“The knife, please,” Gasni said, gesturing for the blade I still held. I reluctantly gave it up. “You know where to find it should you need it. For now, you’d best return to your quarters before someone learns you’re missing.”

I gave him one last glare, then returned to my room. No one had entered since I’d left, I was sure of that, and no one was pounding on the door. At least I could get away with a short absence. I clasped a wide bracelet around my wrist to hide the bruise and the cut I’d made and laid in bed to rest.

Mother arrived to check on me soon enough, barging in without warning. “Eujia!” She ran to hug me, a gesture I didn’t return. “Are you all right? No one came to your room recently, did they?”

I faked a confused look. “No. What’s going on?”

“That killer escaped! Jesun, the stupid girl, tried to kill him, and he used her to escape instead. He hurt her, and she won’t talk, so I was worried he’d hurt you, too. Oh, gods.”

“I’m fine, Mother. Was that all?” I didn’t bother feigning concern for her or my sister.

“You don’t care, do you? You don’t give a damn that he escaped. What am I saying, of course you don’t. You’re probably glad for it and wishing him the best.”

“No, I don’t care. So, if you don’t mind, I’m tired.”

“You ungrateful little—” Her eyes fell on my wrist, and I glanced down as well. My cuff had slipped a bit out of place, revealing a hint of the bruise from Gasni’s serum. She grabbed my arm before I could pull it away and plucked the cuff off my wrist. “What is this?”

“It’s nothing.” I couldn’t get my arm out of her grip.

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She studied the bruise, the two little pinpricks, and the cut, and her eyes widened. “When did these happen?”

“It isn’t important.”

“Not important? Someone tortured you, and you cut yourself, and it isn’t important? Who touched you?”

“Drop it, Mother. You don’t want to go down this road.”

“You are my daughter, and I will know who hurt you.”

“Fine. If you must know, it was the Council.”

She paled and stammered. “The Council?”

“Yes. So, drop it and stay out of my business. You can’t help me. You never could.”

She finally released me and stepped back, and her features set in a stern expression. “You’re right. You’ve gone too far. I can’t help you. But I will not have you dragging your sisters down with you. We’re leaving this godsforsaken place. You can have it all to yourself.”

“What?” I rose to my feet. “Oh, now you want to leave? Now you want to protect your daughters? What about all the times I begged you to take us back home? What about all the times the emperor touched me or cornered me, and you did nothing? You never thought of it then?”

“We were safe!” she shouted. “But not anymore, not after the things you’ve done. You caused this. You’re the reason we’re leaving.”

She turned for the door, but I blinked ahead to cut her off. “Don’t do this,” I pleaded. “Don’t leave me here. Don’t take Ranine from me! Please, just take me with you. Don’t—”

Tears welled in her eyes, but she shoved me aside and stormed out.

I tried to calm myself, but a fury was rising and wouldn’t be stopped. I screamed, and my power swelled, transporting everything in the room to random positions. Every piece of furniture, every vase, every book, every single item was rearranged, then crashed to the floor.

My guards rushed in but froze behind me. I didn’t need to look to imagine their stunned faces.

“My lady,” the imperial guard said. “Are you all right?”

“Get out.”

“I can request servants to—”

“Just get out.”

They hesitated, but a moment later the door clicked softly.

I sniffled and stepped over shattered vases and crumpled books to shove an assortment of random objects off my bed, spilling pens and papers and clothes onto the floor. I didn’t care that the bed was partially blocking the entrance to my restroom. I didn’t care that splotches of wet ink stained the sheets. I didn’t care that I wasn’t dressed for bed, or that it was still midday. I crawled under the blankets and sobbed into my pillow until I fell asleep.