na

d Susan Sterling off he

complet

ath outside the school gates, her arms hovering awkwardly

familiar, sharp scent of lavender soap, crushed valerian

dam

s clutching the fabric of her mantle so tightly

guilt of watching Emmett burn, and the agonizing weight o

nic. "Giana, look at me. What happened? Who hurt you? Did one of the wards c

my tears, shaking my head violently a

a-seemed to shatter

ld, since I had decided that cold formality and ari

tantly, her arms cl

icured hand coming up to cradle the back of my head, pressing my face into h

husky and tight. "Hush now, darli

from the curious stares of the gatekeeper gargo

arriage was a masterclass in h

table Extension Charm into a spacious, circular drawing room lined with velvet banquettes

ons, reached into a rosewood cabinet, and produced a ste

it into my s

her hazel eyes were dark with worry as she sat opposite me. "And then you are going

breathing in the steam, using the heat to fo

tell her

ackward through time by the grace of a shattered memory basin, she would have

cloth, balling

off with Colin,"

eyebrows

ith the cold, analytical gaze she usually reserved

gging me for fifty Glowgolds to buy him tha

He cared about the Sterling name, he cared about having an heiress fawn over him at the skyball m

speak for a

ackled in t

s her sharp features, though she masked it in

rk in the transport ministry anyway. His lineage is overblown

directly into her eyes, refusing

genuinely cau

r w

hard work was an embarrassment. For pretending that the gold that pays for my tutors and my robes fe

nt entir

the first time in my life, I saw her lips par

re a stranger who had stepp

ut her voice carried a distinct tremor. "And

aching across the table and taking

d in surprise, but

al resorts with the other house girls. I want you to teach me the business. The ledger,

d at our jo

nd fell in a lon

t with unshed tears that she stubbornly blin

register, though her thumb gently stroked the back of my knuckles. "The Council ministers will try to cheat you, the

ing, indolent younger brother who was currently

our proprietary wolfsbane distillation matrix to our fiercest comp

with fierce, protective resolve. "Which is why you

smiled

, the polished, razor-sharp

f a mother who had just realized

my hand in return. "All right, my girl

y robes, and tapped the ceiling of the

ngs unfurling as the carriage lurched forw

ow as the stone towers of Wanling

th wa

tles to fight

uarding my mother from the

sal House, breaking through the iron armor of a boy who w

rom my pocket, my fingers tracing the

iet,"

," I whispered to the