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That snagged Ren’s attention. The old crone looked rather satisfied by her reaction. Image-bearers were nearly as rare as enhancers. They were living vessels, capable of wearing magic directly on their skin. Magic that required no source except for the wielder themselves. She’d never seen someone with the specialized tattoos before, but she’d read about them in books.
“… a far more common practice in Tusk, but not unheard of here. What I want to know, though, is how did he survive? And if he survived, what of the two sisters?”
The woman leaned back in her chair as servants set down a roasted shank of meat in front of them. Ren leaned back as well, her mind racing. She was so consumed by the story that she almost didn’t notice Theo trying to get her attention. He’d come down the stairs, looking utterly drained.
“I need a bit of air,” Ren said to the older woman. “Excuse me.”
The old crone nodded. “Yes, of course. Go on, Isabelle.”
Ren smiled at the thought of some confused girl reappearing at her grandmother’s side, unaware that she’d just been briefly confused for a stranger. Ren could feel the relief from Theo as she crossed the room. He wanted to leave, and he wanted to leave with her. There was a subtle flicker in her chest at that realization. She quieted the feeling. Whatever his father’s reasoning for the exile, Ren realized that the leader of House Brood had made a mistake. His punishment was driving Theo away from House Brood and into her arms. She was the only one he could trust now.
“Take me on a walk,” she said. “Let’s look at the stars.”
In spite of everything that had happened that night, Theo smiled.
* * *
They took a long, winding route back to his villa in the Heights. By unspoken agreement, they walked out onto the balcony. Stars glinted above like teeth in the dark. It was ironic that Ren found herself in this place. It was the exact spot where she’d first met Theo. She’d wanted to murder him that night. Now she was back—pitying him instead of despising him.
“Stop that,” he whispered. “Please stop.”
Ren’s eyes met his. “What?”
“I can… feel it. You feel sorry for me. It’s not helping.”
A gust of wind swept over the balcony. Theo’s blond hair tossed across his forehead as he turned away, eyeing the city below. Ren understood. In her lowest moments at Balmerick, pity had never done anything for her. Teachers had always bemoaned her situation. How unfair it was that a talented girl like her was not receiving proper attention. But they’d done nothing to actually improve her standing. Their pity was as useful as a threadbare coat offered in the dead of winter. Ren’s thoughts returned to the old crone and her story about the Tin’Vori family.
“Let’s strategize, then,” Ren proposed. “How long do you think your father will keep you in Nostra?”
Theo sighed. “The last person assigned to the post was Uncle Lander. There was a party. All the people you saw tonight. Lander was very drunk. His guard was down. A manipulator from one of the other houses cornered him. He foolishly revealed our family’s designs for taking over a new business sector in Kathor. They took that information, used it to cut off our plans, and spoiled the entire enterprise. When my father found out the source of their information, he exiled Lander to the same post in Nostra. It was always… a joke. A good laugh for the rest of the family. ‘Don’t be like your bumbling uncle or you’ll be sent to live in the mountains.’ ”
“And how long ago was that?”
“He’s been in Nostra for twelve years,” Theo answered in a dead voice. “I’m sure he will be very grateful to be returning to Kathor. Finally, another fool has arrived to replace him.…”
Ren’s heart sank. “But you’re his son. Surely he wouldn’t keep you there.…”
“Lander is his brother. I think being his son makes it worse somehow. More shameful.”
“And what about me?” She thought about the best phrasing for her question. “Do you think he’ll allow me to go with you?”
Theo shook his head. “Tomorrow you will receive an invitation. An internship, perhaps. From one of our respected trade partners. He’ll offer you something enticing to keep you here in the city. If you turn it down, he can use that against you. ‘See? I offered her a place, and she would not take it.’ But if you accept, he begins the work of separating us. I will be there. You will be here. My father is a thorough man. I learned long ago that if he ever offered me a choice, both possibilities had already been carefully curated by him. I was simply allowed to choose between his desires for me. It’s always been that way.”
Ren couldn’t help thinking that Theo was edging into less pitiable territory. What had those choices been for a child in his position? Listen to your priceless tutor or else I’ll send you to a bedroom that’s larger than most people’s houses? A familiar anger curled to life in her chest. It never quite went away, no matter how much she’d come to actually care for Theo. The chasm between their lived experiences could not be forgotten. Theo was watching Ren. No doubt, he thought her sudden anger was linked to what he’d said about his father. About his own plight.
“I can’t refuse. Not right now. But my father is a fool if he thinks he can keep me pinned in the mountains for a decade. I—we are meant for more.”
His eyes locked on Ren’s. She lifted her chin, meeting that stony gaze. This was the Theo she’d first started liking out in the Dires. The one who’d stood fearlessly before a wyvern, who’d fought shoulder to shoulder with her against a revenant. This was the version of him she needed if they were to carve a path forward in this world.
“We are going to change this city, Ren. He does not own Kathor. He does not own us, no matter what he thinks. Weather this storm with me. I will come up with a plan while I am away. There are gaps in my father’s power. I thought the warden post would be the most natural path to independence, but there are others. We will discover them.”
We could start by removing your father, Ren thought darkly. She buried those emotions quickly. Asking for that would be asking too much too soon. She needed to work with what was in front of her. Right now, Theo was burning with anger and indignation. It was possible that he would dare to plot a life apart from his family. His words tonight were a far cry from actual action, but they could be the start of something.
“I’m with you,” Ren answered. “No matter what.”
It frightened her to realize those words were at least partly true. Not just pretense. Not just a survival mechanism. Genuine feelings had started to blossom. Ren found there were two separate categories. First, there was the bond magic. She’d felt it on the bridge. Watching Theo bleed out, she’d briefly considered the possibility of not saving him. She could have returned home, demanded an inheritance from his family. Instead, her bond with him had roared to life and forced her to act. That initial impulse had only continued to grow. A deeply troubling development.
Would it go on like that forever? Increasing, year after year, no matter what? Would her feelings for him grow until they were something she couldn’t override? She worried the bond might eventually outstrip her current purpose.
