can't see...

A scream breaks the night, then cuts short. My hand flies to my dagger, and Riszev draws her sword. She asks Shava something in Retran, but the priestess shakes her head.

"What are they saying?" I whisper to Idyne.

She shrugs. "Princess wants her to check on Aster, but she says she won't waste the energy. We'll know soon enough."

I frown, holding tight to my hilt.

Something flashes out of the corner of my eye, and I twist. A small, scared face stares from a house's window, then scrambles back, disappearing. My heart slows.

"What is it?" Riszev asks.

"Just a child." It's strange to think of people as prisoners in their own homes.

At least they're not all dead.

Aster's head appears above the wall, and he waves us on. We hurry through the gate, and he and Priyva meet us. Blood drips from their blades.

"How loud was that?" Aster asks.

"Well, we heard it," Idyne says.

He grimaces, leading us through the gate. "Let's hope no one else—"

A group of Kadranians turns onto the street. They call out, and five of them charge us. The sixth runs away.

"Et væ!" A blade flies from Aster's outstretched hand. The fleeing man splits to the left, and the knife clatters to the stones.

The Kadranians fall upon us, and I stumble back. An axe swings at Aster, but Riszev stabs the man. I draw my dagger as Shava chants to my right. The blade shakes in my hand. Idyne and the guards step up to meet the other four whirling axes.

A Kadranian swings, and Priyva twists aside. Elation twists into horror as he changes direction and slams into her shoulder. She crumples. Shava's arms twist in the air, and the man that struck Priyva drops, clutching his head.

Aster whirls around the man Riszev fights and sends another knife hurtling. The man's shield shoves Riszev back, and he turns on Aster.

Heart skittering, I dart forward, dagger arcing across the back of his arm. He howls and spins, knocking me to the ground. My head slams into the cobblestones. A blurry Riszev thrusts her sword into his gut, and he crumples.

Beside me, another northerner falls, and his dying gaze grips mine.

Idyne drags me to my feet, and I blink to clear my vision. One of the guards runs through the last Kadranian, and now they all lie on the ground. Only the one Shava cast on still moves, but a guard steps forward and finishes him.

The air feels too still for my racing pulse. In the sudden silence, Riszev crouches beside Priyva. Blood pools from the woman's devastated shoulder. She gurgles, gasping for breath, as her hand scrabbles at the stone. Riszev's face falls. Murmuring something, she slides Priyva's fallen weapon into her hand. Her fingers close around it, and Riszev bows over her, hand gripped tight on Priyva's empty one.

"We need to keep moving," Idyne says.

We all stare as the life drains from the woman's body. Her chest falls and doesn't rise again.

"We're rabbits in an open field out here," Idyne says.

Slowly, Riszev straightens. Her shaking fingers close Priyva's eyes. "I know."

Another guard lifts Priyva's sack and offers it to Riszev as she stands. She passes three unbroken bottles out, and we slip into an alley. No one sheaths their weapons again.

I feel like everything should be over, and the night has just begun.

Streets and streets later, Aster stops and puts his finger to his lips. Quietly, he says, "The Park opens just around this corner. Idyne and I will go in first. If you hear noise, make your own. Otherwise, you know how long to wait."

Riszev nods. "Be careful."

His lips press together, and he disappears around the corner with Idyne.

Once more, we wait, air heavy on us. The group feels too small. Riszev leans against the wall, and I stand beside her. Her hand is fisted against her leg. I almost reach for her, but for some reason, I can't. Instead, I hold my charm so tight it imprints my hand.

Finally, she pushes off the wall. She addresses her soldiers for a minute in Retran, and they salute. Then she turns to me. "Do not lose sight of your nearest neighbor. Strike hard, strike fast, but not the same target twice. We do not have many to throw."

The Retrans sheath their blades. Shava pulls a pouch from her robes and sets a stone from it in each soldier's hand. As she drips blood onto each one, a tiny flame rises up from it. I take my flicker from my pocket, and everyone pulls out a bottle.

"Ready?" Riszev looks around. We nod and follow her into battle.