It’s not real. I clamp down hard on my energy. “It won’t happen again,” I repeat, brushing Violetta’s concerns aside with a sweep of my hand. “Especially since I’m aware of it now.”

Violetta gives me a pained look—the same expression she once gave me as a little girl, when I refused to help her save the one-winged butterfly. “You don’t have as much control over your power as you think. It shifts so wildly, more so than anyone else’s I’ve felt.”

My temper boils over into anger. I whirl on her. “Maybe if someone didn’t force me to suffer alone as a child, I wouldn’t be like this.”

Violetta turns bright red. She tries to respond, but stumbles on her words. “I’m just trying to help you,” she finally manages.

“Yes, you’re always trying to help, aren’t you?” I sneer.

Her shoulders slump. I feel a twinge of guilt for lashing out at her, but before I can say anything, there’s a light knock on our door.

“Come in,” Violetta says, straightening.

The door opens a crack, and I see Magiano’s golden eyes. “Am I interrupting?” he asks. “It sounded a bit tense in here.”

“We’re fine,” I say, sounding harsher than I mean.

Magiano gives me a look to let me know he doesn’t believe me. He opens the door wider and steps inside. His long braids are matted from the storm, and streaks of water still glisten on his skin. He brings in the scent of rain and ocean. His gold hooped earrings shine in the light.

It takes me a moment to realize that the mercenary has followed him into the room. He closes the door behind him. Then he turns to us and nods a quick greeting. He’s tall, his shoulders broad and his skin pale, perhaps from exhaustion.

“That was almost more effort than you’re all worth,” he says. “The ports are a mess today. Word has it that the new Beldish queen arrived in Kenettra today too. A great deal of water traffic is being diverted here to Merroutas.” He raises an eyebrow at Magiano. “So, thank you for adding to the madness.”

The new Beldish queen. I think back to the way Lucent occasionally talked about the Beldish princess, and how fond she was of her. What if the Beldish queen was a Dagger patron? If she’s now in Kenettra, what are the Daggers up to?

“We may have some explaining to do when we reach port again,” the mercenary continues. “I guarantee you word about the Night King’s death will have spread to Kenettra by then, and Inquisitors will be checking every ship that docks today.”

From under his shirt collar, I catch a glimpse of a faint gray marking. “I’m sorry for the trouble,” I decide to answer. “Thank you for your help.”

“Never thank a mercenary,” he replies. He glances at Magiano, who is busy squeezing water out of his braids. “I was paid.”

“You didn’t really think I stopped by the Night King’s court to only steal a single diamond pin, did you? I picked up some bags of gold on my way out.”

The mercenary crosses his arms, then introduces himself. “Sergio.”

“Adelina,” I say.

Violetta smiles when he looks at her. “Violetta,” she says. “The sister.”

She manages to coax a smile, even a laugh, from him. “No need for humility,” he replies. “Magiano mentioned your power.” At that, Violetta blushes pink.

Magiano nods at him. “You must be one of the Night King’s former men. Yes?”

Now I notice the many knives strapped to Sergio’s belt, the dagger tucked into his boot. Battle scars on his arms. “Yes,” Sergio says. “I was one of his mercenaries. You’ve heard the stories, I presume. Ten thousand of us, so they say, although we really number closer to five hundred.” He smiles again. “We just manage to give an impression of many men.”

“Why are you helping us?” I ask.

“No point in serving a dead man, is there? I’m sure several of his men are fighting over his vacancy right now, although I’ve no interest in ruling an island.” He tilts his head in Magiano’s direction. “He tells us you are the White Wolf, and you’re looking for allies. Is it true that you ran the Night King through with his own sword?”

And you loved it so, the whispers in my head say without warning, their little voices full of glee. I swallow hard, forcing them down. Even though my powers are still weak, I answer by conjuring an illusion of a shadow before us, transforming it into a faint semblance of Sergio. I note the look of awe on his face before I pull the illusion away. “Yes,” I reply.

Sergio regards me with renewed interest. “I’m not the only mercenary on board,” he says. “A dozen others among the crew are as well. Some of them even think you are ruling Merroutas right now.” He pauses and I notice a slight shift. “The Night King kept us in decent coin, though. What can you pay?”

Magiano looks on with a small smirk. “Ten times what he gave you,” I reply, making myself as tall as I can. “You’ve seen what I can do. I think you can guess at how powerful I can make my followers, how much I will reward them for their loyalty.”

Sergio lets out a low, mock whistle, then glances sidelong at Magiano. “You never told me she was rich.”

“I forgot.” Magiano shrugs.

“And you think her words carry weight?”

“I’m following her, aren’t I?”

The corner of Sergio’s mouth tilts up. “So you are.”

Beside me, Violetta is concentrating on Sergio in a way that can only mean she’s studying his energy. “You’re an Elite, too, aren’t you?” I ask.